1,500 adolescents, 14 European Nations plus the Ukraine, over 100 teams of basket-ball, volley-ball, football, 5-a-side football and table tennis, 150 Slovenian volunteers, 40 Salesians and Daughters of Mary Help of Christians  were some of the numbers in this event which will conclude on 1 May.

Begun in 1990, the Salesian International Youth Games are promoted by the International Salesian Youth Sports Movement (PGS) and provide all the young sports people from the Salesian centres of Europe with an opportunity to meet together in the  name of Don Bosco and share their passion for different sports.

The event this year is taking place during the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue, during the Slovenian six-month Presidency of the European Union, during the year of the 120th anniversary of the death of Don Bosco. While international attention is being concentrated on the Olympic Games and the journey of the Olympic Torch, young sporting Salesians are demonstrating how it is possible to practise sport in a way that is educational,, formative, and enjoyable under the banner of values and in promoting human rights.

Among those present in these days at Ljubljana, are Sr Maria del Carmen Canales Councillor for Youth Ministry of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians and  Fr Dominic Sequeira from the Salesian YM Department.

On the programme is also a meeting for the Salesians and the Sisters who are accompanying the teams or form part of the organising committee. Today the Mayor of Ljubljana will receive a group representing the young people from different countries, and the Administrative Committee of the International PGS will attend a meeting at the Ministry of Education. The young European athletes will also have the opportunity to go on an outing to the  Postumia Caves, a well-known local tourist attraction not too far from Ljubljana.

The XIX Salesian International Youth Games are due to finish on 30 April with the medal ceremony and the handing over of the Flag of the International Games to representatives of Italy where the next Games will be held in 2009.

Published 28/04/2008