Niterói, Brazil - March 2018 - Former Real Madrid soccer player Júlio Cesar Correia, ambassador of the "Real Madrid Foundation", visited the "Mamma Margherita" Youth Center and Oratory in Niterói to learn about the work of the Salesians, spend time with the young, tell them his story, and to reflect on the importance of continuously struggling to achieve one's dreams and goals. Since 2013, the "Fundación Real Madrid" has been bringing forward the "Sport for Peace" project which involves many other institutions.
Hong Kong - April 2018 - A seminar on the Salesian Youth Ministry was held in Shaikeiwan from April 4 to 6. Chaired by Fr Fabio Attard, General Councilor for Youth Ministry, over 90 participants attended including Salesians, FMAs, members of the Salesian Family and collaborators of the missions of various Salesian works. The meeting's main theme was "Salesian Youth Ministry - The Framework of Reference", from the book published in 2013 by the Department for Youth Ministry, which presented the guidelines and references for the animation of the Youth Ministry in various contexts of the Salesian world.
Montevideo, Uruguay - 4 April 2018 - The meeting of the FMA and SDB Provincials of the Conference of Salesian Provinces of the Southern Cone Region (CISUR) took place in Montevideo.
Krakow, Poland - April 2018 - On April 7th, at the Salesian theological studentate, the seasonal opening of the "Villages of the World", the Global Education Park of the Salesian Missionary Volunteers "Młodzi Światu", took place. The Park, which covers an area of 2 hectares, reproduces the shapes of the five continents and typical buildings of various missionary countries across the globe. It was created especially for children and youth and is used for educational, artistic and thematic workshops by which visitors may develop awareness and sensitivity, learn about the poorest countries and their problems. During the opening day, there was a "family mini-Olympics", with games, dances, workshops where to learn to play drums, produce folk dress, build igloos and make ceramics.
Sherbrooke, Canada - April 2018 - The role and primacy of music and theater in Salesian pedagogy is well known. For this reason, during this school year, six plays were staged, including a musical, by the students of "Le Salésien" secondary school in Sherbrooke, QC. On April 6 "Caligula" by Albert Camus was staged at the school auditorium, and brilliantly performed by ten actors of the "OPSIS" troupe.
Vatican City, Vatican - April 2018 - On April 10, Pope Francis met the Missionaries of Mercy at the Sala Regia.