Program
The Danish Montessori Society cordially invites you to the
9th Nordic Montessori Conference
“Where it all began - A Pre-Celebration”
Join us in Helsingør as we come together to celebrate AMI’s hundred years and to create a space for knowledge sharing, networking and inspiration across countries and professional fields - and to highlight
the breadth and depth of The Montessori approach, from birth to old age.
Helsingør, Denmark
28-30 August 2026
Marienlyst Strandhotel
PROGRAMME and Early Bird details:
The Conference will be held in English
Friday 28 August 2026
14:30 Registration - Coffee and Tea
15:30 Welcome and Opening – Dr. Alain Tschudin, President of AMI
16:00 Lynne Lawrence, Executive Director of AMI
17:00 Plenary Session
Members of national Montessori Associations in Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Denmark (Nina, Diana, Kaarina, and Dinny) talk of those Montessori people who have meant most for them on their Montessori journey. Then the participants give thought to those who who have meant most to them.
19:00 Free time for dinner (at own expense), there are three options at Marienlyst an many more in Helsingør
Saturday 29 August 2026
09:00 Tiina Suominen - AMI Montessori trainer from birth to 3 and 3 - 6
09:45 Coffee and Tea break
10:00 Dinny Rebild - EsF - children at Risk
10:45 Coffee and Tea break
11:00 Steve Lawrence - Author of “Montessori Architecture: A Design Instrument for Schools” - shaping environments for independence and creativityMontessori Architecture and Art during the interwar period
11:45 Lunch
14:00 Patrick Oudejans - Co-Founder of Montessori Sports - a child-centered approach that integrates sport into holistic education
14:45 Coffee and Tea break
15:00 Carolyn Magnussen - Founder of Montessori Care and author of “Montessori Environmental Treatment: Meaning, Mastery, and Joy for People with Dementia” -How Montessori philosophy can bring dignity, purpose, and well-being of individuals living with dementia.
15:45 Coffee and Tea break
16:00 Starting a Montessori School
Karin Schurian Rosenø - Director, International Montessori School
Isabel Lisack - Director, Montessori International
Miroslava Vicková - Director, Montessori Institute Prague (infant Community, preschool, school, and teacher training institute)
18:30 Dinner at Marienlyst
Sunday 30 August 2026
08:30 Montessori Sports with Patrick Oudejans - Active beach workshop
09:30 Elena Espas - Former software engineer and AMI 6-12 teacher at the International Montessori School
Workshop about modern days challeges in montessori environment
10:15 Coffee and Tea break
10:30 Nina Johansen - Director of Montessori Norge since 2015 - A Path to Recognition
11.15 Final words and goodbye
11.45 Lunch at Marienlyst
REGISTRATION
Ticket description – it includes all of the following:
★ Full three-day experience of the Nordic Montessori Conference 2026 ★ Pre-celebratory 3-course dinner on Saturday
★ 4.5-star luxury accommodation for Friday and Saturday nights, including breakfast. - single or double occupancy – Marienlyst Strandhotel - www.marienlyst.dk
★ Full access to luxury spa and private beach
Early-Bird Tickets: Deadline - 29th April 2026 @ 23:00
★ Early-bird ticket for single occupancy: DKK 7760 per person
★ Early-bird ticket for twin/double occupancy: DKK 7190 per person
General Admission Tickets: from 30th April 2026
★ General admission ticket for single occupancy: DKK 8500 per person
★ General admission ticket for twin/double occupancy: DKK 7930 per person
Please register by sending an email with the following information to: danishmontessorisociety@gmail.com
1. Full name, address and telephone number
2. Choice of room – Single or twin/double (include name of the person you will be sharing with)
3. Name of your school, if applicable and your position.
Payment is required to confirm registration.
Once registered, please pay the fee to the following account number: Nordea – Sort Code: 2252, Account: 3499580672
IBAN: DK8520003499580672 - Swift: NDEADKKK.
Please use your name as a reference. Thank you.
Registration & Cancellation Policy Cancellation by Delegates:
● If a delegate cancels their registration before 30th June, a cancellation fee of DKK 1000 will apply.
● If a delegate cancels after 1st July, the registration fee is non-refundable.
