Visibility of eTwinning Projects Group July 2026 Newsletter training, mentorship, and outreach activities alongside serving teachers and school leaders.
The continued involvement of some retired Erasmus + School ambassadors from the region of Latium, in Italy, will be illustrated through their direct testimonies. They will describe how they remain actively engaged within this network.
A Lifelong Commitment to eTwinning, by Paola Arduini When we leave the daily rhythm of classroom life and enter retirement, people often assume that our professional journey has come to an end. Yet, for those of us who have lived eTwinning for many years, retirement does not mean stepping away from education. eTwinning is far more than a projects platform: it is a professional community, a European vision of education, and a lifelong commitment to collaboration.
For me, retirement has not been an ending but the beginning of a new phase of service. I have continued to support teachers through training courses, mentoring activities, and the dissemination of European opportunities. Until its closure in 2025, I moderated the Virgilio – Your eTwinning Guide community, and today I continue to contribute to the coordination of the Virgilio Italia network, helping newcomers eTwinners develop projects and strengthen professional connections across Italy. Working alongside fellow retired ambassadors has confirmed that the
enthusiasm we shared with our students has not diminished. Instead, it has evolved into a different form of educational leadership based on experience, cooperation, and service.
Throughout these years, I have learned that retirement offers the opportunity to contribute in new ways: Supporting teachers through mentoring. Sharing practical experience with colleagues who are beginning their eTwinning journey or developing Erasmus + projects is one of the most rewarding aspects of my current role. Promoting inclusive and democratic innovation. Every training session is an opportunity to encourage collaborative, student-centred approaches in which participation, inclusion and European citizenship are at the heart of learning. Strengthening professional communities. Coordinating teacher networks and facilitating collaboration among educators has shown me that professional communities continue to flourish when people freely share ideas, resources and experiences. Building lasting relationships. Over the years, professional collaboration has grown into genuine friendship. The network created through eTwinning continues to connect people who share common educational values and a European outlook.
Retirement has taught me that our contribution to education does not end when we leave the classroom. It simply changes its form. We may no longer prepare daily lesson plans, but we continue to inspire teachers, support
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