(ANS – Santo Domingo) – Fr Juan Linares, founder of the “Muchachos y Muchachas con Don Bosco” project has been named by a qualified jury “Man of the Year 2011”. The prestigious award, sponsored by the “Diario Libre”, one of the major national daily newspapers in the Dominican Republic was presented yesterday Thursday 15 March in the Ambassador Hotel in Santo Domingo, during a Gala Evening.

Fr Linares, born in Salamanca, Spain, arrived in the Dominican Republic in the middle of the ‘70s. When he arrived he began to work  at the Don Bosco Institute where he got to know the situation of hundreds of abandoned children with an uncertain future. Ten years later  wit a  group of young Salesians, de decided to create an educational and pastoral project which would contribute directly to the social development of Santo Domingo.

In this way in 1986 began the  “Canillitas con Don Bosco” programme – now known as “Muchachos y Muchachas con Don Bosco” – which provides scholastic, artistic and recreational formation for hundreds of children and young people in  Santo Domingo  and other places in the country, with the aim of making them good men and women.

Fr Linares was Provincial of the Salesians in the Antilles for two successive periods  of time, succeeding  Fr Angel Rogelio Soto. The efforts made by Fr Linares for the education of the needy children of Santo Domingo were praiseworthy and on this account civil society wanted to recognise them and him.

The award “Man of the Year” is made every year to someone, man or woman  who distinguish themselves in the social, economic or political areas of the country, especially for the benefit of their fellow men and women. “The choice of Fr Linares as man of the year in the whole country is an honour for the whole Province  and for the Salesian Congregation” the present Provincial  of the Antilles Fr Víctor Pichardo declared.

Published 16/03/2012