“The assembly of Salesians for Social represents a fundamental point of discussion for those engaged in the Salesian social mission in Italy” explains Fr Francesco Preite, President of the association. “Three days in which Salesians and lay people discuss the educational, social and cultural issues of our time trying to indicate perspectives and best practices, concrete responses to growing needs and poverty. Organising hope has been a participatory process from below that gives us perspectives and indications to build empathetic communities with and for young people.”
After the meeting last September, when the “Organising hope” participatory process from below began, some of the issues that emerged during local meetings will be placed at the centre of discussion in this assembly.
The board of directors, together with the national office and President, met with the members, Salesians and lay people from December to May, on ten occasions, reflecting on the five areas of intervention by the association: Universal Civil Service; Protection of minors; Social and labour insertion of young people; Migrants; Formation of the associative network. What was gathered at these meetings is part of the "Restitution Document" to be discussed at the assembly, and will form the shared cultural basis for action directions for the coming years.
The national assembly will also offer moments of reflection and debate on the issues that represent the structure of the association's activities: youth, work, new poverty, associative network.
In detail, the works will open on the afternoon of Friday, 9 June with greetings which also include a video-message by Maria Teresa Bellucci, Deputy Minister for Labor and Social Policies, and an address by Fr Rafael Bejarano, Reference person for Social Works in the Youth Ministry Sector. Two round tables will follow: the first on the topic of “Educational poverty and young people. What are the responses of the Third Sector to the government's measures?”; the second, entitled: "The process from below seen from local areas (presentation and comparison)”.
Saturday, beginning with the community Eucharist, will provide a third discussion round table in the morning to reflect on "The Salesian option for young people at high social risk and lay shared responsibility in EPCs. How can we combine youth ministry, shared responsibility of lay people and social work in local ECPs? The speakers also included Fr Fabio Attard, responsible for Formation of Salesians and Laity in Europe.
Workshops on the document and guidelines for the future will follow, coordinated on a local area basis, and, in the afternoon, a listening session for young people, through a dialogue in assembly with some boys and girls. The last part of the day will be dedicated to the presentation and approval of various association documents: the 2022 Social Report; the 2022 Mission Report, with the "Restitution Document" of the "Organising Hope 21-25" participatory process attached; and the 2022 Final Budget and the 2023 Budget.
On Sunday morning there will still be time for the election of administrative bodies, the scheduling of activities and the 2022-2023 calendar, and finally the concluding Eucharist.
It will be possible to follow the main moments of the national assembly live by connecting to the Facebook pages of the Salesians in Italy and Salesians for the Social APS.
