(ANS - Turin) - Next Saturday, 24 January 2015, there will be a civic commemoration in Turin in honour of Don Bosco and the bicentenary of his birth. Many guests and civil authorities have been invited. The event will also serve to pay homage to those who, in the course of these 200 years, have carried on the educational mission initiated by Don Bosco.

In the morning there will be a moment of celebration, with the Mass for the Bicentenary (10.30 a.m. GMT + 1) at the Basilica of Mary Help of Christians, led by Fr Ángel Fernández Artime, Rector Major of the Salesians. At the celebration, which is open to all, Mother Yvonne Reungoat, Mother General of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians will participate as well as  representatives of the other groups of the Salesian Family.

The National Civil Celebration will take place in the afternoon with a show entitled A modern love for 200 years. It will commence at 3:30 p.m. (GMT + 1) at the Teatro Regio. The celebration is intended as a thank you to those who have continued and still continue the educational project of Don Bosco, which is going strong two hundred years after the birth of the saint.

The show aims to present the relevance of the message of Don Bosco.  It uses a GPS device as an icon, since adults are always asking: "Where are the young people?" But in the show, the question will be turned around "Where are the adults for the young people?"

The show is built around three elements:

The involvement of young people who will link the different parts of the show. They will be given three days’ free training.

A challenge to the adult world, through a process that presents five aspects of the charism of Don Bosco.

The setting up of a network of business partners or institutions, currently limited to Piedmont and Valle d'Aosta, to realize the dream of creating 200 new jobs for young people, one for each year since the birth of the saint.  This is an initiative that goes beyond the particular event and is intended as a response to the present situation.

The newspaper "La Stampa" will be the media partner of the event, which will be broadcast live streaming on the website www.lastampa.it. The highlight of the afternoon will be the interview of the director of "La Stampa", Mario Calabresi, with the Rector Major.

Among the many authorities and personalities expected at the celebration will be the President of Piedmont, Sergio Chiamparino; the Mayor of Turin, Piero Fassino; and Archbishop Cesare Nosiglia of Turin.

Published 20/01/2015