There is no tradition that can do without being re-kindled. Young people are the direct interpreters of it with their styles, languages, vital contexts. From this background, the "Christmas Contest", a music competition, was born and launched - limited to Italy, for now, but destined to be repeated on a larger scale. It saw the participation of many young artists between 16 and 35 years old, invited to produce an unpublished song inspired by the values of Christmas. There were 60 participating songs, attributable to the most diverse musical genres: folk, rock, blues, reggae, gospel, rap.
The best works were judged by a jury of prominent figures who selected the eight pieces performed during the final at the Forum Studios in Rome which will be broadcast on 22 December at 10:30 pm on TV2000. Among the finalists, the first classified in the text, music, and interpretation categories won the opportunity to perform at the Christmas Concert at the Auditorium in via Conciliazione in Rome, to be broadcast on 24 December on the Italian national broadcaster Canale 5.
The "Christmas Contest" also involved the Italian National Singers who, driven by the enthusiasm of the famous singer-songwriter Mogol, who was its founder, produced the as-yet unreleased song "The colors of the world". The desire to touch the hearts of the public brought together some of the most representative singers, musicians, and athletes of Italy, and this great ensemble had an audience with Pope Francis, who underlined that the Global Educational Pact is "a broad alliance to form mature people, capable of overcoming fragmentation and contrasts and of reconstructing the fabric of relationships for a more fraternal humanity (…). You have composed new Christmas songs and shared them for a bigger project, a project that believes in beauty as a way of human growth, to dream of a better world together.”
The initiatives will help raise awareness of a missionary plan called "The Congo is the heart of Africa - help us make it beat".
"Missioni Don Bosco" and "Gravissimum Educationis" support basic education and vocational training in the Democratic Republic of Congo and help create the fabric of a new generation that is educated and qualified to carry out the professions required for the development of the great country. “Missioni Don Bosco” will allocate aid to the 224 students of the Vocational Center of Masina and the “Gravissimus Educationis” to the 120 pupils of the nursery and primary school of the House of Peace in Kikwit.
The TV2000 special will be broadcast on 22 December at 10:30 pm, and will feature Fr Daniel Antúnez, President of "Missioni Don Bosco" as the studio host. He shall talk about the commitment of the two associations in support of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
For more information, please visit the website: www.missionidonbosco.org
