Dominican Republic – "A hymn to Creation": the Antilles Salesians celebrate the 15th Festival of the Message Song

31 May 2023

(ANS – Santo Domingo) – The fifteenth Festival Nacional de la Canción Mensaje, the National Festival of the Message Song, took place on 27 May in the Manuel Rueda hall at the Santo Domingo School of Fine Arts. The event's theme was “A hymn to Creation”. The event was organised by the Antilles Province Salesian Youth Ministry's  Art and Culture Department and was dedicated, posthumously, to Bishop Fabio Mamerto Rivas Santos, SDB, the first bishop of Barahona. It was produced and coordinated by Madeline Abreu and Noesí Producciones.

This artistic event promotes Salesian human and spiritual values through music, dance, theatre and audiovisual resources. It also encourages deep human expression and collective creativity in Salesian houses. Through their original musical compositions they highlight messages that invite reflection on and the strengthening of faith. This year, each of the shows was aimed specifically at promoting ecological awareness and therefore generating responsibility towards the planet among artists and spectators.

The Salesian Provincial of the Antilles, Fr José Pastor Ramírez, urged the audience in his words of welcome to commit themselves to the care of creation. “All Salesian settings around the world, in line with Pope Francis and with the Strenna of the Rector Major, are committed to the conservation and care of ecosystems” he said. For Salesians, the climate and, consequently, care for our Common Home are a priority that translates into concrete actions, as well as being included as values in education throughout the world ” he concluded.

Fr Patricio Ramírez, Provincial Delegate for Youth Ministry, stressed that “it is important to recognise that we are all winners with this ‘Hymn to Creation’ because, other than the various artistic manifestations, it was the expression of the commitment and awareness that we are all called to build on behalf of the care for our Common Home.”

This year ten Salesian houses were involved from different cities where there are Salesians: Barahona, Mao, La Vega, Moca, Santiago de los Caballeros, Jarabacoa and Santo Domingo.

At the end of the evening, the winners, in the different categories, were:

- Best text-message: Hogar Escuela Santo Domingo Savio, Santo Domingo;
- Best music and vocal interpretation: Ipisa-Ipidbosco, Santiago de los Caballeros;
- Best performance: Sagrado Corazón de Jesús, Villa Juana, Santo Domingo;
- Audience Award: Ipisa-Ipidbosco, Santiago de los Caballeros;
- Maximum recognition: María Auxiliadora, Santo Domingo.

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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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