For the second time in 2020, 18 European Salesian youth organizations working according to the Salesian style met to adopt reports, foster relationships, exchange good practices and ideas especially for online activities or activities that facilitate social distancing, to collect ideas for the DBYN's 20th anniversary celebration, and to proceed to the elections of the new Council and new President for 2020-2023.
The meeting was chaired by Fonny Grootjans, outgoing DBYN president, and also attended by the staff members of Don Bosco Youth Net, Aubérie Samson, Secretary General, and Liesbet Perdiues, Coordinator of the projects. Renato Cursi from “Don Bosco International” as well as Macson Almeida from “Don Bosco Green Alliance” participated as guests.
The DBYN's General Executive Body meeting began with an overview of the local situations for each member organization, and then focused on the 2020 activity report, on the proposals for 2021 activities (with the postponement of activities not carried out in 2020, including its 20th anniversary celebrations), as well as on the first proposals for 2022 activities.
The documents relating to the 2020 economic report and the State of the Federation were also analyzed and approved.
The gaze was then projected to the future of the youth network through the updating of the "Master plan 2018-2020" and the first proposals on the "Master plan 2021-2023".
A central moment of the assembly was the election of the new President, Niklas Gregull, from Germany, and of the new Administrative Body, the board of directors of Don Bosco Youth-Net: "Jeugddienst Don Bosco vzw" (Belgium), "Deutsche Provinz der Salesianer Don Boscos" (Germany), "Salesians of Don Bosco" (United Kingdom) and "Salesians of Don Bosco Youth ministry office" (Ukraine).
Similarly, the accession of a new member, "Don Bosko Centar Podgorica"(Montenegro), was approved, after having been a partner for the past three years.
The secretariat and board members made sure to provide space for informal exchanges as well as a chance for each representative to get to know the other representatives and organizations around this large online table.
The appointment for the next face-to-face meeting is scheduled for the "Don Bosco Youth-Net" General Assembly in Brussels from 18 to 21 March 2021.
To find out more about Don Bosco Youth-Net: www.donboscoyouth.net
