CThey are figures who have never sought the center of the scene, and for this very reason they left a profound mark. Maria Rita Parsi it was one of them. Internationally renowned psychologist and psychotherapista point of reference in Italy and abroad for the protection of children and adolescents, disappeared on February 2, 2026 at the age of 78 years old. He leaves with her an authoritative voice, but always empatheticcapable of bringing together scientific competence, civil commitment and a rare ability to listen. Born in Rome on 5 August 1947he dedicated his whole life dedicated to the study and defense of children’s rightsunderstood not as an abstract category but as real peoplebearers of needs, fragility and potential. His was an existence spent without interruptions for the benefit of the little onesintertwining clinical activity and institutional commitment, research and dissemination, training and social awareness.
Psychoanimation: care, education, creativity
Maria Rita Parsi’s most original and lasting contribution remains psychoanimationmethodology from her developed and applied in the psychological, pedagogical and therapeutic fields. One approach humanisticwhich puts the person, the body, emotions and creativity at the centre, transforming theoretical concepts into concrete tools for help and growth.
From this vision was born the Italian School of Psychoanimation (Sipa)which has trained generations of psychologists, educators and social workers.
In the 1992 he founded the non-profit association Movement for, with and of childrenwhich became in 2005 Movimento Bambino Onlus Foundation. Under his leadership, the foundation established itself as national reference center in the diffusion of culture of childhood and adolescencein contrast to abuse and mistreatment and in the promotion of legal and social protection of minors.
His vision was simple and radical at the same time: listen to children, understand their needs, offer real protectionnot just declared.
A public presence that is never self-referential
Maria Rita Parsi has been able to bring her experience outside of specialist areas, without ever trivializing it. For her, television and the media were spaces of responsibility, not exposure. She has participated in numerous programs as an expert and hosted programs for children such as Junior TV. She was convinced that talking to young people and the adults who care for them was an integral part of prevention.
Regular contributor to very different newspapers and magazines, from The Messenger to Modern Womanfrom Today to Be wellhe used writing as awareness toolconjugating scientific rigor and informative clarity. From the 1995 was registered withOrder of Journalists of Lazio as a publicist. Writing, for her, meant caring through words.
Maria Rita Parsi (Photo by Stefania D’Alessandro/Getty Images).
From classrooms to buildings, without losing humanity
His institutional commitment it was long and detailed. In Italy he held very important roles: technical consultant of the Civil Court of Romemember of Coordination Committee against the sexual abuse of minorsconsultant to Parliamentary Commission for Childrencomponent of advertising and television self-regulation committees.
>From 2020 she was an expertObservatory for childhood and adolescence at the Department for Family Policies and from 2021 was part of the ministerial working group on European Child Guarantee.
Internationally, in 2012 was elected to UN Committee on the Rights of the Child based in Geneva. An assignment he represented one of the highest moments of his careerallowing it to contribute directly to supervision of the application of International Convention on the Rights of the Child and to bring the Italian experience to global debate.
In every role, even the most technical, he has maintained a profoundly human gazeremembering that behind rules and procedures there are always children and adolescents of flesh and blood.
Books as memory, denunciation, education
Prolific author, with over one hundred publicationsMaria Rita Parsi has crossed psychology, non-fiction, narrative and popularisation, always maintaining a clear common thread: the defense of the most vulnerable.
From early works like Entertainment in the village up to texts that have become essential such as Hands on children, SOS Pedophilia And Maladolescencehis books had the courage to name what was often left unsaidoffering understanding and prevention tools.
A legacy that remains
Knight of Merit of the Republic since 1986awarded with awards such as Purse and theHemingwayup to the most recent awards dedicated to social and female commitment, Maria Rita Parsi leaves a legacy that goes beyond titles. Stay a method, an ethical posture, a constant invitation not to look the other way. In a present that struggles to truly put children at the centre, his lesson continues to speak: Children’s rights are not a sectoral issue, but a measure of the quality of a society. And his voice, even now that it has died, will continue to be heard.
