italian heritage - Center for the Biology of Natural Systems - CUNY

Whereas, a celebration of pride and
acknowledgment of a nation’s place in history draws
New Yorkers together and, during the month of
October, we join to observe this 34 th Annual Italian
Heritage and Culture Month as a means of preserving
a wonderful legacy of contributions made by those of
Italian ancestry, the benefits of which we derive today
and that future generations will always know; and
Whereas, throughout civilization, the contributions
of women have improved the lives of people around
the globe, and we take this opportunity to honor the life
and legacy of a remarkable Italian woman of impressive
achievement with “A Tribute to Dr. Maria Montessori:
An Internationally Renowned Educator and Physician,”
celebrating her inspiring personal story, tremendous
vision, and proven accomplishments through which
she advanced the course of all humankind, making an
especially permanent and lasting mark on the field of
education – one that remains as strong as ever today;
and
Whereas, born in 1870 in Chiaravalle in the Italian
province of Ancona, bordering the Adriatic coast,
Maria Montessori was the first woman in Italy to receive
a medical degree; working in the fields of Psychiatry,
Education and Anthropology, her greatest contribution
was in revolutionizing views and perceptions of
the learning process for children, and through the
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