NEWS
The Chennai Province (INM) ‘Young at Risk Day’ was celebrated with great enthusiasm at Don Bosco Beatitudes, Vyasarpadi, bringing together 296 participants from various organizations dedicated to the welfare of vulnerable children. Representatives from Don Bosco Anbu Illam (Chennai & Kavarapettai), Don Bosco Beatitudes (Vyasarpadi), ANBAGAM – Pope John’s Garden, ANAT Farm, WeLive Foundation (Chennai), St. Thomas Orphanage by SMA Kakkanjinagar, and Marialaya (Chennai & Pothur) joined hands to mark the occasion.
The Salesian Psychological Association (SPA) South Asia celebrated its Silver Jubilee during its Annual General Body Meeting (AGM) on 17 and 18 January at Don Bosco Provincial House, Bangalore. The Salesian Psychological Association (SPA) South Asia, founded in 1999, is a non-profit group functioning under the auspices of the Salesian Provincial Conference of South Asia (SPCSA). It consists of members of the Salesian family trained in the psychological sciences, committed to deepening their professional knowledge and skills and offering psychological services and training, especially for those in the helping professions.
Tirupattur, the Sandal City of Tamil Nadu, is set to witness an extraordinary convergence of youthful energy and purpose as SYMFEST 2024-25 begins tomorrow at the historic Sacred Heart College. Hosted by the Salesian Province of Chennai, this landmark event celebrates the 200th anniversary of Don Bosco’s Dream at Nine. It brings together over 1,500 young participants from India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, and Bangladesh under the theme “Anchored in Hope: Young People as Agents of Change.”
On December 18, India marked International Migrants Workers Day with a series of transformative events across the nation, reflecting a collective resolve to uplift internal migrants who often face exploitation and invisibility. Spearheaded by Don Bosco for Migrants (DB4M) partners—including PARA, KISMAT, Suraksha Migrants Desk, DBMS, BOSCO INK, and Navsarjan—the celebrations highlighted the struggles and contributions of migrant workers while emphasizing the critical need for systemic change. Anchored by the Distressed International Young Migrant Workers Day manifesto, these initiatives called for policies ensuring minimum wages, decent working conditions, and social security. "Let us join and respect them as laborers with rights," urged the manifesto, underscoring the importance of advocacy, solidarity, and action to protect the dignity and rights of India's migrant workforce.
The annual feast of the Holy Rosary was observed at the 425-year-old Bandel Shrine, Kolkata, built in 1599 by the Portuguese, on November 9 and 10. The shrine holds the miraculous statue of Our Lady of Happy Voyage, the faith focus for the faithful and pilgrims.
Since 1974, Don Bosco Sneha Bhavan, Palluruthy, in collaboration with the Cochin Corporation, has been actively striving towards the welfare of the youth and the eradication of atrocities against children in society. To commemorate the 50th anniversary of this noble cause, the community organized a celebration on November 9, attended by notable personalities.
In preparation for the centenary of Kolkata Province, the first Salesian Province in India established in 1926, a Don Bosco Mission Seminar is being held in Salesian College Sonada, Darjeeling, from October 9-12. A large number of alumni are participating in the seminar.
Marking the Silver Jubilee of Don Bosco High School and Junior College, Naigaon, Maharashtra, in the Salesian Province of Bombay, Salesians invited educational stakeholders to a symposium on Salesian pedagogy in the age of Artificial Intelligence. The seminar, held on October 5, centered on the Preventive System of Italian educationist Don Bosco, emphasizing innovative teaching, stress management, mental health, climate change, and Artificial Intelligence Generative AI. Around 150 participants from various Educational Boards and NGOs attended the event.
Youth Involve (YI), an initiative of Bosco Institute Jorhat, celebrated its 10th anniversary alongside the bicentennial of Don Bosco's dream from September 17–19 at Siloam, Umiam. Twenty-six young social entrepreneurs, leading as many social projects and initiatives from Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram, and Nagaland, and their Salesian and lay mentors and coaches came together for three days of sharing experiences and insights, and learning from successes, failures, distractions and challenges through presentations, exhibitions, conversations, reflections, and group activities. They were welcomed by Fr. George Palamattam SDB, the founder of Siloam.
The Honourable Governor of Tripura Shri Indrasena Reddy Nallu inaugurated the Silver Jubilee Annexe of Don Bosco School Agartala on 8th July in the presence of school management, staff, students, and honoured guests, at a function held at the lobby of the new edifice. The new block, built as a testimonial to twenty-five years of the school’s existence as a quality institute of learning, will house the students of what the NEP calls, the Foundational Stage - Nursery to Class II.
The Salesian Province of Bombay (INB) celebrated the Jubilee of Religious Profession and Priestly Ordination of 11 Salesians on November 11 at the Shrine of Don Bosco’s Madonna, Matunga, in the presence of Salesians, family members, well-wishers and friends.
The Salesian Province of Kolkata inaugurated three-year preparation for the centenary celebrations of the first Salesian Province in India on May 27, 2023. Archbishop Thomas D’Souza of Kolkata presided over the Eucharist in the historical Marian Shrine at Bandel with Provincial Father Joseph Pauria, Jesuit Provincial Father Raphael Hyde, and 45 other priests.