Among the Salesians present were Fr Mario Tonini, President of CNOS-FAP, Fr Fabio Attard, Councillor for Youth Ministry, Fr Pierfausto Frisoli and Fr Guillermo Basañes, respectively Regional Councillors for Italy-Middle East and Africa-Madagascar.
In opening the meeting, Fr Tonini, starting with a letter sent by Don Bosco to his benefactors shortly before he died, expressed the gratitude of the Salesians to those who in these years had worked to support the activities of CNOS FAP. Then Fr Attard gave an account of the Salesian presence in the area of vocational training.
This was followed by the contributions of several of the businessmen present: Mauro Veglia, for the Fiat Group and Gianfranco Mereu and Laura Bruni, on the part of Schneider, who spoke about what for a number of years they had been doing to help the efforts of the CNOS FAP and for the young.
Those taking part much appreciated the presence at the final meal of the Rector Major, Fr Pascual Chávez and his Vicar, Fr Adriano Bregolin. The Rector Major also expressed his thanks and good wishes for a continuing and developing collaboration for the benefit of the young.
Expressing his appreciation for the opportunity the occasion offered the Rector Major emphasised the benefits arising from the initiative which ensured greater visibility, professional quality and sustainability of the Salesians’ Vocational Training Centres. He also pointed out that the firms too benefited from the professional, moral and social qualification of their workforce. In conclusion Fr Chávez offered to all those present a statuette showing Don Bosco among the young, a reproduction of the monument at Valdocco.
In recent years CNOS-FAP has made agreements with firms regarding the formation of personnel, the modernisation of work-shops and the provision of material support and work opportunities for the students.
This collaboration has also taken on an international and global character: the agreements reached between the Salesians and the firms have now been implemented outside Italy in Europe, in America, in India and in Africa.
Published 18/01/2010
