Turin, Italy - October 2018 – Taking place on October 26th, at the Salesian Vocational Training Center in Valdocco, Turin, was the inauguration of the new cooking and hall / bar workshops, to go alongside the bakery, pastry-making and pizza courses already active since 2013: a three-year qualification course for "Restaurant operator: meal preparation". Antonino Gentile, Communications Head of the CNOS-FAP of the Piedmont region, opened the inaugural event by introducing the participants active in the creation and expansion of this sector. Barbara Azzarà, Delegate Councilor - in the field of Education, Career Guidance and Training, Educational System, School Network and Childhood, Youth Policies, Historical Library - underlined how synergy between institutions is essential for generating virtuous paths aimed at all young people. Also present were Fr Alberto Martelli, Director of the Valdocco community, "San Francesco di Sales"; Marco Gallo, Director of the CFP Valdocco; and Fr Enrico Stasi, Superior of the Salesian District of Piedmont and Valle d'Aosta and President of the Piedmont and National CNOS, who blessed the labs and concluded the inaugural moment with a prayer.
Zurich, Switzerland - October 2018 - In Zurich, the liturgical celebration of Blessed Michael Rua, father and founder of the local Salesian house, was especially emphasized and much felt by all the participants at the solemn Eucharist vespertina on 29 October, happily coinciding with the 120th Anniversary of the presence of the Salesians in the city. For this purpose, the director, Fr Cosimo Semeraro, SDB, on behalf of the whole community, wanted to meet the Consul General of Italy for the organization of external celebrations, scheduled for December 5th. The Consul, dr Giulio Alaimo, expressed his congratulations and gratitude for the highly useful social and pastoral work carried out by the spiritual Sons of Don Bosco on behalf of families and particularly young people in the Canton of Zurich.
San Benito Petén, Guatemala - October 2018 - As part of his Animation Visit to the Central America Province (CAM), from 26 to 30 October, Fr Guillermo Basañes, General Councilor for the Missions, visited the Salesian mission of San Benito Petén.
Vienna, Austria - October 2018 - On October 5, over 200 guests gathered at the "Salesianum" in Vienna to celebrate 25 years of Salesian missionary volunteer service. Launched in 1993 by Fr Rudolf Osanger, with a first missionary trip to Tijuana, Mexico, the foreign volunteering service of Austria's Salesians has been coordinated starting from 1997 by the Salesian NGO "Jugend Eine Welt" (JEW), and starting in 2013 from the "Volontariat bewegt" association, promoted by Salesians and JEW together. The event of October 5 also served to raise funds for a project in Tatale, Ghana, in the Province of Anglophone Western Africa (AFW), where the Salesian in formation Michal Klucka operates.
Jarabacoa, Dominican Republic - October 2018 - The Provincials of the Interamerica Region met in Jarabacoa from 21 to 28 October, accompanied by the Regional Councilor, Fr Timothy Ploch.
Shillong, India - October 2018 - On October 22nd and 23rd, 25 principals or headmasters of the Salesian schools of the Shillong Province (INS) took part in a formation course to better fulfill their role as school guides and foster optimal relationships with students and teachers.