Yaounde, Cameroon - February 2017 – Since 1996 the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians (FMA) of Yaoundé have been meeting the needs of the local population, working with poor children, young people and their families. They carry out their mission in a kindergarten and primary school with 350 pupils; a professional centre where hundreds of young people participate in the course of deli and café; a youth centre and an oratory. The FMA visit families and bring food to the most needy. In Yaoundé, there is also the house of formation in which some young people - 5 this year - are preparing for perpetual profession and devote their time to pastoral work and catechesis. The Salesian Missions Office in Warsaw has launched a project to support their work through grants.
Moamoa-Sinamoga, Samoa - January 2017 - On 29 January in the parish of Moamoa-Sinamoga. the feast of Don Bosco was celebrated and the official inauguration took place of the new Delegation of the Pacific, including Fiji Islands, Samoa and New Zealand. The Delegation belongs to the Province of Australia (AUL). The Provincial presided at the Eucharist during which the first delegate, Fr Petelo Vito Pau and his Council were inaugurated.
Kowloon, Hong Kong – 17 January 2017 - The casket containing a relic of Don Bosco intended by the Rector Major for the East Asia-Oceania region was transported from its temporary location at the parish of Mary Help of Christians at Kowloon, Hong Kong to Taipei, Taiwan, to mark the 50th anniversary of the foundation of the parish of St John Bosco.
Bogotá, Colombia - January 2017 - On 31 January, the feast of Don Bosco, Mass was celebrated at the Salesian Shrine of "Niño Jesús". It was attended by about 700 people including members of the educative pastoral community of the house and teachers and students of the Salesian College "Juan del Rizzo".
Damascus, Syria - January 2017 - On 28 January, as part of the celebrations in honour of Don Bosco at the Salesian House in Damascus, the Rector, Fr Simon Zakerian, SDB, presided at Mass celebrated in the presence of more than 600 children of elementary and middle school. After the celebration, they experienced a moment of great joy. The following day with the young people, teenagers, university students and families the solemn Mass was presided over by Archbishop Geroges Abi Khazen, Apostolic Delegate of the Latins in Syria, in the presence of Cardinal Mario Zenari, Apostolic Nuncio in Syria, who conveyed the Pope's greeting to the young people of Damascus.
Lusaka, Zambia – 31 January 2017 - The ceremony of inauguration of the new Provincial of the province of Zambia-Malawi-Zimbabwe-Namibia (ZMB), Fr Christopher Rychcik, took place on the feast of Don Bosco. The event was chaired by Fr Américo Chaquisse, Councillor for the Africa-Madagascar Region, in the presence of Bishop Clement Mulenga, SDB, of Kabwe, as well as many Salesians, FMA, and Salesian Cooperators.