(ANS – Zagreb) – The 24th International Salesian Youth Games began in Zagreb on 27 April. The Croatian Capital welcomed 1,036 participants from 13 countries: Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Czech Republic, Croatia, Germany, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Ukraine. The tournament, which took place in different parts of the city, had a strong educative dimension.

The organizers’ objectives were of a sporting nature, but also cultural, educative and spiritual. In addition to the main sporting activities, there were several side-events which served to create a positive educative atmosphere. Every team was accompanied by a volunteer leader who acted as its “heart”, almost like a spiritual guide. The different interventions and messages received, like that of the Mayor of Zagreb, the Salesian Provincial of Croatia, Fr Pejo Orkić, and many others, stressed the educative aspect of games and sport as an instrument and method of education and evangelization. The games took as their slogan “Educate by Playing and Play by Educating”, paraphrasing the well known saying of Don Viganò.

The Councillor General for Northern Europe, Fr Marek Chrzan, presided at the Eucharist in the Shrine of Our Lady of Freedom at Zagabria-Jarun, on Sunday 28 April. On the Monday evening there was a spiritual programme of prayer and meditation.

The games concluded on the evening of 1 May with a great award ceremony at which each participant received a gold medal.

In a message for the occasion, the Rector Major, Fr Pascual Chávez, said, among other things: “Right from the beginning of the Oratory, Don Bosco understood the educative value of games and sport. He made the playground the centre of the house, a youthful environment of joy, spontaneity, and family spirit. In this environment he spoke to the young people about living a cheerful Christian life that could lead to real holiness. Games and sport become important elements of our Salesian pastoral educative programme.  A Salesian presence in the field of sport is still important and can be very effective, reaching many young people who might otherwise receive no educative input. For this to happen, we need to be faithful to our typical Salesian approach: the centrality of the young person, the active presence of leaders and adults among the young people, courage in proposing educative ideas that stimulate the young people to look beyond their present situation, and the will to evangelize.”

On 29 April, during the International Salesian Youth Games, there was a meeting of the Salesian International Youth ‘Polysport’ (PGSI) with the election of officers for the period 2013-2017: Georg Leibold (Germany) was elected as President; Fr Edward Pleń, SDB (Poland) First Vice-President; Herman Cauwenberghs (Belgium) Second Vice-President; Aureliano Gómez, SDB (Spain) Treasurer; Sr Francesca Barbanera, FMA (Italy) Secretary General.

The 25th International Salesian Youth Games will take place in May 2014 at Bratislava, in Slovakia.

Published 07/05/2013