(ANS – Roma) – Greeting Don Bosco and letting the world know that 16 August is his birthday: this is the meaning behind a range of initiatives around the world with the idea of making the Bicentenary theme “trend” on Twitter. So … #HappyBirthdayDonBosco!

“200 years ago he started a trend. This year let's make him trend. #HappyBirthdayDonBosco”. This has been the campaign launched by young Salesians in the Philippines.

The campaign refers to Twitter trends, the most-discussed issues of the day: words or short combinations of words preceded by a hashtag (#) governed by an algorithm – largely unknown – of Twitter's which measures quantity and speed of phrases at a particular moment.

Young Salesians in the Philippine North province (postnovitiate and theologate communities, along with may of their young friends),launched this campaign to make Don Bosco and the Bicentenary trend on Twitter for his 199th birthday. They invite the whole world to take part.

There should be no surprise that it is young Filipinos doing this, given that a worldwide study published last month indicates that “Filipinos use social media 11 hours more than the worldwide average!”

Amongst other hashtags promoted around the Salesian world in view of the Bicentenary and to greet Don Bosco, is also: #BicentenarioDonBoscoand #db2015.

Published 15/08/2014