The three days were marked by an atmosphere of familiarity, prayer, joy and enthusiasm. On the inaugural day, Fr Mauricio Leime, Delegate for Youth Ministry of the Salesians, and Sister Cruz María Piña, Provincial of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians in Ecuador, welcomed the participants. The Rector Major, with a message recorded in Valdocco, sent his blessing to the young people, inviting them to experience the gratitude of the encounter for being disciples and missionaries of Jesus in all their daily lives and situations.
The training workshops then began, focused on the theme "Looking at the Reality we Live in", and were aided by four moderators. Fabián Campo addressed the socio-environmental situation in Ecuador and encouraged young people to lead a life of greater respect for Creation in the light of the encyclical Laudato Si'. Cecilia Aulestia spoke on the theme of human mobility, and presented the reality experienced by people who, due to so many situations, cannot return to their places of origin. She invited the young people of the Salesian Youth Movement (SYM) to look with compassion on those who find themselves in this difficult situation. Mónica Mendoza spoke about the mission that each person must carry out to generate change through education. Finally, Marco Fulgaro, a member of the Missions Department, spoke on the theme: "Building peace", highlighting that there is no peace without reconciliation and good relations with others.
The sessions on Saturday began with the development of the training theme: "Politics of the Our Father" with instructions given to develop the central activity of the day: "Youth on the move". The participants were thus invited to “to make emphasize and make their presence felt” and to meet the poorest and the marginalized.
Thus, in different cities, boys and girls went to distribute food and to share the Word of God with the people they visited. Others organized themselves to gather up the municipal waste and thus contribute to the care of the "Common Home". Yet others animated festive oratories with children and young people, sharing the Salesian charism.
All these experiences and the learning received through them were shared in the evening, which was then continued with moment for games, music and dances.
Lastly, on Sunday, to give substance to what was experienced previously, commitments were drawn up based on the slogan "I entrust them to you", which will support young people to be responsible in various areas: family, school, Church and the society.
The closed with the Eucharist, presided over by Fr Francisco Sánchez, Provincial of the Salesians of Ecuador, in the "St John Bosco" church in the La Kennedy district of Quito, and was broadcast simultaneously on social networks. In his homily, he told the exhorted the young people to be builders of roads of hope and invited them to go against the tide to be effective in the process:
"Where life is needed, SYM must be there;
where there is a need for human values, solidarity, service,
the SYM must be there;
where there are children, adolescents, and young people without hope,
SYM must be there,” he concluded.
https://www.infoans.org/en/component/k2/item/14063#sigProId93490ceedc
