Subject: 'australasia' #430
NATIONAL PAST PUPIL BODY COMMITS TO PEACE
By C.M. Paul
CALCUTTA -- At the end of three-day national congress, men and women Past
Pupils of the Salesians of Don Bosco (SDB) and the Salesian Sisters (FMA)
passed a unanimous resolution "to be agents and promoters of a peace
culture".
"We resolve to commit ourselves to peace education, to empower ourselves to
be agents promoting a culture of peace and non-violence" says the six-point
resolution setting the tone of their resolve.
"We resolve to combat any form of discrimination, violation of human rights
and socio-ecological disharmony through group activities towards social
change," says the resolution spelling out it practical implications.
The SDB and FMA alumni held their third national congress at Liluah
(Calcutta), 10-12 October. In this third joint congress delegates of nine
SDB and five FMA provinces took part. Participants from the host province
matched 250 out-station delegates totaling 500 members. Attendants in the
earlier congresses had 160 in Chennai (1998) and 198 in Bangalore (1999).
While Mr. Davis Thomas, national president of SDB Past Pupils gave the
keynote address, Mr. Manoj Agarwal Calcutta provincial president and Mr.
Vinod Agarwal Congress Secretary and Liluah Unit president welcomed the
national delegates and dignitaries present.
Three major presentations of the first day were: Relevance of Don Bosco's
Educational System in the New Millennium (SDB Bangalore); Responsibility of
Past Pupils in Cultivating Family Values (FMA-Shillong), and Past Pupils and
the Promotion of a Culture of Peace and Non-Violence (SDB-Hyderabad).
The participants discussed the above topics on the third day and drew up a
six-point resolution highlighting the urgency of promoting a culture of
peace and non-violence.
There was ample time on second day to strengthen old bonds and build new
ones with a day tour. A convoy of seven buses and a fleet of cars proceeded
to Calcutta's Belur Math (RK Mission HQ), Mother Teresa's Tomb, Victoria
Memorial, joy ride in the Metro culminating in a lunch at Don Bosco Park
Circus. Shopping time and tour of the Science City concluded the day.
Representatives from the worldwide organization of the Past
Pupils spread out in 120 countries were present. In India, the national
headquarters in Chennai coordinates nine provincial federations in
Bangalore, Chennai, Calcutta, Mumbai, Dimapur, Guwahati, Hyderabad, New
Delhi and Trichy. Fr. Joseph Manipadam coordinates the SDB Calcutta
provincial federation which has eight active units with over 500 members.
