Classrooms are filling up again as San Marino kicks off the new 2026-2027 school year. Marking the resumption of lessons, the Captains Regent Alice Mina and Vladimiro Selva addressed a message to students, teachers, school leaders, staff and families across the Republic. At the heart of their remarks: the role of schools in shaping citizens, the relationship between families and teachers, the new challenges posed by artificial intelligence and digital technology, and the value of education as an opportunity accessible to all.
Below is the full message from the Captains Regent:
“Dear Students, School Leaders, Teachers, Staff of the Republic’s Educational Institutions, Parents and Families,
From today, classrooms and school desks come back to life.
The Regency believes these are not merely physical spaces for learning, but above all symbols of togetherness and the beating heart of our community — because it is here that the future is forged, and here too that “good citizens” are formed.
School, at every level, is the engine of civic growth and the primary place for dialogue, inclusion, openness and discovery.
School is movement. It never stops. It is a path to be walked together, by the young and the old alike.
Dear Students,
we know that the start of a new school year has always been a moment charged with particular emotions, curiosity and hope, but at times also with the apprehension that comes with a new beginning. Approach this new journey not as a simple duty.
School gives you the tools to understand the world, to develop free and critical thinking, to cultivate your passions, and to forge friendships that will stay with you forever.
Strengthening the education system is a primary task for society, and we believe it is a collective commitment, because the future of our community depends on the quality of our education system — one that deserves adequate resources and particular attention.
This is precisely the challenge to be embraced: human capital is the primary value to invest in.
We live in a fast-changing world. The processes of knowledge and new opportunity never stop, but they must be guided and directed toward the common good.
We think especially of issues such as artificial intelligence and digital technology. That is why it is so important to teach a mindset in which analytical skill, creative thinking, synthesis, and the ability to reason and solve problems are woven together.
In no civilized country should education be a privilege.
That is why, dear young people, we ask you to see education and learning as an extraordinary opportunity.
Be grateful to your teachers and to your school: they are the ones who give you the tools to become tomorrow’s citizens and who help you discover the history and roots of our Republic. To all teachers, we extend heartfelt thanks for their expertise and dedication in the delicate work of education, and for accompanying our young people on their journey of human and cultural growth.
We believe that the educational pact is also built on the partnership between families and teachers, and this bond must always be nurtured and protected with patience and trust.
To you, boys and girls, we extend our warmest wishes for a rewarding school year, and on this special day, we would like to accompany our greeting with two photographs.
The first is in black and white. It shows the children of a small town in the Apennines — perhaps with their teacher — hanging from a rope on a pulley. Suspended in mid-air, they cross a river to reach school. Every day. Because school was the only bridge to cling to for the future.
The second photograph is in color, taken in Papua New Guinea. It is from our own time and appears on UNICEF’s website. It shows young Lorna and other children crossing river rapids, a pot poking out of the water to keep their food dry. Once across the river, on the other side, the students change out of their wet clothes and into their school uniforms. Every day. Rain or shine, because school can only be reached by swimming.
Two stories, distant yet close, balanced between courage and necessity, where there are no bridges over the water — only the will to learn.
For this reason, to paraphrase, our wish today is that you begin this school day — and face all the days to come — “swimming through the air of knowledge,” with curiosity and courage, making room for everything that will pass through you and shape you.
As has already been said: “To study and to breathe does not fill you up — it makes room.”
Dear Students, School Leaders, Teachers, Staff, Parents and Families.
Good work and safe travels to you all.”
San Marino, 15 September 2026/1726 d.F.R.
