Florianópolis, Brazil. Congress brings educators together to explore Goethean phenomenological observation from early childhood to high school.
From July 13 to 18, 2026, more than 600 teachers, researchers, school leaders, students, and families from across Brazil gathered in Florianópolis for the 7th Brazilian Waldorf Education Congress. Held at the Federal University of Santa Catarina, the event centered on the theme “Phenomenology and Education: Contemplating the Beginning of Life and Its Reverberations Throughout the School Journey.”
One of the Congress’ central questions was how to cultivate—throughout the entire educational journey— the capacity to observe the world with attention, openness, and genuine interest. From the gestures and play of early childhood, to the increasingly conscious investigation of phenomena in primary and secondary education, participants explored how observation can evolve and deepen alongside the development of children and young people.
Within the phenomenological approach, observation means more than simply gathering information; it involves approaching a phenomenon without anticipating conclusions, perceiving its relationships and transformations, formulating meaningful questions, and allowing knowledge to emerge through the encounter between the human being and the world.
The theme was explored through lectures, workshops, phenomenological practice groups, panel discussions, and research presentations. Among the invited speakers were the American researcher Craig Holdrege, founder of The Nature Institute, and the educator and researcher Constanza Kaliks, head of the Pedagogical Section at the Goetheanum, alongside Brazilian teachers, artists, and researchers.
The program also included artistic and cultural activities, discussions on inclusion and diversity, and celebrations marking 100 years of Waldorf Early Childhood Education worldwide and 70 years of Waldorf Education in Brazil. By bringing together educational practice, academic research, and experiences from different regions of the country, the Congress sought to strengthen an education that cultivates not only knowledge but also attentiveness, sensitivity, and a sense of responsibility toward the world.
The 7th Brazilian Waldorf Education Congress was organized by the Federation of Waldorf Schools in Brazil (FEWB) in partnership with the Pedagogical Section (SAB), hosted by Escola Waldorf Anabá in Florianópolis, with the cooperation of other Waldorf schools in the region.
More Federation of Waldorf Schools in Brazil
Translation Paula Boslau
Photo 7th Brazilian Waldorf Education Congress / FEWB, Courtesy/Fernando Fonini
