RMG – European School: renewing identity of Don Bosco's educational project
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10 October 2019

(ANS - Rome) - The reality of schools in Europe and the Middle East, rich in cultural and pedagogical diversity, challenges the Salesians to a continuous and ongoing renewal of their identity and their proposals. The Salesian educational-pastoral project in Europe and the Middle East contains a set of values and practices that develop in an environment that is like an "educational mosaic" of diversity. With this objective in mind, the Directors of the Salesian schools of Don Bosco and the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians (FMA) met on 2 and 3 October at the FMA Generalate in Rome for the 25th meeting of the Europe and Middle East School Commission.

Starting from a presentation of the current state of the Salesian school in Europe, more than 30 participants worked on the "Identity Card of the Salesian School in Europe", a document launched more than 15 years ago.

"It is a simple text, but programmatic, which must be updated to the times, to the spaces and to the actors of the educational work of the XXI century," commented Fr Tarcizio Morais, head of the School and Vocational Training Office of the Department for Youth Ministry. "In this work, we have placed not only the perspective of the content, but also of the renewal of identity, responding to what Pope Francis proposes to us in Christus Vivit, in the exercise of the 'synodality' (of walking together, with everyone, even with the students) in the exercise of self-criticism and pastoral response in this 'privileged place for the promotion of the person'".

The Identity Card of the Salesian School in Europe was born from a process of synthesis that the various school leaders in Europe wanted to offer to the educative-pastoral communities. Today this "Charter of Identity" has new horizons, which arise from the integration of new educational dimensions not present at that time.

In the ever-developing world of the "digital natives", with an increasingly secularized culture, in the face of fundamental educational changes and the socio-political environment, the decrease in consecrated persons (SDB-FMA) and the growing and motivating presence of lay persons co-responsible for the educational mission, a renewal of identity is necessary, in continuity with the Don Bosco project for young people.

To better understand the reality of schools in Europe, the "Educo-barometer" was also presented, a study and reflection tool that will be applied to the heads and directors of Salesian schools in Europe.

"As European School, we want to continue to grow in identity, to answer to the challenges that young people, their families, new social, cultural and economic contexts and the new pedagogical dynamics offer us: the times demand it of us and for our Salesian and ecclesial educational vocation," Fr Morais commented in conclusion.

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ANS - “Agenzia iNfo Salesiana” is a on-line almost daily publication, the communication agency of the Salesian Congregation enrolled in the Press Register of the Tibunal of Rome as n 153/2007.

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