For the first time in the city — and for the first time with children — a whole morning of games and workshops to show that science and technology have no age.

Is it too early to talk about science and engineering with 7-year-olds? The Stem Women Congress says no. In fact, this is exactly where we should begin. Because prejudices and stereotypes form early, and they can be dismantled just as early through play, curiosity, and hands-on experience.

On September 30, at the Scuola Centro Civico in Turin (Via Bardonecchia 34), the third stop of the STEP BY STEM journey will take place — for the first time in Turin and for the first time with children — ahead of the international Stem Women Congress Italia in Milan on October 15. From 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., a morning of games and workshops will allow three third-grade classes to discover what lies behind words that may seem “distant,” such as biology, physics, engineering, or mathematics.

The event is organized with the patronage of the City of Turin and in collaboration with Orange Media Group, ITER, Iberdrola Italia, Intesa Sanpaolo, Brick Genius, and CRAI.

The day will open with greetings from the President of the Turin City Council, Maria Grazia Grippo (the first woman in the city’s history to hold this position), the Councillor for Educational Policies, Carlotta Salerno, and the project manager at Orange Media Group, Matteo De Laurentis.

“Educating today’s girls and boys in the sciences,” emphasizes City Council President Maria Grazia Grippo, “means helping to build — for them and with them — a near future in which society can combine the growing spread of scientific knowledge with overcoming gender stereotypes and a stronger inclusive drive. The STEP BY STEM initiative, taking place for the first time in Turin with children as protagonists, represents a key step toward the Stem Women Congress Italia scheduled for October 15.”

“The Turin stop of the Stem Days shows how the City is increasingly committed to supporting young female students in making conscious and free choices about their educational and professional paths,” says Carlotta Salerno, Councillor for Educational Policies of the City of Turin. “Valuing the younger generations also means giving them the opportunity to explore worlds that are still too often associated exclusively with male figures. Thanks to the Stem Women Congress for continuing to shine a light on scientific subjects, planting interests, sparking passions, and, step by step, helping build a fairer future with greater opportunities.”

“We wanted to bring to Turin, for the first time, a format that puts children at the center, convinced that it is from them that we must start to break down stereotypes and build an inclusive STEM culture,” says Matteo De Laurentis, project manager at Orange Media Group, which organizes the event together with Women at Business. “This is the third stop of the Step by STEM journey and a key milestone toward Milan, where the Stem Women Congress Italia will be held on October 15. Our objective is clear: we want to show that talent has no gender and that curiosity is the most powerful engine of the future. With the support of initiatives like the Stem Women Congress, we want to inspire new generations and show that the future belongs to anyone with passion and the desire to get involved.”

From here on, the morning will be filled with games and workshops: young participants will become real “mini-engineers” with the Brick Genius labs, which use LEGO bricks to teach how to build, collaborate, and imagine a city. Thanks to the collaboration of Intesa Sanpaolo for social initiatives and Iberdrola Italia, the children will be able to give meaning to their imagined city by experimenting with good administrative practices through short sessions on financial education for sustainable choices.

At 10:40, CRAI will offer a break of “energy for the body and mind” with a tasty snack for both children and adults.
At 11 a.m., the game “Who Is the Scientist?” will begin, designed to break the clichés of the “genius in a white lab coat” and show that behind every discipline are diverse faces, stories, and passions.

From 11:15 to 11:45, Iberdrola Italia will lead an interactive presentation on renewable energy and related professions, followed by the workshop “Let’s Give Energy to the City,” in collaboration with Intesa Sanpaolo for social initiatives and Brick Genius.

At 12:30, workshops will resume until 12:50, when “Who Is the Scientist?” will return to spark new questions and new answers.

“We firmly believe that education is the key to building a sustainable and inclusive future,” says Valerio Faccenda, Country Manager of Iberdrola Italia. “Initiatives like the STEM Women Congress show how education in scientific and technological disciplines can stimulate curiosity, creativity, and participation, offering all girls and boys equal opportunities to discover their talent and the professions of the future. For us, it is important that sustainability, innovation, and inclusion are experienced from school onward as concrete drivers of change.”

If you want to learn more about the STEM Women Day Torino 2025, watch the GRP Television video: SWD Torino 25.