The "Suriya" project was born as a commitment in the short, medium and long term, starting from the twinning of the Salesian youth centers of Spain and Syria. From the beginning, various awareness-raising, support and fund-raising actions were carried out to meet the needs of Salesian youth centers in Syria. These needs are grouped into three main segments: basic necessities, materials for education and psychological formation of the animation teams and, finally, various material for the recreational activities of the youth center.
As part of the "Suriya" project, a youth vigil was held on 2 December 2017 in the youth centers of Spain and Syria supported by the Salesian Youth Movement. In 2018, the campaign "bracelets and solidarity sweets" was launched, commissioned for various festivities and activities of the same youth centers and other groups, which served to support Salesian oratories in Syria.
Now, next May, Fr Santi Domínguez (National Coordinator of the Salesian Youth Centers) and María Alonso (animator of the María Auxiliadora Youth Center) will travel to Syria to visit the twin Salesian youth centers in Aleppo and Damascus. The purpose of this trip is to get to know first hand the reality of youth centers in Syria, to see how they live and what they need. During the visit they will meet animators and Salesians, share life and have time to collect some graphic material to help prepare the supports and materials in Spain.
In the coming months, a traveling photographic exhibition is also planned to raise awareness of the reality of refugees, and the reception of various Salesian animators from Syria to collaborate in the summer activities of Salesian youth centers or other initiatives provided for by law.
The "Suriya" project is carried out in close collaboration between the National Commission of the Youth Centers of Spain and the Delegates for Youth Ministry of the Salesians and the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians in Syria.
