El Campello, Spain – November 2024 - This weekend, the Confederation of Don Bosco Youth Centres in Spain, together with the Salesian National Centre for Youth Ministry and in collaboration with the Don Bosco Federation of the Valencian Community, held its 20th Congress in El Campello (Alicante). This event, funded by the Youth Institute, dependent on the Ministry of Youth and Children, and the Ministry of Social Rights and the 2030 Agenda, brought together 150 young leaders, volunteers from all over Salesian Spain, to share, learn and define new strategies to strengthen the participation of young people in Salesian youth centres. With a focus on the voices of young people, the congress was a space for dialogue and reflection where they themselves were protagonists, expressing their concerns and desires to build more welcoming and engaged spaces. The event was attended by numerous personalities and experts including Fr Fernando Miranda, Provincial of Spain's Mary Help of Christians Province (SMX); Vicente Ripoll, General Director of the Valencian Youth Institute (IVAJ in Spanish); Fr Francisco Cervantes, Head of Oratories and Youth Centres for the Youth Ministry Sector at Salesian Headquarters. The latter stressed the fundamental importance of the Salesian oratory as a space for meeting, formation and continuous renewal for young people. María José Silva, Provincial Pastoral Coordinator of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, and Fr José Miguel Núñez, Director of the Salesian National Centre for Youth Ministry, thanked the efforts and commitment of the leaders from all the youth centres who continue to commit themselves to a solid and real education in their free time, entrusting themselves to the Gospel, accompanied by the charism of Don Bosco and Mother Mazzarello.

Itanagar, India – October 2024 – The Don Bosco Global Youth Film Festival (DBGYFF) 2024 was welcomed with great success on 18 October at Don Bosco College (DBC) in Itanagar, representing a transformative event that inspired action for the climate and sensitised young people to the environment. A total of 956 people, including students, teachers and guests of honour, participated in the screening of numerous films on climate change and youth empowerment. Through a powerful visual narrative, the films perfectly embodied the theme of the DBGYFF: "I Have a Dream - Youth and climate change - Making Mother Earth cleaner and greener". The event was attended by distinguished guests, including Bollywood actor and director Saurabh Pandey, director Tai Gungte and branding consultant Kezleen Kholie, who shared their points of view, encouraging participants to commit themselves to the climate. Fr Kottarathil CD Mathai, Principal of DBC, reflected on the impact of the event, noting that "the DBGYFF has the potential to promote a global network of conscious filmmakers and change-makers".

Bukavu, DR Congo – November 2024 – On 1 and 2 November, the Salesian Don Bosco Nyakadaka work located about 45 kilometres north-west of the city of Bukavu, hosted the second edition of the Salesian Pastoral School of the St Joseph AFC-EST Delegation. Fifty young people in charge of the Salesian Youth Movement (SYM) in the Delegation participated in the event, as well as some Salesians of Don Bosco. The opening Mass was presided over by Fr Patrick Mwenya Kizembe of the Ngangi Community, together with seven other priests, including Fr Dieudonné Sande, Head of Salesian Youth Ministry in the AFC-EST Delegation. The Pastoral School was structured around three key moments: formation, spiritual exercises and a visit to the Salesian farm at Nyakadaka, spread over 115 hectares. During the formation session, five conferences focused on: "Salesian missionary animation in the vocational pastoral care of young people", by Fr André Kazembe; "Profile of a leader in his authority", by Fr Emmanuel Musabila; "Animation of Salesian youth ministry", by Fr Patrick Kizembe; while Fr Stéphane Kayembe, addressed the theme of ecology, encouraging young people to become ambassadors for environmental protection. Finally, Fr Nazaire Muloko presented the results of the Synod of Young Salesians 2024, highlighting the dreams of young people for their future and for the Church. This meeting was a powerful moment of spiritual strengthening and sharing of experiences for all the actors of the AFC-EST Delegation's SYM.