Mario Rinvolucri

Mario's place in HLT, or dare I say in ELT, is not about size; it's about the power of inspiration. To me, he's like a spider diligently working and creating an invisible but powerful network of amazing people.

I first met him in 2009 in Český Těšín. The only thing I remember from the conference, even today, is his workshop, with Mario sitting in the corner of the classroom. I wondered for years how one simple task (He gave us a sentence to expand only by adding a word before/after the sentence “She loves him”.) could keep us occupied and engaged for 90 minutes with his minimal involvement. Fast forward to 2017, and I found myself having lunch in Mario's garden, about to discover his magic.

And it's like all magic, very simple; he cares for people. No, it doesn't mean he's this eternally benevolent old man. What I mean is, he's human. When talking to you, he is there in his full humanity. Warm, but also occasionally combative; inspirational, as well as judgmental; an attentive listener, but also occasionally dismissive of your opinions. He's a full human being, not pretending to be anything else. With his passion for teaching, he has become a source of endless inspiration and energy for others.

He shows us that being human means caring for others and not worrying about perfectionism. Magic isn't in perfection; magic is in living and teaching while being true to ourselves and the people around us.

What he and James Dixey created when they founded Pilgrims was not simply a business enterprise but a richly creative space shared by a whole host of other talented and dedicated colleagues. Learning and nurturing cooperation are key for Mario because everything starts to move and develop when knowledgeable and committed people work together.