Connecting roots, building friendships!
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DISCOVER THE MAGIC OF LETTER WRITING
A small gesture. A powerful connection. Through letters, postcards, and stories, children and teens from around the world connect, share their worlds, and build lasting friendships that trascend borders.
WHAT IS "AMICI DI PENNA"?
“Amici di Penna” (Pen Pals) was created to strengthen connections with Italy through letter writing and friendship. The project connects children and teens in Italy and around the world. Individual and family participation welcomes children of all nationalities, Italian and non-Italian alike, with an interest in Italian language and culture.
Through Amici di Penna, children and teens around the globe build meaningful friendships and explore new worlds - one letter at a time.
“Amici di Penna” (Pen Pals) is a BimBi Italiani project that connects children and young people aged 3 to 17 across the globe.
Through the exchange of letters, drawings and creative materials, participants build new friendships, strenghten their Italian language skills, develop empathy, discover new cultures, and discover the joy of genuine, heartfelt communication.
The project celebrates the timeless art of traditional correspondence and fosters linguistic, cultural, and emotional growth through meaningful personal exchange.
Pairings are primarily made between Italy and other countries, or between participants living in different nations.
For individual and family participation, we prioritise matches between children living in Italy and children living abroad whenever possible. Each match depends on the registrations received, participants’ ages, interests, and profiles. A child’s pen pal may therefore live in another country or also live in Italy.
Italian language and culture remain the common thread in every exchange, through stories, discoveries, traditions, and everyday experiences.
Project Objectives
Strengthen the cultural connection between participants and Italy.
Promote written Italian as a powerful tool for self-expression and connection.
Foster genuine friendships among children and teens in Italy and around the world who share an interest in Italian language and culture.
Encourage intercultural dialogue and exchange.
Celebrate handwriting and the timeliness art of traditional correspondence.
Why participate?
Improve your written Italian in a natural and meaningful way.
Discover new cultures and traditions.
Nurture empathy, curiosity, and authentic friendships.
Deepen your connection to Italy or discover its language, culture, and traditions.
Embark on a hands-on journey towards global citizenship.
HOW DOES IT WORK?
Discover how to join the “Amici di Penna” — a unique opportunity for children and teens to connect, share, and exchange stories with peers from every corner of the globe.
WHO CAN PARTICIPATE ?
Children and teens aged 3 to 17, of all nationalities, living in Italy or abroad, with an interest in Italian language and culture — through individual or family participation.
Primary and lower secondary school classes, and groups from language and cultural centres, in Italy or abroad, that use or are learning Italian.
Important: An active BimBi Italiani membership is required: the family’s membership for individual participation, or the school’s or centre’s membership for group participation.
HOW TO ENROLL
Become a member or renew your BimBi Italiani membership.
Pay the participation fee.
Complete the registration form - the form will be available on this page once enrollment opens.
Accept the program regulations.
Families: enrolment is available during official enrolment periods. The next enrolment period opens in November 2026.
Schools, language and cultural centres: enrolment is open throughout the year. The exchange begins once a compatible partner has been found and both organisations have confirmed their commitment.
Registration forms and participation details are available on the respective dedicated pages.
Not a MEMBER yet?
Click here to join the BimBi Italiani world and explore all the benefits!
FEES
Families: €12 annual membership + €5 per child
Schools, language and cultural centres: annual membership based on the organisation’s membership category and size + €100 project fee per group of up to 20 participants.
Individual / Family Participation
Each child is paired with a pen pal of a similar age, taking into account interests, spoken languages, and the registrations received. We prioritise exchanges between Italy and other countries whenever possible, but matches between children who both live in Italy are also possible.
LEARN HOW IT WORKS AND HOW TO JOIN: Click below!
Group Participation - Schools, Langugae & Cultural Centres
Classes and groups are matched with a partner in Italy or abroad, with compatible ages and profiles. Teachers and educators integrate letter writing into their educational and cultural activities. The exchange begins once a partner has been found and both organisations have confirmed their commitment.
LEARN HOW IT WORKS AND HOW TO JOIN: Click below!
Management Responsibilities:
Individual Enrollment: Managed by the child's parent or legal guardian.
Group participation: the participating school or centre is responsible for managing and supervising the exchange through a designated coordinator.
Participant Commitments :
Maintain regular contact with your pen pal throughout the project
Respect privacy - do not share personal information about your pen pal
Communicate with kindness, respect and appropriate language at all times.
Submit final feedback to BimBi Italiani on the experience.
Inform the partner family or organisation and BimBi Italiani if the exchange is paused or discontinued.
IMPORTANT: For individual and family participation: if the exchange is paused or discontinued, parents or guardians agree to promptly inform the other family and BimBi Italiani, so that no child is left waiting for a reply.
INDIVIDUAL ENROLLMENT WILL OPEN IN NOVEMBER!
For school participation, please visit the dedicated page:
For more information or questions:
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