● All cancellations must be submitted in writing to: danishmontessorisociety@gmail.com
Cancellation by Organizer:
● The conference requires a minimum of 75 registered delegates. If fewer than 75 delegates are registered by 30th April, the organizers reserve the right to cancel the conference.
● In the event of cancellation by the organizer, all registration fees will be fully refunded.
Transfer of Registration
If you are unable to attend, your registration may be transferred to another participant by providing written notice to the organizers by email to: danishmontessorisociety@gmail.com
ACCOMMODATION
Marienlyst Strandhotel – www.marienlyst.dk
Marienlyst Strandhotel is officially classified as a 4.5-star luxury beach and spa hotel located in Helsingør. It was founded in 1861 and is recognized as one of the country’s oldest and most reputable seaside hotels, specializing in conferences, leisure stays, and spa and wellness experiences.
Please contact the Hotel directly, if you have any food issues
Speakers:
Dr. Alain Tschudin
Dr. Alain Tschudin was appointed President of Association Montessori Internationale in April 2022. He is the UNESCO Gandhi-Montessori-Luthuli Chair on Education for Peace and
Transformative Solidarity, a Professor at Stellenbosch University, and Fellow of St Edmund’s College, University of Cambridge. Before this, he was Director of the International Centre of Nonviolence at the Durban University of Technology and lead consultant to the United
Nations Special Adviser on Africa on the nexus and fast-tracking the SDGs. He has extensive humanitarian experience, having worked with UNICEF and Save the Children in child protection in Africa and the Middle East. He was formerly Executive Director of a pan-African governance NGO. Alain is a registered psychologist and holds a Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of Natal and a Ph.D. in moral philosophy and theology from the University of Cambridge.
Lynne Lawrence
Lynne Lawrence has been the Executive Director of AMI since June 2008, and prior to this held the position of AMI General Secretary a interim (2007). She was also head of the AMI Human Resources Committee. Lynne was Director of Training and Schools at the Maria Montessori Training Organisation (MMTO), now known as the Maria Montessori Institute, since 1989.
Lynne actively promotes AMI’s involvement in Montessori educational projects in developing countries, alongside the many other areas of the association’s work, including teacher training programmes globally and ancillary Montessori programmes, research, and development supported by the AMI board, committees, and staff.
Patrick Oudejans
Co-founder & Trainer Montessori SportsPatrick Oudejans is Co-founder & Trainer Montessori Sports Former coach and data analyst ofthe AFC Ajax youth football academy (2012-2016). Coaching youth football since 2006 (ages3-16). Patrick holds a honours bachelor degree (Bsc) in Sports, Management and Business atthe Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences. Currently attending the AMI 3-6 diploma course training.
Executive Director, Association Montessori InternationaleCo-founder of Montessori CareCarolyn Magnussen is an AMI-certified Montessori for Dementia, Disability and Ageing (MDDA) Practitioner and Auxiliary Trainer with over 30 years of experience as a Montessori guide and Special Education teacher.
She is the co-founder of Montessori Care, bringing Montessori principles into elder care through training, materials, and program development in Norway.
She also leads Montessori Bridge, an intergenerational initiative preparing Montessori students to serve as skilled activity visitors for older adults and persons with dementia. In her free time, Carolyn enjoys painting, hiking, and spending time with her family.
Carolyn Magnussen
Co-writer of Montessori Architecture and Design.Steve Lawrence, co-writer of Montessori Architecture.
It is the first book to comprehensively address the architectural design, construction, and use of materials in the furnishing of educational spaces according to Maria Montessori’s visionary ideas.
Tiina Suominen
Assistant to Infancy Trainer (0-3)Tiina Suominen is an Assistant to Infancy Trainer (0-3) for the Association Montessori Internationale.
She holds an AMI 0-3 Diploma from Denver and a 3-6 Diploma from Washington, D.C., USA. She is an early childhood education teacher and will get a Master’s Degree in Social Services in the summer of 2025. She is also a Solution-Focused Coach and Positive Psychology Practitioner.
Lynne actively promotes AMI’s involvement in Montessori educational projects in developing countries, alongside the many other areas of the association’s work, including teacher training programmes globally and ancillary Montessori programmes, research, and development supported by the AMI board, committees, and staff.
Steve Lawrence
