NEWS PHOTOS
Nairobi, Kenya – November 2024 – On 30 November a lively ceremony at the Don Bosco Boys Town Technical Institute in Nairobi celebrated the awarding of certificates to 321 young people who completed two years of rigorous training in various trades, including carpentry, plumbing, tailoring, carpentry, electricity, wiring, mechanics, computer science, solar technology, etc. After the thanksgiving Mass celebrated by Fr George TJ, Superior of the Salesian Province of East Africa (AFE), the participants attended cultural shows and speeches that highlighted the results of the graduates. The event also marked the official opening and blessing of a newly built pavilion that hosted the ceremony. In addition to the awarding of certificates, recognition was also given to the students who participated in the Don Bosco Global Youth Film Festival (DBGYFF), celebrating their involvement and contribution. The event attracted hundreds of participants, including parents, relatives, friends of graduates, benefactors and partners of the institution.
Iju – Lagos – November 2024 - From 27 to 29 November, the Salesians of Don Bosco of the Africa Nigeria Niger Province (ANN), organised a workshop on the protection of vulnerable individuals in which 29 people participated, including Salesians and lay collaborators, representing all the communities of the Province. The workshop was a clear testament to the ANN Province's commitment to promoting a safe and secure environment for all and served as a platform to educate, inspire and define best practice strategies for the protection of vulnerable individuals. Participants explored ways to integrate the Salesian preventive system into safeguarding efforts, emphasising prevention, awareness and proactive measures to ensure the safety and well-being of each individual within the Salesian communities. This pivotal event underscores the Province ANN's unwavering dedication to safeguarding and ensuring that all individuals can thrive in a safe and inspiring environment.
Madrid, Spain – November 2024 – The award ceremony for the fifth edition of the Charism Awards of the Spanish Conference of Religious (CONFER) took place during a gala evening held at the CaixaForum in Madrid on 28 November. "Sueños, el Musical", a show produced by the Salesians of the Saint James the Greater Province Spain (SSM) and staged in April and part of May this year, was one of the winners in the 'Youth Vocation Ministry' section. The musical, conceived and directed by Father Toño Casado and inspired by John Bosco's childhood dream, received this award from the jury because this dream "continues to change the lives of many young people today". More than 25,000 spectators saw the musical. The president of CONFER, Jesús Díaz Sariego OP, was the first to take the floor to explain the meaning of this act and its awards. "CONFER, every year, wants to make visible its commitment to the promotion of humanity, because everything that comes from the most intimate part of the person matters a lot for the more than four hundred Congregations that are part of the Conference and for those close to it". The creator and director of the musical, Fr Toño Casado, and, representing the Salesians, Fr Xabier Camino and Fr Javier Valiente were present at the gala. After receiving the award, Casado thanked the work of the entire team and the commitment of the Salesians in producing a work that can reach young people in today's language.
Portugal - November 2024 - In November, the educative and pastoral communities of the Salesians of Don Bosco in Cabo Verde, Mirandela, Porto and Funchal, celebrated the Festival of Youth Holiness with special activities proposed by the Pastoral Ministry and Schools. With great fervour and joy, the Salesian Educational Community in Cabo Verde celebrated the Festival of Youth Holiness. With four days of spiritual preparation, the event centred on the simultaneous celebration of two Eucharists, in the school and in the chapel, and sports activities of various disciplines in three different locations. In Mirandela, the Youth Holiness Festival aimed to look at all models of youth holiness and reflect on their ability to take the initiative with other young people and put their gifts to good use. An afternoon of conviviality and willingness shared by all was experienced during the Eucharist, as well as cultural and learning moments. The Salesians in Porto celebrated the Feast of Youth Holiness, where the pupils of the Don Bosco school took St Dominic Savio as an example. Indeed, joy was the dominant note of the day throughout the various activities. In Funchal, the celebration was enhanced by the presence of Fr Tarcízio Morais, Superior of the Salesian Province of Portugal, who presided over the Eucharist, and highlighted the simplicity and importance of each person trusting, with courage, in the achievement of holiness. Important figures from the history of the Salesians of the school, which celebrates 75 years in 2025, were not forgotten.