Play as a lever for transformation: Otto Fogarasi's approach

In a world where education, training, and personal development are seeking to reinvent themselves, some approaches stand out for their originality as much as for their effectiveness. This is the case with that of Otto Fogarasi, a Hungarian social educator based in Turin, who places play at the heart of learning and individual and collective transformation.

He is doing us the honor of speaking at the Convention on October 17, 18 and 19, 2026.

Learning differently: a pedagogy rooted in experience

Ottó Fogarasi, through his website https://www.playfulintelligence.eu/, supports a wide variety of audiences: young people, teachers, social workers, associations, but also public and private organizations involved in social or educational initiatives.

Its objective is clear: to allow everyone to fully develop their potential.

To achieve this, he relies on a strong conviction: we learn better by doing than by listening. His method is based on experiential learning in stimulating yet supportive environments. Participants are not mere spectators, but active participants engaged in their own development.

The game, a serious tool

At the heart of his practice: play. Board games, group games, role-playing... all these tools allow for the exploration of essential skills:

• cooperation

• decision-making

• communication

• emotion management

• planning

• self-management

• creativity

• group cohesion

But here, playing is not an end in itself. The game becomes a true human laboratory: a safe space where one can test, fail, start again — and above all observe one's own behavior.

Ottó thus gives a central place to introspection and awareness, which give meaning to lived experience.

A tailored approach, from the field to strategy

Each intervention is designed to meet the specific needs of the audience. The formats are varied: workshops, training sessions, group support, facilitation, or mediation.

This flexibility allows it to operate in both educational contexts and more complex organizational environments.

His approach is not limited to individual development or group dynamics. He also supports organizations in defining their vision, mission, and strategies. Through engaging tools, participants can test scenarios, explore different options, and make more informed decisions.

He also intervenes in mediation situations, helping groups to manage conflicts, restore dialogue and rebuild collective ways of functioning.

Formats can range from a few hours to several days, with remote support also available.

Strong values at the heart of the approach

Otto's approach is based on fundamental principles:

• autonomy, by encouraging everyone to become an active participant in their own learning

• active participation, essential for any sustainable transformation

• voluntary commitment, an essential condition for authentic work

From the very first exchange, designed as an open discussion, he seeks to understand the specific needs of his interlocutors in order to co-create tailored support. This focus on listening and adapting is already a concrete illustration of his approach.

When play precedes culture

This vision is part of a broader reflection, inspired in particular by the historian Johan Huizinga. In his work Homo Ludens , he defends the idea that play is not limited to entertainment, but constitutes one of the very foundations of culture.

Play stimulates our cognitive, emotional, and social abilities. It allows us to explore, understand, and invent.

Ottó Fogarasi fits perfectly into this tradition by offering an approach where instinct and intellect meet, where the pleasure of playing becomes a vehicle for profound learning.

A playful intelligence at the service of the collective

Through his work, particularly with the Playful Intelligence platform, Ottó Fogarasi contributes to spreading a renewed vision of learning.

In a context where human skills — cooperation, adaptability, emotional intelligence — are becoming increasingly crucial, his approach offers concrete tools for better collaboration, better decision-making and better living together.

What if, ultimately, play was one of the most serious ways to learn… and to sustainably transform our organizations?