Thus, over the weekend of 2 and 3 December, this large assembly of people at various levels close to Don Bosco and his charism, could see, if there was still any doubt, the extraordinary wealth of proposals for young people offered by the Don Bosco Network animated by the Salesians of the St Francis de Sales Province of France and Belgium South (FRB) and by the Salesian Family active in the same territories.

During the meeting, many of these activities were listed, examined and evaluated: the great Salesian Campobosco gathering at the end of August, which for many years has gathered hundreds of young people between the ages of 13 and 25; or the  "VIDES" NGO (International Volunteering for Women, Education and Development) International Salesian Volunteering Service, the, which every year sends young people to France, Belgium or abroad to serve young people (two of its volunteers are currently in Madagascar); or the commitment made to ensure that every year the "Brevet d'Aptitude aux Functions d'Animateur" (BAFA) sessions are offered, inspired by the Salesian teaching methods in the works of the Salesian Family at Lyon, Lille, Chambéry, Feurs, Saint-Geniez-d'Olt and many other places.

Other possibilities were presented: chaplaincies at Saint-Jean-Bosco Parish in Paris; the "Ephata Don Bosco" service in Farnières; the "Fort Rêveurs" ministry in the parish of Liège; or the brand new  "Top Jeunes" program in Lyon.

While this weekend in early December has always been an opportunity to bring together men and women religious engaged in pastoral activities, this year the "Don Bosco Jeunes" Team – Fr Xavier Ernst, Salesian of Don Bosco, Sister Valentine Delafon, Daughter of Mary Help of Christians, and Stéphanie Datti, Salesian Cooperator – decided to raise the goal even higher, to make the event an opportunity to share Don Bosco's dream, and thus "multiply the works, the number of participants, the actions... Multiplying the fire that drives us ", as Fr Xavier Ernst explained well, at the beginning.

With commitment ever focused on young people: to offer them spaces where they can be reassured and feel good, growing and developing their potential in harmony.

At the operational level, during the weekend ten working groups were created, called "sodalities" (with reference to the sodalities that came into being among the young people at Don Bosco's oratory, such as the Immaculate Conception Sodality founded by St Dominic Savio). Specifically, work was carried out on the following areas: the 25/35 age group (with Florian Lucchini), welcoming the poorest and migrants (with Sister Marie Vaillant), parenting (with Marie Croon), calling and commitment (with sisters Clémence Ruchaud and Diane Hervieux), formation (with Maxime Croon), listening to and supporting young people (with Laura Thieblemont), sharing resources (with Gauthier Fanucci), communication (with Sister Anne-Flore Magnan), ecology (with Théa Viret) and finally faith and spirituality for young people (with Sister Marthe Rios).

This is how Don Bosco's dream promises to continue to live and grow in 2024.

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