(ANS – Medellín) – A meeting was held from 13 to 18 May at the Salesian House “Ciudad Don Bosco” in Medellín to prepare for the first Continental Meeting of the Salesian Youth Movement, to be held in Niterói, Brazil, from 18 to 21 July next.  The programme of activities was finalized for each day of the meeting and the general organization of participants was planned, based on the registration forms submitted by each country or province.

 Several Salesians took part in the coordination and organization, among them Fr Rafael Borges, member of the Department of Youth Ministry,  together with Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, as well as adults and young people involved, from the various countries of the continent.  Every working session was animated by a sub-committee which explained the methodology proposed for the meeting. This resulted in a very helpful process of understanding and developing further the material received from the various provinces and from the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians in America.

The American Continental Meeting of the SYM will be one of the SYM events on the occasion of World Youth Day. The Continental Meeting will be preceded by a pre-World Youth Day programme from 16 to 20 July, in which young people can have a missionary experience in different Salesian centres in Brazil. It will be followed by the SYM Festival at Niterói on 24 July, at which the Rector Major and Mother General will participate.

Published 29/05/2013