K 'Long, Vietnam – April 2024 – The Formation Sector for the Salesian Province of Vietnam organised the Annual Formation Program for Salesians in their Quinquennium, held from 15-19 April at the Salesian Retreat Centre in K'Long, in the presence of Fr Barnabas Le An Phong, Provincial and Fr Joseph Do Duc Dung, Provincial Delegate for Formation. The theme chosen for this year was: "Practical Spiritual Accompaniment", shared by Father Michael Truong Thanh Tung, SJ. The course was divided into three parts. In the first, the concepts, characteristics and bases of the spiritual life were illustrated and the peculiarities of spiritual accompaniment were examined. In the second part, the participants were guided to grasp the necessary knowledge on the pedagogy of prayer, discernment, the search for the will of God, accompaniment through the stages of spiritual development and spiritual accompaniment through the psychological stages. Finally, in the third, the course focused on the following points: an overview of Spiritual Accompaniment in Formation to religious life; the role of the spiritual guide specialised in the stages of formation to religious life and important knowledge related to inner and outer areas, in guiding religious life.

Maynooth, Ireland – April 2024 – Some young volunteers and students of Salesian Youth Ministry from the Pontifical University of Maynooth experienced a day of formation on 20 April, held at the Salesian community in Maynooth. The reflections concerned the experience of Salesian volunteering, both in Ireland and abroad, in preparation for the 2024 summer camp that will take place with the TGS group from Veneto (Italy) from 14 to 29 July. The day was also an opportunity to explore the dream at nine years of age, in the year in which it celebrates its bicentenary. Facilitators of this meeting included Martin McCormack, Dan Carol, and Salesian Matthew Alfino from the Maynooth House of Formation.

Alcalá de Henares, Spain - April 2024 - The "Pinardi Forum" was held in Alcalá de on Wednesday, 17 April as a meeting space for young people attending the Vocational Training courses carried out by the different social platforms of the Pinardi Federation, run by the Salesians in Spain's St James the Greater Province (SSM). About 250 young people from four of the nine centres that the Pinardi Federation coordinates participated in the event. After words of welcome by Farruco Rodríguez, Provincial Coordinator of Social Platforms, the day included workshops on cooking, photography and traditional Batucada dance, which fostered the integral learning and socialisation of young people. The day ended with a time for games in the playground.

Bangalore, India – April 21, 2024 – "Our vocation is not for survival, but it is a call of the spirit to be alive and to meet the challenges of today's world": with a quote from Pope Francis, Fr Jose Thomas Koyickal, Superior of the Sacred Heart Province of Bangalore, India (INK), officially opened the 16th Chapter of the INK Province on Sunday, 21 April at the Kristu Jyothi College in Bangalore. He then spoke of the Provincial Chapter as a sacred upper room, a space in which the Salesians gather as brothers and look to the future together. During the opening service, other local leaders of the Salesian Family also expressed their congratulations and urged the Salesians to march towards greater fidelity to the call and prophetic understanding of the mission. The Chapter, in which about 100 Salesians from INK are involved, is moderated by Fr Joe Tony Previnth, and will last until Thursday, 25 April, on the theme "Passionate about Jesus Christ: dedicated to young people". Two texts were also released on the margins of the Chapter: "Theological Formation of Salesians in India with Special Reference to Kristu Jyoti College Bangalore (1967-1976)" by Fr Thomas Anchukandam, SDB; and "Glow in the Horizon" (second edition); edited by Fr Bobba Joji Prasad.

Wrocław, Poland – April 2024 -  Salesian Family Day was held on Saturday, 20 April at the headquarters of the Salesian Province of Poland-Wrocław (PLO), involving 70 people representing various groups. The presentation of the individual groups took place after the beginning of the meeting and the prayer led by the PLO Provincial, Fr Bartłomiej Polański: Salesians of Don Bosco, Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, Association of Salesian Cooperators, Past Pupils of Don Bosco, Volunteers of Don Bosco, Association of Mary Help of Christians, Sisters of St Michael the Archangel and Congregation of St Michael the Archangel. Representatives of the PLO Province oratories also spoke during the meeting. At the end of the presentations Jarosław Wąsowicz, SDB, gave a conference on the figure of Archbishop Antoni Baraniak, Salesian, Secretary of the Primate Cardinal August Hlond, a Salesian, and the Director of the secretariat of the "Primate of the Millennium", Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński. Antoni Baraniak's list of merits and achievements is very long, but the greatest proof of his loyalty to God and Country was his attitude during the arrest and ruthless interrogations of the communist regime that wanted to force him to testify against Card. Wyszyński. He endured 27 months of torture without ever betraying, persevering in God's grace until his death. He was announced Patron of 2024 by the Polish Parliament. The meeting also included, after the community Mass, a fraternal agape, and group work during which Archbishop Baraniak's strengths were summarised.

Puy-en-Velay, France – April 2024 - In which will see Paris as host of the Olympics, the opportunity was taken to raise awareness among young people about sport, so dear to Don Bosco and at the centre of Salesian pedagogy. In the department of Alta Loire, the Don Bosco Network has mobilised to offer an "Olympic day" to 330 students from seven Catholic schools. The Saint Régis-Saint Michel Don Bosco school (230 pupils) and the La Source-Don Bosco school (80 pupils), both directed by Aurélie Alcaraz, were the main protagonists of a sports day during which 20 Olympic and Paralympic sports workshops were held, 10 events led by the Departmental Olympic and Sports Committee (CDOS) and 10 led by teachers from the Saint Régis-Saint Michel school. Sports shooting, wheelchair tennis, sitting volleyball, bowling, taekwondo, judo, football, racing, rugby, golf... the disciplines were varied, with sports disciplines also for the disabled because, as Aurélie Alcaraz explained, "this initiation program also aims to raise awareness among young people about disability and inclusion." Jean-Louis Zanon, former AS Saint-Etienne player and Olympic champion in 1984 in Los Angeles, attended the event as sponsor. For the students of the Saint-Régis Saint-Michel Don Bosco in Puy-en-Velay, the Olympic adventure is not over: on 5 September they will participate in some wheelchair tennis events at the famous international tournament of the Roland-Garros, as part of the Paralympics.