Alberto Manzi, known as the “maestro d’Italia”, was born on November 3, 1924. He was a character who distinguished himself as a writer and activist. In the 1960s, thanks to his television program “Non è mai troppo tardi”, he managed to teach over one and a half million Italians to read and write. In the first episode of the program, broadcast on November 15, 1960, Manzi began with words that underlined the importance of learning the meaning of written signs, fundamental elements for communicating and understanding the world. With an engaging approach, he spoke to the public, also addressing the youngest who followed the program after school.
The Radiocorriere of the time described the program as a course of televised lessons aimed at teaching reading, writing and arithmetic, supported by the Ministry of Education. The lessons were held three times a week, allowing students to prepare for their third grade exams. In the 1950s, the illiteracy rate was still high, reaching 12.9% in some Italian regions. Alberto Manzi thus became a symbol of the fight against illiteracy during the period of the Italian economic boom.
In addition to his television career, Manzi enthusiastically returned to his role as an elementary school teacher until his retirement. But there was also a lesser-known side to his life: his rebellious personality and his commitment to the indigenous peoples of the Amazon. As a writer, he produced numerous children’s texts and teaching materials based on his experiences with his students. His most famous work is “Orzowei”, published in the 1950s and later adapted into a television drama by Rai.
Manzi’s passion for education also took him to South America, where he organized courses for indigenous communities every summer. “Non è mai troppo tardi” is just one of the many programs that Manzi made from 1951 to 1996, contributing to his international fame. In the 1990s he also dedicated himself to new immigrants in Italy with a series of episodes called “Insieme”. Alberto Manzi died in Pitigliano (Grosseto) on December 4, 1997, leaving a significant legacy in the field of education and Italian culture.
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