(ANS – Bruxelles) – Over 100 European project managers from Salesian schools, VET (Vocational Education and Training) centres and social works based in over 10 European countries joined the 10th annual meeting of the “Salesian Europrojects” network. This year’s edition, formerly scheduled for a longer time in Brussels, took place on the 18th and 19th of November 2020 fully online, because of the Covid-19 pandemic. On the second day, the participants received training on the European Union’s (EU) policies for vocational educational and training by Mr Joao Santos, Deputy Head of Unit in the European Commission. The meeting offered also the opportunity to present the results after the first year of the “DBWAVE” project for a Salesian network of VET in Europe.

(ANS - Quito) - The IV Congress of Salesian Education took place online from 17 to 19 November on the theme "The challenges of youth for social transformation". The event was organized by the Salesian Polytechnic University of Ecuador and brought together 645 participants, both Ecuadorians and from other countries.

(ANS - Fatumaca) - On 12 November the Salesians of Fatumaca honored the feast day in memory of the national heroes. In fact, November 12 is a historic date for the people of East Timor. On this day we remember the "Santa Cruz Massacre", a violent repression of East Timor's independence demonstrations which took place in the cemetery of Santa Cruz, in Dili, on November 12, 1991, during the Indonesian occupation of East Timor.

(ANS - Guadalajara) - About one thousand Salesian Cooperators (SSCC) and members of the Salesian Family in the world met online yesterday, Sunday 15 November, with the Rector Major, Fr Ángel Fernández Artime, as part of the Regional Forum “We're in the same boat”, an initiative of the Interamerica Region of the SSCC. Francisco Burciaga, SSCC, World Councilor of the Interamerica SSCC Region, greeted the Rector Major on behalf of the 13 countries that make up the region and thanked him for his presence at the Forum.

(ANS - Parañaque) - The Association of Mary Help of Christians (ADMA) of the Philippines held its 38th National Congress last October 31 at the Shrine of Mary Help of Christians in Parañaque. Given the health emergency, the event was also broadcast via streaming, both on the Shrine's Facebook page and on its YouTube channel. The theme chosen for this year was: "ADMA - living the essential in this time of pandemic and beyond".

(ANS - Leuven) - The General Assembly of "Don Bosco Youth-Net", in which almost all member organizations took part, was held on Saturday 24 October 2020. Initially scheduled in presence in Brussels, Belgium, the meeting was re-proposed online to comply with the social distancing rules in force throughout Europe and the world.

(ANS - Rome) - Last Thursday, 29 October, the online meeting of the Governing Council of the Salesian Institutions of Higher Education (IUS) was held with the participation of the various continental and regional coordinators: Dr. Mario Olmos, SDB, and Fr José Marinoni (IUS of the Americas); Fr Dieudonnè Otekpo (IUS of Africa); dr. Andreu Moreno (IUS of Europe); and Fr Alex Garces (IUS of East Asia and Oceania).

(ANS - Mogofores) - "With Mary, in thanksgiving for the 125 years of Salesian presence in Portugal" was the theme of the 34th Pilgrimage of the Salesian Family to the National Shrine of Mary Help of Christians in Mogofores, Portugal, which this year, due to the pandemic, took place in mixed mode with the physical presence of some representatives of the various groups on site, and the digital participation of most of the other members of the Portuguese Salesian Family.

(ANS - Quito) - Ten years ago some young people from different countries gathered in Cumbayá, Ecuador, for the First Meeting of the Salesian Youth Movement (SYM) of the Interamerica Region. On that occasion, they gained many experiences, learned many lessons and from there many fruits emerged. In this 2020, with so many challenges and a pandemic in progress, the idea of ​​a new virtual meeting was born amid the young people of the time, the young adults of today, which took place on Saturday 17 and Sunday 18 October, with 2 hours a day lived between prayer, reflection and sharing as friends and brothers.