Brazil - Italian Ambassador visits CESAM-DF and Don Bosco Shrine in Brasilia
Brasilia, Brazil – March 2024 - On 26 March, the Ambassador and Plenipotentiary of the Italian Republic in Brasilia, Alessandro Cortese and his delegation, paid a courtesy visit to the CESAM-DF Salesian Apprenticeship Centre and the Shrine of Don Bosco in Brasilia, belonging to the Salesian Province of Belo Horizonte Brazil (BBH). The event further contributed to enriching the ties between the Italian and Brazilian communities in the capital. The Ambassador was received at the Don Bosco Shrine by the Parish Priest and Rector of the Shrine, Fr João Carlos. This visit offered a moment of cultural and religious exchange, strengthening the historical ties between Italy and the Salesians, as well as between the two countries. After visiting the Shrine, Alessandro Cortese was received by the Executive Director of CESAM-DF, Tatiana Furtado, where he had the opportunity to interact with some young apprentices of the Salesians, who shared their experiences and testimonies on the importance of the Learning Program in their lives. One of the highlights was the report by João, an apprentice at the US Embassy. In the interview with the Italian authorities, he stressed that, through the apprenticeship program he had the opportunity to acquire professional skills and learn English, which greatly expanded his future prospects. The presence of the Italian Ambassador in these institutions underlines the importance of dialogue and cooperation between nations, especially with regard to the promotion of education and social development. These meetings strengthen the Salesian mission to form young people also as individuals committed to the values of solidarity and fraternity.