The presence of WYD DON BOSCO 23 in these activities aims to make known to young people the Salesian Youth Movement and Don Bosco, its founder and patron of this edition of WYD Lisbon 2023.
YOUTH FESTIVAL
The Youth Festival presents a set of cultural, religious and sports events, performed by the pilgrims of WYD Lisbon 2023, sharing the Christian experience made by young people from around the world, the fruit of their creativity and generosity.
WYD DON BOSCO 23 will be present and will run various activities over four days.
“Don Bosco” Musical
Where? Lisbon Casino
When? Day 1 at 9.30pm; day 2 at 7.30pm; day 3 and 4 at 9pm.
Presented for the first time in 2015 as part of the bicentenary of the birth of St. John Bosco, the musical “Don Bosco” will now be presented to the young pilgrims of WYD Lisbon 2023. This show, which has Ana de Morais as artistic and choreography director and Luís Peleira as musical director, has the collaboration of more than 40 young people, 33 of whom are part of the cast.
“It is a very beautiful musical that tells the story of one of the patrons of WYD, there will be young people watching a show presented by other young people. I think it will be very rewarding for those who had the opportunity to prepare it and for those who will enjoy it,” says Luís Peleira, musical director.
Arruada
Where? Downtown Lisbon and Belém
When? Day 1, at 15h00; day 3, at 14h00.
The Arruada, prepared by the Musicentro of the Lisbon Salesians, aims to bring together as many young people as possible on the streets of Lisbon, to bring joy to all with their music. On the 1st, it will depart from Armazéns do Chiado, go down Rua do Carmo and return to the initial meeting point when it reaches Praça D. Pedro V (Rossio square). On the 3rd, the Arruada will be in Belém, between the Vocational Fair (integrated in Cidade da Alegria) and Jardim do Império.
Concert “Pray with us”
Where? St. Paul's Church, Santos
When? On the 3rd, at 2pm.
The concert “Pray with us” intends to join music and prayer in a single moment. The idea, as Sr. Mafalda Monteiro, FMA and one of those responsible for the Events team of WYD DON BOSCO 23 says, was to “propose something to the international SYM” and so the idea of “coming together to pray in different languages” came about.
“It will also be an opportunity for others to participate and to understand our spirituality,” she stresses. At the same time, it will be possible to provide an “encounter with Jesus and communion among different groups who live the same Salesian spirituality”, she concludes.
Flashmob
Where? Terreiro do Paço
When? On the 4th, at 2 p.m.
On June 4, a group of 60 young people, from the Salesians of Funchal, will animate Terreiro do Paço with a flashmob. The group is previously recording the video and the music, which will then be sent to all the SYM groups, thus allowing everyone to participate.
Nélio Teles, who is in charge of the activity, states that the great objective is to carry out this flashmob with “as many young people as possible, having a party”.
Tambóra
Where? Miradouro das Portas do Sol
When? Day 4, at 2pm
The Tambóra project, a percussion group made up of 15 elements, aged between 8 and 24, from the Ludoteca of Galicia, a presence of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, will perform at the Portas do Sol viewpoint and entertain those who are there.
This is a project that intends to “promote the group spirit through the sharing of responsibilities, the valorisation of autonomy and a spirit of mutual help between the band members”, reveals Pablo Fortes, responsible for the project.
VOCATIONAL FAIR
The Vocation Fair is part of the City of Joy, an event of WYD Lisbon 2023, and aims to put congregations and movements in contact with young people, in order to help them in the search for their vocation. It will also be possible to find spaces of silence that break the normal bustle of the fair, where young people can discover God.
WYD DON BOSCO 23 will be present to make the Salesian Youth Movement and the Salesian Family known. There, the young people will be able, in addition to participating in various activities, to leave their testimony and take part in the “one2one”, moments of relaxed conversation between young people.
The young people will also be invited to discover more about Don Bosco, some of the missions of the different groups that make up the Salesian Family, as well as the main pillars of Salesian spirituality, among other activities.
“The Vocation Fair, within the framework of the City of Joy, is a privileged place of encounter with young people. It will allow us to show the Salesian charism in action and to make known the enormous diversity of vocations within our Family”, says Sr. Mafalda Monteiro, one of those responsible for the Events team of WYD DON BOSCO 23.
