Belonging through creativity, courage and care

Report on the Performative Approaches to Language and Intercultural Learning (PAInt) Summer School 2026

Abstract

What does it mean to belong – to a place, a language, a story or a group? This question became a recurring thread throughout the fourth PAInt (Performative Approaches to Language and Intercultural Learning) Summer School, held at the Centro Linguistico di Ateneo of the University of Perugia from 28 to 30 July 2026 and jointly organised by the Universities of Padova and Perugia. Under the theme “Creativity, courage and care in performative language learning”, the Summer School brought together students, teachers, researchers and practitioners to explore drama-based approaches to second language and intercultural learning. Across workshops led by Fiona Dalziel, Filippo Fonio and Anna Taglietti, Vittoria Corallo and Erika Piazzoli, participants engaged with belonging, translingual women’s memories and identities, non-verbal communication, collective embodiment and process drama. This report reflects on these experiences from the perspective of a newcomer to performative language learning. Taking belonging as a connecting thread, it considers how individual stories, bodies and perspectives entered a shared space and how, over three days, creativity, courage and care contributed to the formation of an international community.