(ANS – Logroño) – 90 proposals for meeting the challenges of the youth of today are the result of the 17th State Congress of Salesian Youth Centres, held at the Dominic Savio Salesian Institute of Logroño from 12th -14th October. 150 people including lay people, the Salesians and the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, representatives of 9 federations of Youth Centres in Spain and of the Don Bosco Confederation, met to compare their analyses of the problems of today's youth.

Led by the President of the Don Bosco Confederation, Ángel Gudiña, the opening ceremony was attended by municipal authorities and national and provincial representatives of the Salesian family like the General Councillor for the Western Europe region, Fr José Miguel Núñez Moreno, Provincials and the Mother Provincials of Spain and Fr Koldo Gutiérrez, Director of the National Centre for Salesian Youth Pastoral and also the Bishop of the Diocese of Calahorra y La Calzada-Logroño, Mons. Juan José Omella Omella.

In the opening speeches Dominguez Fernández, National Coordinator of Youth Centres, reported the 12 quality aspects that differentiate the Salesian Youth Centres from other bodies and structures, while Ricardo Ibarra, President of Spain's Youth Council, had expressed rejection of the definition of a "lost generation"; the proof, he said, is "this Congress, where many young people from different parts of Spain, discuss and draw conclusions to try to improve our world".

In the months before the Congress 13 tables of structured dialogue were organized, involving government representatives, youth councils, youth organisations, educational institutions and members of the Salesian Family and of the Church. On the basis of those works the most interesting themes were ‘singled out’ and were then addressed at Logroño.

In 3 days of debate, 10 simultaneous round-table discussions were carried out, each with a specific work plan developed earlier by industry experts: 5 concerned the commitment of youth centres in Salesian slant:

• Identity of Salesian animators
• Christian border Option
• Towards a framework for youth centres
• Networking
• Accompaniment in youth centres

and 5 associated commitments :

• New forms of leisure
• New forms of volunteering
• New forms of youth participation
• Attention to diversity and Interculturalism
• Youth employment and empowerment

The 90 conclusions of the various round tables were drawn up in the form of #hastag, to enable their distribution in social networks.

Published 26/10/2012