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Started in 1998 in the Salesian Province of Barcelona, “Plajis” is an educational, developmental and pastoral programme aimed at all young people and teachers in the city. It engages oratories, parishes, schools and vocational training centres in activities with involvement in educational projects for social values.
Introducing the project in the Hall was Fr Rafael Gasol, Vice Provincial and coordinator of the “Plajis”. “An educational project of social values such as this can only develop if the entire Province decides to commit itself completely and over a long time span. Therefore the Provincial Council must create educators who promote the project in all environments, and over a long period of time. Only in this way can educators, families, children and young people become totally involved. There should be a constant annual evaluation process, otherwise it risks becoming a flower that blooms once, a useless flash in the pan phenomenon. We however, base our project on educational criteria which create genuine solidarity among people.”
The main aim is to educate young people to take part and commit themselves as individuals in social human development and human rights so that they become actively involved in becoming responsible world citizens. The plan is divided into three successive stages: the first is being aware of one’s own rights and duties, and of the underlying values (the cognitive dimension); the second is one of personal reflection and owning (the affective dimension: empathy and shared experience); the third consists in learning how to put into practice values of justice and solidarity and how to defend not only one’s own rights but those of others (the volitive, behavioural, active dimension: making choices and acting in accordance with these).
Education to and for human rights in this particular experience in Barcelona therefore is education to action, to gestures, to a taking up of a position, to accepting responsibility, to critical analysis, to thinking, to being informed, to sifting the information coming from newspapers and the other media. It is a constant, daily form of education.
The video, prepared by Don Bosco Missions – Media Centre in Turin, is available together with the talk by Fr Gasol as well as other material from the Congress, on the platform www.donbosco-humanrights.org
Published 12/01/2009
