The first arrivals by participants are scheduled for tomorrow, Friday 21 April, although the official opening of activities will take place on Saturday morning the 22nd, with the welcome and introductory speeches by the General Councillor for Social Communication, Fr Gildasio Mendes, and the Superior of the Piedmont and Valle d'Aosta Special Circumscription, Fr Leonardo Mancini, as "host".
After the presentation of participants and the program by the meeting’s Coordinator, Fr Maciej Makula, and the other members of Communication Sector, Fr Ricardo Campoli and Fr Harris Pakkam, things will begin in grand style with the first report by the Vicar of the Rector Major, Fr Stefano Martoglio, entitled: “The charismatic dimension of the Salesian Bulletin”. In the afternoon of the first day, participants will be divided into three language groups and will have the opportunity to visit “Don Bosco’s Turin” (the Barolo Refuge, Cottolengo, Porta Palazzo, the Cathedral where the Shroud is kept, the Church of St Francis of Assisi, the Palazzo Barolo, the Consolata Basilica).
Day two, Sunday 23 April, will also begin with an exceptional speaker, Fr Giuseppe Costa, Co-spokesman for the Salesian Congregation, former Editor of the Italian SB and with a life spent in the world of journalism and publishing. His address will focus on “The Salesian and professional dimension of the Salesian Bulletin”. The morning will be followed by four presentations from four continents, with different specific focuses: for Europe, Christoph Sachs will talk about how the SB can reach people in increasingly secularised societies; from the Americas, Vicente Fritz will address the subject of complementarity between the paper and digital form; Clarence Watts, SDB, for Africa, will speak about how the SB can be an instrument at the service of peace and solidarity; while Bobby Kannazhath, from Asia, will explore the topic of passing on the Salesian spirit through the SB in a context of cultural and religious diversity.
In the afternoon there will a guided tour of the Basilica of Mary Help of Christians and the Casa Don Bosco Museum. Work will then be completed with the meeting between Editors of the same geographical areas (America, Asia and Oceania, Europe, Africa) with their representatives from the Social Communication Sector; the day will end with an evening of fellowship enriched by an artistic and cultural moment and the presentation of a new editorial work by Fr Mendes.
Monday, 24 April, will be a full day of work. In the first session, communicator, teacher and populariser Flavia Trupia will speak, focusing on: “The value, the brand of the Salesian Bulletin and its continuous relationship with readers”. As founder of the school of the Per La Retorica school of communication she will also be involved in a round table on the Salesian Bulletin in a changing world, together with Fr Gildasio Mendes and Luca Priuli, CEO of the Elledici Salesian Publishing House. The afternoon will then continue with a plenary session to share what has been heard and taken on board from the morning’s addresses, and will be rounded off with a report by the Economer General of the Salesian Congregation, Bro. Jean Paul Muller, entitled: “Communicating today with Salesian identity, credibility and visibility in a changing society”.
The final day, Tuesday 25 April, will instead be more relaxing, dedicated to getting to know the most significant Salesian Places outside Turin, starting from Chieri and Castelnuovo Don Bosco. Finally, on Wednesday 26th, after the final farewells, all participants will return home, hopefully enlivened and enriched by the experience.
