Rome, Italy – 23 March 2017 - On the occasion of the eightieth birthday of Professor Morand Wirth, SDB, the Institute of Spirituality of the Faculty of Theology at the Salesian Pontifical University (UPS), organized a meeting for the launch of the book "La Parola e la Storia. Uno sguardo salesiano” (The Word and History. A Salesian look) a collection of studies edited by Professor Aldo Giraudo and published by LAS, as a grateful tribute to Professor Wirth. Tribute was paid to Fr  Wirth’s willingness to be part of the Institute and to collaborate for twenty years in the field of history and of Salesian spirituality, with a contribution that was much appreciated by teachers and students. The meeting began with a message from the academic authority. This was followed by the presentation of a miscellany by Professor Giraudo.  Fr Francesco Motto from the Salesian Historical Institute gave a talk on "Morand Wirth and Salesian history", and finally Fr Placide Carava gave a talk entitled "Brother, superior, friend."