(ANS - Rome) - To encourage the spiritual preparation of all Salesians in view of the 29th General Chapter (GC29) of the Congregation - to be held in Turin-Valdocco from 16 February to 12 April 2025, on the theme "PASSIONATE FOR JESUS CHRIST, DEDICATED TO THE YOUNG PEOPLE - a musical version of the official prayer of the Chapter has been produced, which takes its cue from the first verse of the prayer and is titled "Good Father". The music for the prayer was composed by the 29th General Chapter Regulator himself, Fr Alphonse Owoudou, in a very special and innovative way: using Artificial Intelligence (AI).

(ANS – Santo Domingo) – The Salesian Don Bosco Foundation in the Dominican Republic, the Rica Foundation and the Pedro Henríquez Ureña National University (UNPHU) signed a collaboration agreement on Thursday, 4 July 2024, with the aim of promoting common projects and activities for the development of young people and society in general. The signing ceremony was held at the UNPHU campus.

(ANS – La Valletta) – On 2-3 July the Executive Secretary of Don Bosco International (DBI) attended the Eurochild Network Convention on “Fostering Rights Based Solutions to Tackle Child Poverty and Social Exclusion across Europe”, hosted by Eurochild and The Malta Foundation for the Wellbeing of Society in Malta.

(ANS – Paris) – In their speeches, some politicians associate the issue of Unaccompanied Minors  – that is, foreign adolescents who arrive in Europe without an adult by their side – with the problem of juvenile delinquency, insinuating that they should be distrusted and that the State should protect its citizens from their possible actions.

(ANS – Fatima) – Registration for the 9th International Congress of Mary Help of Christians has recently closed and the organising committee of this great event of the Salesian Family has announced some interesting information in view of its realisation: for example, the total number of members exceeds 1,200 participants, from different parts of the Salesian world. The 9th International Congress of Mary Help of Christians, which will be held in Fatima from 29 August to 1 September 2024, therefore promises to be a truly global celebration of prayer and encounter among the devotees of Mary Help of Christians.