Italy – Inauguration of 'Don Bosco Tech Europe' Salesian Network

23 October 2023

(ANS - Rome) - On Friday, 20 October 2023, the Salesian network 'Don Bosco Tech Europe' (DB Tech Europe) was inaugurated at the Grand Hotel Palatino in Via Cavour, Rome, in the presence of over 100 people and the presence of Cardinal Ángel Fernández Artime, Rector Major of the Salesians.

The 'DB Tech Europe' network is a co-ordination and development network in the field of vocational training that includes 211 Vocational Training Centres in 22 countries in Europe and the Mediterranean basin (Albania, Belgium, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Egypt, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Lebanon, Kosovo, Morocco, Moldova, Montenegro, Palestine, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, Ukraine) with 86.200 young students and 7,085 employees (teachers, trainers, staff).

The event began with the welcome address of the network's president, Fr Miguel Angel García Morcuende, the General Councillor for Salesian Youth Ministry. He highlighted in his speech, the originality of Don Bosco's relationship with the world of work, characterized by his educational intent to take care of the total personality of the young person. He stressed that the fact that Don Bosco pointed the focus, not only on the qualification and professionalism of the young, but also proceeded to mature the young towards the social ethical dimension (the formation of the 'honest citizen').

DB Tech Europe, a networked Salesian training organization, responds to a humanistic pedagogical demand, with a breath of personal wholeness, oriented towards overcoming purely didactic, technical and functional training perspectives and views. Fr García Morcuende pointed out that vocational training in our Salesian centres today is, in fact, also a meeting place for cultures, religious denominations. More broadly, it represents a challenge of great proportions for the society, as well as being an intelligent response to the discomfort of the youth.

The Executive Director, Dr. Piero Fabris, then illustrated the twelve-year journey that led to the creation of this new organization, which aims to be a major player for other Salesian networks worldwide (DB Tech Africa, Americas, ASEAN, India) and a reliable partner for public and private institutions and companies on many topics related to vocational training. He pointed out that DBTech would provide job opportunities for vulnerable youth and adults, vocational retraining, foreign internshipsetc., besides incorporation into the  "Erasmus+" and "Horizon" programmes for innovation and digitalization.

After a moment of dialogue between companies and project leaders from many Salesian Vocational Training Centres (CFPs) and European institutions present at the event, there was a concluding speech by the Rector Major and newly appointed Cardinal, Fr Ángel Fernández Artime, who emphasized how international synergies are essential to have training centres that provide for young people most in need towards a future marked by the Christian values of work and honesty.

The Rector Major also added that in a world where objects increasingly replace family and ethical values, the Salesians continue to renew themselves while remaining steadfast in their identity and tradition, which sees them committed to always remaining at the side of young people and helping them discover their dreams and realize them.

Finally, he concluded his speech with a reference to some successful experiences of Salesian Industrial Technical Institutes in African contexts and reiterated the importance of accompanying young Europeans with the presence and testimony of educators.

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