The event, which was also broadcast live via the Zoom platform, was also attended by the Congregation's Economer General, Br Jean Paul Muller, and Fr Gildasio Mendes, General Councillor for Communication - both of whom are also members of the Foundation's Board of Directors.

At the opening of the proceedings, after a short video that gave substance to the motto of the event - ‘Connections, ConMissions’ - the President of the Foundation, Br Alberto Rodríguez Mármol, SDB, recalled the very mission of the institution and presented the idea behind the new site: ‘The concept of the site is that the Foundation is the bridge between the missionaries/ missions and donors. To do this in the best possible way, it has developed a new site that offers useful services to missionaries and donors, in order to facilitate contact between these two worlds’.

The two key assets of the new page, he explained, lie in technological innovation which allows supporters to donate more easily on the one hand, and missionaries to send mission and project documentation in an easy way on the other; and storytelling, which allows donors to get to know the missions and recipients closely, as well as the impact of their donations on people's lives.

Br Rodríguez also recalled the specific tasks of the Foundation:

-        planning and distributing international solidarity funds;

-        accompanying Salesian missions in the development of project capacity;

-        to intervene as a co-financing body in both projects and emergency interventions;

-        representing the Salesian institution to external institutions;

-        editing the Italian Salesian Bulletin.

And finally, the President also explained that the new site is part of the three-year plan to relaunch the DON BOSCO NEL MONDO Foundation, launched in 2022 and articulated in six broad actions, ideally linking this launch to the Youth Saint's famous motto: ‘When it comes to anything that concerns the great cause of good, Don Bosco always wants to be at the forefront of progress’.

The presentation then continued with a greeting from Br Muller and a detailed presentation of the new site and its functionality by Lilia Illuzzi, of the ‘SuLLeali’ Social Communication company.

The ‘connections’ with the ‘missions’ mentioned in the title of the presentation were then made concrete through video links with two Salesian missionaries active on some of the most difficult fronts of these times: Fr Simon Zakerian, Superior of the Salesians in the Middle East (MOR), who spoke of the activities and commitment of the Salesian Family in these times of war; and Fr Juan Carlos Solis, active in Tijuana in a context of still widespread violence and great risks of social marginalisation for the many migrants who cross the city in pursuit of the ‘American dream’.

Towards the end of the event, the Project Manager of the Foundation also spoke, Marcella Orsini, emphasising the value of the event of the presentation of the new site as an opportunity for ‘encounter and testimony’. ‘Meeting with donors, with Salesian missionaries, with institutions and friendly organisations, and with those who offer us support to improve our work; testimony, so that every tool at our disposal contributes to giving voice and creating bonds’.

Finally, in greeting those present, Br Rodríguez took the floor again, quoting Don Bosco once again: ‘Courage, courage always; let us never tire of doing good and God will be with us’.

The new site is accessible at: https://donbosconelmondo.org

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