Bari, Italy - July 2017 - An educational path attended by 250 young people from 12 June to 15 July has just ended. The children participated in sports, theatrical and artistic workshops. The novelty was the fencing workshop organized under the project "A thrust for life" by the Army's Southern Operations Command in collaboration with the Puglia Episcopal Conference, the University of Bari, the Region's school department, and Federscherma, Italy's fencing federation. About 60 young volunteers from Bari's secondary schools gave their educational input as part of their school + work project, alongside the Oratory's young animators and parents. Fr Francesco Preite, director of the Salesian House of the Redeemer of Bari, commented: "The Youth Summer Camp was a great workshop of civic education towards the common good. Playing in the 'Mimmo Bucci' garden meant bringing hope for change into the neighborhood. It was an action of a unique spiritual and social beauty that our Don Bosco taught us: to be good Christians and honest citizens."

Messina, Italy - July 2017 - From 22 June to 22 July, in the Salesian Oratory "San Matteo" of Messina-Giostra, Province of Sicily (ISI), summer activities take place. About 200 children and teens participate in the GREST entitled "The Family Saves ... Incredible", a journey of human and Christian formation to discover the value of the family, which is inspired by the Strenna 2017 of the Rector Major. The GREST is led by Fr Arnaldo Riggi, who is in charge of the oratory, and Fr Pierpaolo Galota; coordinating the camp were the young Loredana Cordima and Andrea Ruello at Grest, while Cetty Doddis, Antonella Bernava and Letizia Lo Surdo led "MiniGrest" with about 80 animators and collaborators.

Mornese, Italy - July 2017 - From 11 to 16 July, the Spiritual Exercises for the Delegates and Salesian Cooperators of Italy, strongly requested by the Salesian Cooperators themselves, were held in Mornese as a joint formation between lay people and consecrated persons as well as a rediscovery of the origins of charism. The theme of the workshop was: "On the steps of Main, teacher of Life ...", a study to better understand the figure and spirituality of Mother Mazzarello. This experience is related to one made two years ago in Sant'Ignazio sopra Lanzo (TO), a place dear to Don Bosco and chosen by him for his Spiritual Exercises.

(ANS - Turin) –The morning of 16 August 2017, on the 202th anniversary of Don Bosco's birth, is the date scheduled for the the ceremony of relocating the Saint's relic which was stolen the night of 2 June, and recovered by the Carabinieri Police of Asti's Provincial Command the following 15 June.

(ANS - Rome) - "Giovannino's Dream" is the first e-color book created by the "Salesians for Social Work - SCS / CNOS Federation", a proposal for young children to read and color. The story is divided into 8 illustrated tables and reflects the dream St. John Bosco had at the age of 9 which would later become the guideline for all his life with and for young people.

(ANS - Turin) - From July 4 to 9, a gathering of young volunteers and former volunteers from Slovakia, Hungary and the Czech Republic met at Colle Don Bosco, many of whom have already completed a year or more as missionary volunteers in India, Zambia, Mexico, Bulgaria, among the Rom in Slovakia ... Others are in preparation.