Held on 19-20 October 2019 in Hangzhou, China, the annual conference was attended by over 500 Montessori educators who were welcomed by AMI President Philip O’Brien, former AMI President and AMI Global Ambassador André Roberfroid, AMI Executive Director Lynne Lawrence and founder of the the AMI China Affiliated Society Aidi Chen.  The conference progressed with Founder and Chair, Partnership for Change and the PfC Social Innovation Fund Ingrid Stange, Doctor of Education, Harvard University Dr. Zhang Cong, Executive Director of the Indaba Foundation and Director of the Sustainability Institute Dr. Jess Schulschenk and Montessori Football Trainer Patrick Oudejans.  

The following day, delegates benefitted from workshops by AMI trainers Sara Brady (0-3), Gretchen Hall (3-6) and Baiba Krumins Grazzini (6-12). 

The closing ceremony saw Lynne Lawrence lead the conference in launching the official Montessori 150 initiative, which, in 2020, marks 150 years since the birth of Maria Montessori.  Raising their voices with the song “My Hand in Your Hand”, these Montessori educators will spread these words of peace to the children of China.