In the opening ceremony, broadcast live through social networks, Fr Francisco Sánchez, Provincial of the Salesians of Ecuador and Chancellor of the Salesian Polytechnic University, said that these spaces allow the sharing of experiences in the development of skills and academic reflection, and support teaching and learning processes.
Fr Juan Cárdenas, Rector Magnificus of the University, declared: "This pandemic has called into question our ways of doing education, our educational models, our practices, our physical and technological infrastructures, the epistemological and methodological balances."
On the first day, Fr Miguel Ángel García, General Councilor for Youth Ministry, also spoke on the theme of personal accompaniment not as a simple task or a methodological complement, but as a student's right to receive adequate accompaniment, at both academic and personal levels.
During the three-day congress, 10 lectures alternated. Some of the topics covered were: "Education for social transformation in times of global crisis"; "Prevention as an educational method in contexts of adversity and educational emergency"; “The Preventive System in times of global crisis and educational emergency”; and “Pandemics yesterday and today: a Salesian pedagogical rereading”.
Among the speakers were professors from Ecuador, Colombia, Brazil, Argentina and Costa Rica; Salesians such as Fr Marcelo Farfán, General Coordinator of the Salesian Institutions of Higher Education (IUS), and Fr Cárdenas; religious like Fr José Luis Guzón, of the Complutense University of Madrid.
One of the topics discussed was the Preventive System in light of the crisis the world is experiencing today. In this sense, it was emphasized that, although it was created by Don Bosco a long time ago, it is not an outdated method, but on the contrary, it remains current and valid as it continues to be studied and successfully applied today in many educational contexts throughout the world.
In the same way, prevention was talked about as the basis of Salesian pedagogy and as a necessary formula to face the current educational crisis as it recognizes aspects such as work and health and places the subject as the protagonist of solutions in a dialogue that includes social justice and equity.
The methodology used at the congress envisaged five simultaneous forums in the afternoons based on four axes: Education and processes of social participation; Child and youth citizenship; Pedagogical and social transformations; Preventive and Education System.
The congress, which also offered the opportunity to present two books and a magazine, closed with the announcement of the next edition, scheduled for November 2022 on the theme of youth associations as educational actions.
