THE CENTRE
A non-profit educational institution - (D.P.R. 27 Aug 1980 n.931)

Founded by Mario M. Montessori in 1961, the 'Centro Internazionale Studi Montessoriani' of Bergamo was the first A.M.I. (Association Montessori Internationale) centre to prepare Montessori teachers for elementary school and is therefore the A.M.I. centre with the longest tradition of holding advanced Montessori courses. During the early years, Mario Montessori lectured extensively for the Bergamo Course and the knowledge and experience developed over the years constituted a basis for all advanced training courses.

The C.I.S.M. Foundation is a centre of studies because it undertakes research on Maria and Mario Montessori's unpublished contributions to Montessori methodology; it is a centre for documenting the history of the Montessori Movement throughout the world; it is a centre for biographical and bibliographical information.

The C.I.S.M. Foundation is an international centre drawing students from all continents and countries. Thus, for the 49 courses that have been held, students have come from 41 different countries: 19 European and 22 belonging to other continents.