Bujumbura, Burundi – December 2024 – On December 7, 2024, the Past Pupils and Friends of Don Bosco gathered at the Saint Michel Archange School in Bujumbura, Burundi. The meeting featured six presentations covering topics such as the Salesian Family, the World Confederation of Past Pupils, and various development projects aimed at fostering children's talents. After the presentation, Participants reached key conclusions to enhance their initiatives: Increase Member Engagement: Continue efforts to gather more members. Form Project Commissions: Organize members into commissions for youth education and mutual aid. Invest in a New School: Develop a school for Past Pupils and Friends of Don Bosco. Support Former Schools: Encourage Past Pupils to contribute to their past Salesian institutions. Engage Young Past Pupils: Involve young members in income-generating activities. Establish a Polytechnic Center: Create a center to apply technical knowledge from Salesian schools. Seek Partnerships: Pursue foreign collaborations to strengthen and sustain projects. A follow-up meeting is scheduled for January 25, 2025, to launch the first projects. The day concluded with a visit to children benefiting from a five-year educational initiative.

San Pedro Carchá, Guatemala - December 2024 - On 6 December, the Church of the Good Shepherd at the Don Bosco Centre in San Pedro Carchá was the scene of a great celebration: the 1st Parish Meeting of Ministries on the theme ‘Called to be with you’. The event, organised by the local Salesian community, brought together more than 4,100 altar servers from seven parish areas. The day was attended by altar servers, their families, church leaders and members of the Salesian community from the missionary parish in the host city. The highlight was the celebration of the Eucharist, celebrated in Q'eqchi' and Spanish. In his homily, Fr Carlos Hernández, SDB, emphasised that ‘the essence of the minister lies in service: towards the Church, the community and above all towards one's own families’. The meeting highlighted the commitment and love of the altar servers who came from remote communities to participate, and left a profound lesson: Jesus calls children to be servants, and altar servers represent the beginning of a life dedicated to faith.

Zagreb, Croatia - December 2024 - The newly formed Friends of Don Bosco in Croatia recently organised an animation leadership meeting in Zagreb, bringing together over 45 leaders. Many of these participants have a rich history with the Salesian Family, having received formation and experience in parishes, university chaplaincies and oratories. The President of the World Confederation of Past Pupils of Don Bosco, Bryan Magro, addressed the meeting, emphasising the importance of the identity, values, commitment and mission of the Past Pupils and Friends of Don Bosco. He stressed the need for a synodal approach, inviting all members to work together to build the organisation as an integral part of the Salesian Family in Croatia. Salesian Brother Dominic Nam, World Delegate for Past Pupils of Don Bosco, emphasised the crucial role of Past Pupils and Friends in the Salesian mission. He encouraged the group to dream big and imagine the future of this new organisation. In the coming months, further regional meetings will be held in three other locations in Croatia, where other regional centres will be formed as part of the national Association. Meanwhile, from 6 to 8 December, the Executive Council of the World Confederation of Past Pupils of Don Bosco met in Zagreb. During the meeting, the Council evaluated the recent Extraordinary General Assembly and the first three years of the current Presidency. In addition, new initiatives and activities were planned for the second half of the mandate.