(ANS - Rome) - On Friday 21 May, at the Salesian Central Office, in the Sacro Cuore house in Rome, the meeting of the Salesians attending the course for formators at the Salesian Pontifical University (UPS) took place with the Formation Department team. It was a moment of fraternity and a return to the sources of the charism.

(ANS – Rome) – The first meeting of Don Bosco Tech India, Don Bosco Tech Africa and Don Bosco Tech ASEAN was held on 14 May 2021 via ZOOM. It was organized by the Office for the Schools and Technical Centres of the Youth Ministry Department. Fr Miguel Ángel García, General Councillor for Youth Ministry, welcomed the members and appreciated them for their dedication and commitment towards the empowerment of the poorest of the poor. The Executive Directors of each Don Bosco Tech: Fr George Mathew, Fr T.J.George, and Fr Dindo Vitug respectively shared the present reality.

(ANS - Rome) - Tomorrow, May 19, 2021, from 3:00 to 4:30 p.m., at the Salesian Pontifical University in Rome, the ninth volume of the critical edition of Don Bosco's Epistolary will be presented. It collects a little less than 500 letters written by the saint in the years 1884-1886. Letters of government, letters of animation, letters of daily affairs, letters of educational formation, letters of congratulations and good wishes, letters of requests for economic aid with relative thanks... in short, a series of letters of various kinds, many of which are unpublished, addressed to every category of people: from the highest civil and religious authorities (emperors, ministers, popes and cardinals) to simple laymen, men, women and young people.

(ANS – Heverlee) – On April 28th, 2021, 20 educators and teachers from the Don Bosco community from Germany, Austria, the Netherlands and Belgium encountered for an online formation program: “Discovering the power of vulnerability together with young people”. An initiative from “Don Bosco Bildungsforum” (AUS), “Don Bosco Vorming & Animatie” (BEN) and “Jugendpastoralinstitut Don Bosco” (GER).

(ANS - Vatican City) - On Wednesday 28 April, in the Marconi Hall of Vatican Radio, the press conference was held for the presentation of the "Christmas Contest", a music competition sponsored by the Italian Society of Authors and Publishers (SIAE) and promoted by “Missioni Don Bosco” and the Pontifical Gravissimum Educationis Foundation. The initiative, in support of the charity project "Congo is the heart of Africa - help us make it beat", includes a singing competition aimed at young people aged between 16 and 35, called to propose an unpublished song on the Christmas theme, and to compete to perform, together with the great artists of Italian and international music, at the Christmas concert 2021 in the Vatican. The Rector Major of the Salesians, Fr Ángel Fernández Artime, also spoke at the press conference.

(ANS - Bukavu) - Since its inception, the "Don Bosco Center" of Bukavu, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, has been interested in children and young people in street situations. Although other realities in this sector have already been operating in the city for some time, the Salesians have felt the responsibility of taking the initiative and organizing a "Forum on the fate of children in street situations: challenges and perspectives", which will be held over the next few days from Thursday 6 to Friday 7 May 2021, at the Archbishopric of Bukavu.

(ANS - Rome) - Organized by the UPS Institute of Pastoral Theology, on Monday 26 April the round table "Eyes on the Youth Ministry" was held, and saw over 150 people connected online.

(ANS – Nakornpathom) – From 22 to 26 April 2021, the Sisters of the Queenship of Mary held their 6th General Chapter at Baan Phu Waan, Nakornpathom Province, with the theme: “Disciples of Christ - Living New Evangelizers”. 22 members participated in this historic event, representing the various communities. Cardinal Francis Xavier Kriengsak Kovitwanich, Archbishop of Bangkok, also gave testimony of his closeness to the Congregation by visiting the Chapter members on the afternoon of Sunday 25 April.

(ANS – Paris) – In Don Bosco's time, once a school was founded, the main technological challenge consisted in guaranteeing the quality and distribution of printed material. Today the challenge is for every student to have access to a digital learning platform with all the essential features required for high-quality online education. To address this challenge, Don Bosco Intuition Entertainers Media, an international NGO, has been commissioned by the province of FRB, headed by provincial, Daniel Federspiel, to develop several digital solutions. Along with their partner Cagliero Creative Solutions, they have developed CaglieroLMS, a learning management system platform specifically designed for state-of-the-art online education. The presentation of this innovative project is scheduled for next May 1st and will see the participation of the General Councilor for Social Communication, Fr Gildásio Mendes.