“We agreed that we must intervene however we can in our realities with concrete forms of economic solidarity. In addition to continuing with the typical activities of our mission, it is necessary to find new ways and new tools to intervene.” Antonio Boccia, World Coordinator of the Salesian Cooperators, is clear and exhaustive in announcing the initiative.
The decision to launch this project arose towards the end of April when the meeting of the World Council of Salesian Cooperators took place in three sessions divided by continents, so as to encourage participation, given the difference in time zone. During the three video conferences, the association's leaders analyzed the situation of the various regions, according to their timeline, due to the pandemic that has now affected all countries.
In the end, the World Council decided to allocate the “Rosario Maiorano 2020 Project” to financially support interventions in particular situations caused by the health emergency. The contributions of the Provinces for the year 2020 will thus be used to finance the Project.
“In practice, the Provinces will not have to send the contribution for the year 2020 to the World Council, but will have to use it locally for interventions that each Provincial Council deems appropriate to finance, as a form of aid, the needs of local populations.”
The Administrators will then report how these contributions were used, sending it to the World Administrator by December 2020.
“It is the way the World Council wants to adopt to be close to the Salesian Cooperators in this moment of economic difficulty,” explains the World Coordinator.
Their closing statement: “In this month of May, dedicated to our beloved Mary Help of Christians, let us have her suggest the best way to help our brothers and sisters tried by the pandemic.”
The “Rosario Maiorano Project” is an initiative launched in 2019 by the World Council of Salesian Cooperators to remember in the best possible way, that is, through solidarity, the figure of Rosario Maiorano (1956-2017), World Coordinator of the Association between 2001 and 2012. Thanks to this initiative, last year quality education was guaranteed to over 300 street children in Kenya and about 150 young Kenyans were allowed to complete their studies.
