"Voices" is the innovative project promoted by the Social Communication Sector of the Salesian Congregation, led by Fr Gildasio Mendes, to listen to and to amplify the silent and unheard cries of young people, and respond to them as a Sector, providing them with the platform, support and accompaniment they need. It takes its cue from the appeals launched by Pope Francis through the Global Pact for Education and the Synod on Synodality, and from the Programmatic Proposal of the Rector Major, Fr Ángel Fernández Artime, at the end of the 28th General Chapter.
This programme specifically aims to accompany and empower people, institutions and actions that develop communication initiatives in areas of social vulnerability and that are themselves capable of transforming those local realities, positively affecting the lives of people linked to the Salesian presences.
The scheduled meeting in Hua Hin will be held at the Salesian retreat house, and will take place in a mixed mode both in presence and with remote connections. This meeting will see a great Salesian involvement, with the participation of delegates and representatives from almost all the Provinces, Visitations or Delegations of the EAO Region.
Also noteworthy is the participation of the current Provincial of the Province of Thailand (THA), Fr Paneetatthayasai Boonlert, the former Provincial, Fr Pitisant Dheparat, and Fr George Plathottam, Executive Secretary of the Office of Social Communication of the Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences (FABC), Fr Harris Pakkam, Responsible for the Social Communication Sector for Asia and Director of ANS, and also the online participation of Fr. Gildasio Mendes, the General Councillor for Social Communications.
With an approach that seeks to embrace the methodology of Synodality - listening in order to discern and plan together concrete courses of action - the East Asia Oceania edition of 'Voices' will address four macro-areas of intervention: digital addiction; abuse, crime and oppression; substance addiction; and environment and climate change.
After the Inaugural Mass presided over by the Provincial of Thailand, the programme in the opening session, will include the welcome message of Fr Pitisant Dheparat, the Rector of Hua Hin centre, an explanation of the 'Voices' project by Fr Harris Pakkam, message by the Provincial and the keynote address by Fr Plathottam, also a Consultant of the Vatican Dicastery for Communication. This will be followed by the four thematic sessions on the various specific topics during the morning and early afternoon.
The day will be completed with the identification of further lines of action to be taken to respond to the "voices" expressed by the young people of East Asia Oceania, and a moment of prayer and fraternal agape.
The "Voices" Programme, a project in which the Social Communication Sector strongly believes, starting with Fr Gildasio Mendes, will then continue its itinerary in all the other Regions of the Congregation, and will be repeated annually. The edition dedicated to Africa-Madagascar is also scheduled for these days in September, and this will be followed by the other versions prepared for the Mediterranean and Central and Northern European Regions.
“I was impressed to see the presence of young people from Australia, the Philippines, South Korea, Papua New Guinea, Vietnam, Thailand and other countries. Their enthusiasm and great desire to participate and to express their thoughts and experiences touched me. I think their presence can be a big stimulus to renew the motivation of all the Social Communication Delegates present, to make them rediscover the beauty and importance of their service to be the voice of the voiceless youth today, and to better understand and relaunch Social Communication Mission in the East Asia-Oceania Region”, expressed Fr Pakkam from Hua Hin.
