Kep City, Cambodia – April 2024 – The theme of Mother Earth and her struggles is very much at the heart of Don Bosco Kep. To commemorate the Earth Day, a series of activities were organized with the students such as cleaning, planting of trees, ecological awareness which culminated with the meditation ceremony at 6 pm in front of the Don Bosco Birth House. The focus was to join hands with everyone as Christians, Buddhists, aborigines and other spiritualities, to help them realize that we all first belong to Mother Earth and we all need to responsibily work towards the preservation and survival of our planet. Science and technology are giving clear indications of the environmental hazards that are taking place because of the degradation of Mother Earth. All the Students felt very much that it is vital to invest in the preservation, protection and promotion of our Common Home, our Mother Earth.

Piła, Poland – April 2024 - The 15th Chapter of the Saint Adalbert Province of Piła, Poland (PLN), began on 16 April based on the theme "Passionate about Jesus Christ, dedicated to young people". Seventy Salesians participate, representing all the presences of the PLN Province, located in Poland, Georgia, Russia and Sweden. The Mass was presided over by the PLN Provincial, Fr Tadeusz Itrych, concelebrated by Fr Bartłomiej Polański, Provincial of Wrocław, and by the members of the Piła Provincial Council. Salesian Brother Jacek Kotusiewicz, observer of the Chapter, the Salesian Sisters of Warszawa and Wrocław and the representatives of the Salesian Cooperators and the Salesian Family participated in the Eucharist. The Chapter will conclude on Friday, 19 April.

Messina, Catania – April 2024 – The Salesian Province of Sicily (ISI), through the Salesian Social Communication Office in Sicily, has produced and published the video clip of the hymn of the bicentenary of Don Bosco's childhood ream entitled "In the shape of your dream". The song was also chosen as the official anthem for the Salesian Youth Synod scheduled from 11 to 16 August next at Colle Don Bosco, near Castelnuovo Don Bosco, by a Central Commission of young people from all over the world. The video "In the shape of your dream" seeks to be a key to today's interpretation of the dream at nine years of age. A boy representing young John has a dream and discovers, through a series of clues and encounters, that the dream is his mission: to educate young people! A series of origami is the common thread of the story, in particular one, the pelican which, taking up the idea of sacrifice in the Christian context, indicates to the boy to give himself fully and lovingly for the salvation of every young person. Numerous people participated in the making of the video, including Salesians, young people, Salesian communities, professionals and companies that supported the production.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LoLWvf0y-Zs

Rome, Italy – April 2024 - From 17 to 19 April, was held in Rome, the meeting of Working Group Education for Development of the Don Bosco Network. 11 participants, from 8 different countries, met to deepen the actions that their respective entities carry out in the field of Education for Global Citizenship and Social Transformation. On Thursday 18 April, Fr Rafael Bejarano, world head of Salesian Social Works and member of the Youth Pastoral Sector, gave a formative talk, linking global citizenship and the human rights work of Salesian entities with the ecclesial and Salesian magisterium, and encouraged the participants to become empowered in their knowledge of the documents that underpin the human, Christian and Salesian principles of our actions. In the rest of the sessions, participants reflected on strategies for joint action in the field of education for global citizenship, and how to foster the engagement of young people in society through Salesian organisations, and projected the future of the coming years in the Don Bosco Network. Friday was time for initiatives funded by European programmes such as Erasmus+. It started with the project "Hands on Development", presented by Bryan Magro from Malta, which combines development cooperation with non-formal education to get young people more involved in the international arena. We continued with the analysis of other calls made in the past and dreaming of possible new projects.  An intense and productive meeting that has not taken place since before the Covid-19 pandemic.

Abidjan, Ivory Coast – April 2024 – The 2nd Provincial Chapter of the St Joseph Province of South West Africa concluded on Sunday 21 April at the Capuchin Spirituality Centre in Abidjan. In his closing address Fr Denis Soro, Superior of the AOS Province, thanked his confreres, in particular those who contributed to the organisation of the Provincial Chapter and urged them to take into account all the issues that have emerged over these days, in order to instil new energy and offer new paths to young people. The concluding Eucharistic celebration, presided over by Fr Soro, was also attended by the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians and some members of the Parish Pastoral Council of the Salesian Saint Francis of Assisi Parish in Abidjan.

Nairobi, Kenya – April 2024 – On 11 April some 600 people, mainly from the Salesian Shrine of Mary Help of Christians, gathered at the Sarit Centre Cinema in Nairobi to attend the screening of the film "The Oratory". The event was organised in collaboration with the Salesian Formation Centre for Africa-Madagascar (SAFCAM) and with JOBITEC and involved members of the Salesian Family and the Bosco Boys project in support of young people at risk. The film, which presents the Salesian charism and the life of St John Bosco in an African context and was produced by Fr Cyril Odia SDB, will also be screened in Rome at the Pontifical Salesian University, on 17 May, as part of the Novena and the celebration of the Solemnity of Mary Help of Christians.