NEWS PHOTOS
Pétion-Ville, Haiti - February 2025 - 5 aspirants from the Guadaloupé centre in Thorland and 1 aspirant from the Marie Auxiliatrice centre in Port-au-Prince made their promise as Salesian Cooperators on 2 February at the St John Bosco chapel in Pétion-Ville, Port-au-Prince. The Eucharist was presided over by Fr Jean Robin Gédéon, Provincial Delegate of the Association, accompanied by Fr Joseph Roliné. It was a very special moment that brought together several members of the Salesian Family.
Los Angeles, United States - February 2025 - Repeating for the fourth year what has become a traditional event, the Salesian Family Youth Centre (SFYC, in English), based in Los Angeles, showcased the outstanding achievements and leadership of young people through its annual Youth of the Year Awards. The award celebrates young people who exemplify the values of compassion, determination and service, deeply rooted in the Salesian mission, and is divided into three categories: elementary, middle and high school, ensuring that young people of all ages can shine. This year, the centre proudly honoured Janaeh Cuevas (elementary), Chris Ara (middle) and Hannah Ramírez (high school) for their outstanding achievements and inspiring visions for the future. The path to becoming the Young Person of the Year is no easy feat as participants undergo an in-depth process that includes a final challenge that includes an interview with a panel of professional judges, who assess each young person's character, ambitions and potential to inspire others. The Youth of the Year awards, more than just an individual achievement, symbolise the strength of SFYC's mission to empower young people to follow their dreams and make a difference in the world.
Itanagar, India - February 2025 - The Department of Economics at Don Bosco College Itanagar organised a two-day national seminar on Challenges and Opportunities for Socio-Economic Development in Rural Areas of North-East India. The seminar, held on 7-8 February, aimed to discuss the challenges and opportunities for rural development in North East India and brought together experts, researchers and policy makers to share their insights and experiences. The seminar featured several speakers, including State MP Toko Tatung and Prof. Joydeep Baruah, Director of the Surya Kumar Bhuyan School of Social Sciences. The speakers emphasised the need for rural development, highlighting the challenges and opportunities in the region. The seminar also included technical sessions on topics such as sustainable development, waste management and entrepreneurship. One of the main learnings of the seminar was the importance of sustainable development in rural areas. Prof. Sumpam Tanjang, Head of the Department of Botany at Rajiv Gandhi University, highlighted the role of agroforestry in enhancing rural development and the need for government support, subsidies and formation programmes to promote agroforestry practices. For his part, Dr Ajit Debnath, Head of the Department of Economics at Mahapurusha Srimanta Sankaradeva Vishwavidyalaya University, spoke on the impact of waste management on rural development, emphasising the need for effective practices such as vermicomposting and waste-to-energy conversion projects.
Mexico - January 2025 - On 28 January, the Youth Ministry Delegates from the United States West Province (SUO), Fr Fabián Cárdenas, SDB, and the Guadalajara Province Mexico (MEG), Fr Agapito Francisco Espinoza, SDB, convened Salesians and lay people from both provinces to share the situation of migrants on the Mexico-US border. The purpose of the meeting, which took place digitally, was to analyse current challenges; share experiences of caring for migrants; and establish concrete strategies for responding to the tightening of immigration policies resulting from the US government's recent immigration regulations. Emphasised during the meeting was the importance of strengthening the support network for migrants, the need to forge alliances with other institutions and improve communication to optimise assistance to these people in vulnerable situations. Among the points that emerged were the coordination of efforts between provinces to provide timely information; the promotion of a Salesian network specialised in the care of migrants; and the encouragement of Salesian missionary volunteers to offer their services to migrants. Participants at this meeting agreed that there is a great need for a coordinated response, including raising awareness in local communities, promoting volunteerism and creating welcoming spaces.