(ANS - Rome) - In the context of an ever-changing labour market, Confindustria Moda and the CNOS-FAP Federation (Centro Nazionale Opere Salesiane - Formazione e Aggiornamento Professionale - National Centre for Salesian Works - Training and Professional Updating) have signed a three-year partnership agreement to promote vocational training in the Fashion and Accessory industry in Italy and worldwide.

(ANS – Turin) – On the sidelines of the Mass for the 154th Salesian Missionary Expedition, the Rector Major of the Salesians of Don Bosco, Fr Ángel Fernández Artime, gave an interview about the cardinalate, his future prospects, and about a constant element throughout his entire life: love for young people. We report it as follows.

(ANS – Rome) – The Rector Major of the Salesians, now Cardinal Ángel Fernández Artime, celebrated his first Mass as a Cardinal in the Salesian Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Rome on Sunday, October 1st.

Catania, Italy - September 2023 - The regional assembly of the Salesian Youth Movement (SYM) of Sicily brought together around 70 young people, including representatives of the Salesian houses in the region and young people who attend the various works on a daily basis. "You see further than me - signs to dream again", is the slogan that will accompany the young people in this pastoral educational year, and which the representatives of the SYM Sicily addressed during the regional assembly on 23 September, held at the FMA provincial house in Catania. During the afternoon, the participants deepened their knowledge of the workbook of SYM Italy. In the evening, they focused on the logistical organization of the 'Giò beach party' on the following day. The day ended with community Eucharistic Adoration and the "Good Night" by Dony Sapienza, who has been a living part of the SYM for years. The following day, the "Gió beach party" was held at the Don Bosco colony at the Playa in Catania, and all the Salesian houses in Sicily were invited to participate in order to inaugurate the new year together, in the light of the pastoral proposal of Salesian Italy. More than 800 young animators attended this celebration full of fraternity, testimonies, prayer, games and fun in full Salesian style. During the Eucharistic celebration, Fr Giovanni D'Andrea, Superior of the Salesian Province of Sicily (ISI), and Sr Angela Maria Maccioni, the FMA Provincial, urged all the young people to cultivate their dreams, not to leave them aside and to be a gift to others, welcoming the dream that God has planned for each of them.

Castelnuovo Don Bosco, Italy - September 2023 - Young people between Year 5 and the end of university from the various houses of the Salesian Special Circumscription Piedmont and Aosta Valley (ICP), gathered from 21 to 24 September at Colle Don Bosco for Campo 4 and the Assembly of the Salesian Youth Movement (SYM). This year's theme was "The Good Shepherd as a point of reference for Don Bosco and for all of us", tackled by delving into Christ the Evangeliser, the Evangelising Church and Don Bosco's Preventive System. The SYM Assembly on Saturday hosted Prof. Alberto Pellai, a doctor and psychotherapist in the age of development, who spoke on the theme "Be entrepreneurs of dreams". This was followed by a discussion in mixed groups. Throughout the campo 4 moments of prayer and personal silence were alternated with activities and games together, to create groups and get to know each other.

Mestre, Italy - September 2023 - On Sunday 24 September, at the Don Bosco house in Mestre, about a thousand young people gathered for the first Meeting of the Salesian Youth Movement (SYM) for the 2023-24 pastoral year. The meeting involved several witnesses who recounted their dreams, interspersed with artistic choreographies created by the young people from the "SYM Play" group,  and how they are in some way realising them. The initial choreography, which represented young people dreaming, was accompanied by three representatives of "MGS Sound" from Turin, who explained how their musical project was born, and is capable of involving an entire Province in making the musical talents of each one available. For the second choreography, which represented the construction of a ladder inviting young people to climb up it in order to see beyond the horizon, a young SYM leader spoke. He had a five-month missionary experience in Peru with Operation Mato Grosso last year, serving the poorest. Then finally, the last choreography, with the ladder turning into an altar, staged how God's dreams find fulfilment. For this last stage, Fr Matthew Rupil spoke about his situation as a blind person who felt called by God to become a Salesian and a priest. Fr Rupil then celebrated the Eucharist on that same altar, and invited the young people to trust God and walk the path of dreams. The day continued with dances, games and informal gatherings imbued with the Salesian charism. Around 150 young people were involved in organising the event.