(ANS - Sanremo) - Saint of the Young, creator of the preventive system, acknowledged educationist ... this was Don Bosco. On the occasion of the bicentenary of his birth, the Global Educational Festival, otherwise known as the World Festival of Creativity in Schools, has decided to confer its Global Education Award on Don Bosco, in recognition of "his commitment during his lifetime to the promotion of creativity among youth."

The award ceremony will take place on Saturday 18 April 2015, in the Ariston Theatre in Sanremo, at the conclusion of the World Festival of Creativity in Schools, which will take place in the same town from Thursday 15 April. In the past the award has been given to UNICEF and to the memory of Nelson Mandela. This year it will be accepted by Fr Francesco Cereda, Vicar of the Rector Major, on behalf of Fr Ángel Fernández Artime, tenth Successor of Don Bosco.

This is the seventeenth year of the Global Educational Festival at Sanremo. It is a major international festival that gives thousands of children aged 6 to 19 years, from Italy and abroad, the opportunity to meet and discuss in more than twenty events that take place simultaneously at the international finals in Sanremo.

The topics for discussion range range from art and entertainment, education and training, to solidarity and social issues, with specific competitions in all areas.

The sixteen previous festivals involved more than 300,000 students, 43,000 of whom took part in the finals in Sanremo. They represented 2,887 schools from 42 Countries.  The sponsorship offered by numerous Italian and foreign organizations and institutions has increased over the years as has media interest in the festival activities.

All Salesian schools are invited to participate in the competitions. For more information on the Global Educational Festival and how to apply, go to www.gef.it

Published 06/02/2015