Alexandra Lanini, 37, is the new director of the Brissago School and succeeds Marina Bernasconi. Graduated in performing arts at the ‘Professione Musical Italia’ school in Parma, she holds a Bachelor in Arts from SUPSI, has taught in elementary schools and is currently undergoing three-year training on trauma.
On Monday, September 2, she presented herself to students and parents explaining the spirit with which she intends to face her new challenge: "It is with great honour and a deep sense of responsibility that I take the baton as the new director of this school," she said. Becoming part of a reality that has been built and cared for with dedication in the name of the good of the community is an immense privilege for me.’
In her deep and passionate speech, Alexandra explained that her desire, as the new director, ‘is to continue to promote the glue that unites us despite our differences’. And he addressed a delicate, divisive and controversial issue: inclusion.
“There is a lot of talk about inclusion today, but how can we embrace contradictions without this becoming an effort? Many will wonder if it is right to do so. I think so, he said. In my view, inclusion is about trying to reduce the distance between extremes. It is finding that meeting point, even if unique, in the midst of a conflict. A place where anything can happen, where something new can be born, where innovative possibilities can be discovered. It is the ability to recognise hidden potential even in seemingly arid terrain or far from our usual vision.”
And in wishing everyone a happy school year, he concluded: “I want a school where divergent thinking can find its way, where the unreasonable becomes an imaginable possibility. Not to celebrate chaos, or maybe yes, as long as new creative solutions emerge from it. I want an environment where even those who feel inadequate can find their own space, not to conform, but to receive the necessary support to grow and flourish, contributing to the good of all. A community is strong only if it is made up of authentic identities, capable of expressing itself within this complex system that is our society. I want a school where the identity of each of you children can begin to take shape and emerge through various mirrors: your experiences, your peers’ eyes, the use of your creative hands, and your first steps towards making important choices. The most difficult mirror to face is the one that sends us back our most foreign parts. I invite you to look at it and listen to what is happening inside of us.”