| Spain – “European 500+ Gold Seal of Excellence” for the Salesians in Pamplona |
| Spain – Navarre honours Salesian Vocational Training |
Present at the ceremony were the Provincial of “Spain-Bilbao” (SBI), Fr Félix Urra Mendía, the President of the Government of Navarre, the Hon. Miguel Sanz, the Mayor of Pamplona, Yolanda Barcina, and the Mayor of Egüés, José Anastasio Andía.
Fr Urra Mendía said he was happy and joyful at the agreement recalling the history of the presence of the Salesians at Pamplona from their arrival in 1927, with the start of the School of Arts and Trades. “Those first Salesians,” the Provincial said, “teachers and works-shop instructors, imbued with the spirit of Don Bosco, were committed to giving the best of themselves and had confidence in the families and the young people of Navarre”.
Afterwards the Hon. Miguel Sanz, President of the Government of Navarre, thanked the Salesians in Pamplona for the vocational training they had provided for over 80 years; and spoke of the transfer as “ambitious” and needing the collaboration of all those concerned.
The new Vocational Training Centre will be built at Valle de Egüés and come into use for the school year 2013-2014. It will cover an area of 52.000 square metres, beside the Ecocity of Sarriguren and in front of the City of Innovation.
The new presence will respond to all the requirements of the centre for which the present site at Aralar 7 has become too small. “For this reason, for 11 years already we have been urging the regional and town authorities to consider the possibility of a change of location for the centre, while continuing to offer the same Salesian style of education, in a new Vocational Training Centre” Fr Urra Mendía said.
According to the agreement a Supervisory Committee will be established composed of two representatives of each of the parties to the agreement to ensure the establishment of the new Salesian Vocational Training Centre at Valle de Egüés as soon as possible.
Published 14/01/2011
