Santiago, Chile – September 2024 - 30 September saw the start of the Salesian Olympics, the main sporting and cultural milestone in the celebration of 50 years of the Salesian Youth Movement (SYM) in Chile. The start of the Salesian Olympics took place simultaneously in the six venues hosting the event in the Santiago Metropolitan Region: the Liceo Manuel Arriarán Barros in La Cisterna, the Camilo Ortúzar Montt institute in Macul, the Domingo Savio school in San Ramón, the El Patrocinio de San José de Providencia school, the Oratorio Don Bosco and the Salesians Alameda centre. The event was broadcast live on Twitch and the competitions in the various disciplines, which can be viewed on the Olympics website, registered high viewing figures, with over 4,000 unique viewers in the first four hours of broadcast alone. The official launch ceremony took place in La Cisterna, presided over by the Salesian High School Principal, Marcela Yáñez. After the presentation of the delegations from the country's 22 Salesian schools, Fr Nelson Moreno, Provincial of the Salesians in Chile, greeted the approximately 1,140 students who will give life this space of healthy competition until Friday 4 October: “You have come from different places in Chile, from the north to the south, to celebrate joy and being Salesians. These Olympics are part of the activities of the MGS and we celebrate them with our expressions, such as sport, art and culture (...) Young Salesians from the North, the Centre and the South are equal, because they share the joy of being part of history” he said.

To follow transmissions from the Olympics, visit https://salesianos.cl/olimpiadas/

Quito, Ecuador - 1 October 2024 - Fr Ricardo Campoli, a member of the Sector for Social Communication at Salesian Headquarters, gathered with the prenovices and postnovices at the International Postnovitiate Community in Quito for a meeting dedicated to ‘The Salesian Communicator’. Fr Campoli shared with the young people some keys to understanding, and advice on how best to carry out the work of a communicator among today’s youth. Afterwards, the Eucharist was celebrated by Fr Francisco Sánchez, Rector of the postnovitiate community, and concelebrated by Fr Campoli, in the presence of Fr Darío Ortiz, Rector of the prenovitiate community, and the Salesians accompanying the Salesians in formation.

Cuenca, Ecuador – September 2024 - The Baguanchi Congress Centre in Cuenca, from 27 to 29 September, was the venue for the 16th Salesian Family Meeting, an event that brought together 147 members of the different groups present in the country including SDB, FMA, ASC, ADMA, SDB and FMA Past Pupils, VDB, HHSSCC and ADS. The day began with a greeting from Fr Marcelo Farfán, Provincial of the Salesians of Ecuador (ECU), who stressed the importance of these meetings in formation and in the synodality of the Church. Fr Juan Flores, ECU Vice-Provincial, led the prayer "We are family, guardians of creation", inviting the participants to reflect on the collective responsibility to take care of both nature and the most vulnerable. The first day ended with the presentation of the "Symphony of Creation" by the Salesian Polytechnic University. On the second day, Luis Curay, deputy director of the"Unidad Educativa Técnico Salesiano" in Cuenca, presented a dissertation on "Raising awareness of the importance of taking care of nature", in which he highlighted the urgent need to act in the face of the current environmental crisis. In this context, reference was made to action guidelines no. 8 of GC28, "Accompanying young people towards a SUSTAINABLE FUTURE", where Salesians are committed to being witnesses of conversion to care for creation and Ecological Spirituality. A round table on caring for the environment was held the next day. Fr Farfán led the reflection on Pope Francis' Encyclical "Laudato Si '". Various concrete proposals emerged from the working groups for the care of our common home, the need for a cultural conversion towards the care of the environment, and to make the Salesian Family an active player in the defence of creation.

Catania, Italy – September 2024 – "Awaiting his love, Joyful in hope" was the theme that accompanied  21 and 22 September, and that will accompany the 2024/2025 pastoral year of the Salesian Family. In the  Salesian Youth Movement (SYM) Assembly in Sicily on Saturday 21 September, young representatives from Salesian places were formed to be true bearers of hope in everyday life. The following day, on Sunday 22 September at Playa di Catania, in Colonia Don Bosco, the SYM Giò Beach Party took place, involving about 1,000 young people from all over the region. The young people took part in the session on Hope and the Jubilee, presented by Fr Franco di Natale, Vice-Provincial of the Salesian Province of Sicily (ISI). They also heard the testimonies of young people who had a missionary experience in Senegal. After the Mass celebrated by the ISI Provincial, Fr Giovanni D’Andrea, in the afternoon, there were games. The Day ended with the testimony of the young people who participated in the World Salesian Youth Synod at Colle Don Bosco, and the presentation of the paths and events of the SYM by Fr Alberto Anzalone, Provincial Delegate for Youth Ministry, and by Sister Maria Grazia Tripi, Youth Ministry Councillor for the FMA, who invited young people to get involved in growing as animators of Hope.

Purwodadi, Indonesia – September 2024 - A new Salesian residence and college is currently under construction in Purwodadi, on the island of Java, Indonesia. The opening ceremony of the works took place on 24 September. The Salesians there run a middle school, the SMP Bhakti Mulia, and thirty-one boys stay in a makeshift boarding house using old classrooms in the school. The new boarding house is designed to accommodate up to sixty children. The opening ceremony began with the blessing presided over by the Superior of the Salesian Vice-Province of Indonesia (INA), Fr Vincentius Prastowo, who laid the first stone together with Fr Hendrikus Tolok, SDB, Rector of the house and Principal of the School, and the parish priest of Purwodadi. All students, teachers and school staff of SMP Bhakti Muli" participated with great enthusiasm. With the help of numerous friends of Don Bosco, the Economer of the INA Vice-Province, Fr Yohanes Boedirahardjo Soerjonoto, SDB, mobilised local resources for the new building through various activities: the Bosco Charity Dinner, Bosco Charity Golf Tournament and SJB Parish Appeal. However, for the total cost of the project, the INA Vice-Province benefited from the Rector Major's Solidarity Fund, which supported the purchase of the land and the Foundation in memory of Fr John Lee through the Salesian Mission Office in South Korea, which will support the construction of the buildings.

Guwahati, India – September 2024 - The quarterly retreat and animation programme of the Salesian Province of Guwahati (ING), held at the provincial house on 21 and 22 September, brought together forty-eight young Salesians for a period of reflection, spiritual growth and community strengthening. The meeting, which aimed to deepen the commitment to their vocation, also fostered a strong sense of fraternity and collaboration. After the initial prayer and the welcome, Fr Jayaprakash Anthonimuthu, Provincial Economer, intervened, urging the young Salesians to establish clear objectives for their future journey, strengthening their shared mission as Salesians. The first session was led by Bivan Rodriques Mukhim, Vice-Provincial, on Salesians in Initial Formation, during which the various phases of Salesian formation were explored; the evening session focused on consecrated life and the commitment of young Salesians to their vocation; the good night by Fr Sebastian Kuricheal, ING Provincial, concluded the first day. The next day after the Mass celebrated by the Provincial, a session was held led by Fr Cletus Pattamkulam, Executive Director of the Don Bosco Institute Kharghuli, focusing on the Salesian Youth Movement, the importance of caring for young people entrusted to the Salesians and the responsible use of the Media.