Learning and Playing Week
GLOBAL EDUCATION THROUGH PLAY ～Pertini Innovation Games for a Better Tomorrow～
Republic of Serbia
On 18 July 2025, Serbian educational toy company Pertini Toys will present its STEP Innovation Education Program at the Serbia Pavilion of Expo 2025 Osaka — marking the program’s debut in Japan. Already active in over 20 countries, the STEP Program is designed to help children develop key life skills such as empathy, creativity, and scientific thinking through play-based learning. It features a unique blend of traditional board games and digital tools to create a meaningful and engaging educational experience.
Discussion
- Games around the world
- Individually optimised learning
| Transmission of simultaneous interpretation | Provided |
|---|---|
| Language of interpretation | Japanese and English |
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Track Programme
- Time and
Date of
the event -
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2025.07.18[Fri]
12:00 ～ 19:00
(Venue Open 11:45)
-
- Venue
- Pavilion
- Serbia Pavilion
Programme details
Serbia presents: The STEP Innovation Education Program – where learning and playing connect in a unique way – premiering in Japan!
For the first time in Japan, Pertini Toys company from Serbia proudly presents the PERTINI STEP Innovation Program - an educational journey through play that empowers children for the world of tomorrow.
Blending learning and play into a single, powerful experience, STEP introduces a new approach to education through creative exploration, curiosity, and hands-on discovery - all driven by innovative educational board games.
The STEP Program showcases a unique collection of board games that turn complex topics into fun, meaningful learning experiences for children. Created in Serbia and internationally recognized – including prestigious honors in New York – STEP is now making its exciting Japanese debut at JAPAN EXPO 2025.
Don't miss the premiere of engaging titles such as Tesla – Science Race, an award-winning board game in the U.S., along with Eco Hero, Travel Your Way, and many more.
Beyond the games, the Pertini STEP platform connects children all around the world in a unique way – enabling talent discovery and providing equal opportunities for education and growth.
Come and discover how educational board games can spark innovation, build empathy, and inspire the next generation of thinkers, doers, and global citizens.
Learn how the STEP platform can support children in unlocking their talents, help schools enrich their teaching methods, and provide educators with powerful tools for inclusive, creative learning.
Join us to explore a global educational approach designed to empower, connect, and inspire – through the power of play.
Reports
【Reflection】
Pertini is a recognized leader in the field of educational toys and games in Serbia and the wider region. With great enthusiasm, we organized the presentation of our programs and products at the Serbian Pavilion – EXPO Osaka 2025, showcasing our globally relevant initiative – Global Education Through Play.
We are extremely pleased with the reception in the Japanese market and the strong interest expressed by visitors. Our participation was structured around three target groups – institutions, B2B partners, and the general public – with three dedicated events. Each segment yielded outstanding results in terms of knowledge exchange, product evaluation, and identifying localization potential for future presence in the Japanese market.
Children around the world share similar developmental needs, and our games address universal life-skill themes – comprehensive, yet uniquely reimagined through the fusion of new technologies and traditional values. Our focus remains on nurturing knowledge, strategic thinking, talent, social responsibility, and the development of personal potential.
The most captivating themes were presented through our board games:
Travel Your Way – a game that promotes cultural diplomacy among children by introducing them to world cultures through the concept of travel.
Recycle It – an engaging game focused on waste sorting, the recycling cycle, and our individual and collective role in environmental preservation.
Smart City – a game that introduces children to the concept of future cities, collaborative problem-solving, sustainable resource management, and urban planning.
Visitor interest was exceptional.
A special highlight was our game Tesla – Science Race, a globally recognized and multi-award-winning product that drew particular attention.
The Serbian Pavilion, themed Play for Humanity, attracted impressive crowds, with lines forming daily regardless of weather conditions. So, our products were seamlessly integrated into this powerful theme – especially our tribute to Nikola Tesla, a national icon of Serbia, who was featured both in the pavilion and through our board game.
【Post EXPO Initiatives】
Our participation at EXPO was a very important moment in achieving our strategic goals – presenting the accredited Global Education Through Play program and expanding the international presence of our educational board games, which connect children across the world through universal values of learning, culture, and sustainability.
To further develop the collaborations initiated during EXPO, we are planning the following steps:
• Building a distribution network and localizing content - focus is on identifying reliable distributors with whom we can localize and adapt our games for the Japanese market – thematically, visually, linguistically, and pedagogically.
• Promoting games as educational tools, not just products to highlight our games as interactive tools for developing children’s potential, not just as toys. Games such as Travel Your Way and Tesla – Science Race address essential topics like culture, science, ecology, and identity – offering rich educational value in a format that is engaging and familiar to children.
• Collaborating with educational institutions and classroom integration We have already established initial contacts with preschool and school institutions in Japan and other Asian countries. Our goal is to introduce the games as teaching tools, especially in the context of Children’s Cultural Diplomacy – a concept where children around the world connect through our platform to exchange experiences about traditions, customs, and everyday life.
• Developing an interactive platform for schools across Asia - As mentioned during EXPO, we are currently working on transforming the STEP program into a digital platform tailored for schools in Asia. Our goal is to bridge the physical and digital worlds and offer experiential learning that prepares children for the future and life in a global society.
• Joint promotion of values through play We are eager to work with local partners to promote our games not only as commercial products but as value-driven tools that encourage empathy, collaboration, healthy living, and cultural understanding. Vitamin Smart Sport is a great example – a game that supports both physical and mental well-being, teamwork, and lifelong healthy habits, making it ideal for schools, sports clubs, and camps across the region.
In conclusion, our vision is to make games a bridge between cultures, and EXPO was a powerful first step in that direction. Through strategic partnerships, thoughtful localization, and purposeful educational programs, we believe that play can become a transformative tool for shaping the next generation of global citizens.
Cast
Moderator
©Pertini Toys, Serbia
Tamara Dogo
CEO Pertini Toys, Serbia
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Speakers
©Pertini Toys, Serbia
Dr. Aleksandar Ignjatovic
Pertini Toys, Serbia
Innovation in Education Expert
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©Pertini Toys, Serbia
Jovana Ignjatovic
Pertini Toys, Serbia
STEP Educator
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©Pertini Toys, Serbia
Branko Dogo
Pertini Toys, Serbia
Technical Director
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Co-organiser
Pertini Toys
Learning and Playing Week
GLOBAL EDUCATION THROUGH PLAY ～Pertini Innovation Games for a Better Tomorrow～
On 18 July 2025, Serbian educational toy company Pertini Toys will present its STEP Innovation Education Program at the Serbia Pavilion of Expo 2025 Osaka — marking the program’s debut in Japan. Already active in over 20 countries, the STEP Program is designed to help children develop key life skills such as empathy, creativity, and scientific thinking through play-based learning. It features a unique blend of traditional board games and digital tools to create a meaningful and engaging educational experience.
-
2025.07.18[Fri]
12:00～19:00
(Venue Open 11:45)
- Pavilion
- * Programme times and content are subject to change. Any changes will be announced on this website and via the ticket booking system.
- * The schedule is subject to change depending on the organiser's circumstances.
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