(ANS - Rome) - The conferral of the Global Education Award to the memory of Don Bosco is scheduled for tomorrow at the prestigious Ariston Theatre in Sanremo. Fr Francesco Cereda, Vicar of the Rector Major will accept the award, at the end of the seventeenth International Festival of Creativity in Schools. But for the Salesian Family in Italy the whole weekend promises to be full of significant events.

"I thank the entire Congregation and in particular the Rector Major and the Salesian University Institute of Rebaudengo in Turin for their collaboration” said Paolo Alberti, founder and President of the Global Educational Festival, the organization awarding the prize. “Don Bosco is an important figure in the lives of many young people, and it is an immense joy to award this prize to such a great man. It is a bit like an Oscar for education and creativity among students."

"Music, theatre, sport and art and all other forms of youthful expression are certainly typical of the educational work of Don Bosco," said Fr Cereda in his letter of acceptance of the prize.

Also tomorrow, at the Salesian Institute of Venice (IUSVE) there will be the Annual Conference, dedicated this year to the theme "Human Rights Education and Justice in society." The guest of honour will be Giovanni Maria Flick, Salesian Past Pupil and President Emeritus of the Constitutional Court. The results will be presented of an international study on the theme of the conference conducted among students of IUSVE and Ces Don Bosco in Madrid.

Other Italian events include:

• Venice: 37th "Up and Down the Bridges of Venice", a solidarity walk which this year hopes to raise money for the Salesian community in Aleppo, Syria. The walk is organized in collaboration with TGS Eurogroup, the Venice Port Authority and the Hard Rock Cafe Venice.
• Treviglio (BG): The SYM Festival organized by the young people of the Salesian Youth Movement of the Lombardo Emiliana Province. It will include Mass and a stage show "Looking for Ma'goz". There will also be an exhibition by various youth groups, sports tournaments and a talk by Fr Claudio Burgio, chaplain of the Cesare Beccaria centre in Milan for minors and founder of the Kayros Community.
• Messina: the second Regional Day for Salesian Past Pupils, moderated by Dr Valerio Martorana, editor of Voci Fraterne, with moments of musical entertainment and prayer, reflections and testimonies on how to "revive Don Bosco". Archbishop Calogero La Piana will preside at the Mass. There will also be a cultural visit and an act of entrustment to Mary.
• Catania: PgsFest, a regional event to promote sports organized by the Regional Committee of Polisportive Giovanili Salesiane. About 2000 participants are expected from 200 associations. In the morning they will go on a "March for Don Bosco" through the places in the city associated with the Salesians. Later they will participate in the Eucharist, and in the afternoon there will be various sports tournaments.

Published 17/04/2015