(ANS - Rome) - The International Congress on Salesian Pedagogy opens this afternoon, 19 March. It is promoted by the Salesian Rector Major in this bicentenary year as a significant tribute to Don Bosco and the educational system he left us. The theme is, "with Don Bosco, educators of young people of our time". The entire congress will be broadcast on live streaming to allow for the participation of those who cannot be physically present.

by Gian Francesco Romano

The congress is organized by the Salesian Pontifical University in Rome and will be attended by over 300 people, many of them Salesians or Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, but there will also be members of other groups of the Salesian Family - Past Pupils, Volunteers of Don Bosco, Missionary Sisters of Mary Help of Christians, Michaelite Sisters, Daughters of the Queenship of Mary Immaculate ... and many lay people, students of the UPS and other Salesian universities, experts and enthusiasts of pedagogy.

Altogether representatives of over forty countries, from all seven Salesian regions are expected at the Salesianum - one of the two locations of the conference, along with the UPS.

An opening address will be given this afternoon by the Rector Major, Fr Ángel Fernández Artime, immediately after the presentation of the objectives and methodology of the conference.

The first session of the congress will begin immediately after the Rector Major’s address. After hearing reports on the present situation the participants will attempt to outline the challenges and the educational needs of today. Today’s activities will be chaired by Fr Fabio Attard, Councillor General for Youth Ministry, and can be seenhere.

Tomorrow 20 March will be a busy day with two sessions, both at the UPS. In the morning, the work will be led by Fr Carlo Nanni, Rector Magnificus of the UPS, and will focus on the contribution of the Preventive System to education today. The work will be seen on streaming here.

In the afternoon, with Sr. Runita Borja, Councillor for Youth Ministry of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, in the chair, the participants will analyse the reports received on how the preventive system provides for the education of children and young people in marginalized situations in different social contexts. There will be presentations on four examples of good practice developed with and for young people in marginalized areas of Africa, Latin America, Asia and Europe. This session will also be streamed here.

The final session, on Saturday morning, will be at the Salesianum. It will address the issues of training and the pedagogical skills required to be educators of young people today, according to the spirit of Don Bosco. The session – which can be seen here - will be moderated by Sr. Pina del Core, FMA, Dean of the Pontifical Faculty of Educational Sciences at Auxilium. It will conclude with an address from the Mother General of the FMA, Mother Yvonne Reungoat.

Published 19/03/2015