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Seven Years Later, Still Connected | The Lasting Impact of GAMES

April 27, 2026
Afbeelding voor Seven Years Later, Still Connected | The Lasting Impact of GAMES
Sometimes, the true impact of an experience only becomes visible years later. In 2019, during the very first Global Montessori Games in Nijmegen, something special began. Six Montessori schools from around the world came together, not just to play, but to connect. Students stayed with Dutch host families, sharing daily life, culture, and moments that would stay with them far beyond that week.

It was there that Zara from the Netherlands and Aleksandra from Norway met. What started as a simple host-family stay grew into a genuine friendship. Seven years later, on the other side of the world, their paths crossed again. Last week, they met in Australia and shared their story with us. A story that perfectly captures what GAMES is all about. It made us incredibly happy and proud.

Read what they had to say:

Seven years ago we met in Nijmegen, the Netherlands at the first edition of the Global Montessori Games. This was hosted in 2019. Aleksandra is from Norway and Zara from the Netherlands. Aleksandra stayed at my parents place for the whole week and we became really good friends. We always kept in touch and we would love to see each other again. But as you know life happens. Six years after the Global Montessori Games, Aleksandra moved to The Gold Coast, Australia to study. One year later Zara started her solo traveling in Australia and then we met again. Not in Norway, not in the Netherlands, but on the other side of the world in Australia! It shows how small the world is and how far the distance may be, one day you maybe can meet again!

Curious what that unforgettable week looked like? Take a look:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6pDfb1blquQ

PEACE,

Global Association of Montessori Education and Sport