Rome, Italy, 19 June 2016 -- The newly elected World Council of the Don Bosco Past Pupils held its first annual meeting last week (June 14-19) in the Salesianum, Rome. The World President Mr. Michal Hort, three Vice-presidents - Mr. Rajesh Gupta (Vice-president Adults 2016-2018, councilor for Asia), Mr. Eduardo Pessoa Cavalcante (Vice-president Adults 2019-2021, councilor for America), Mr. Angel Gudina (Vice-president Young Past Pupils - GEX, councilor for GEX in Europe) and 4 other Councilors were accompanied by the outgoing SDB World Delegate Fr. Jose Pastor Ramirez and the Delegate of the Rector Major for the Salesian Family Fr Eusebio Munoz.
This first annual meeting of the World Confederation 'Presidency' aimed to put concrete strategies and steps for the 7 main priorities of their Six Year Plan. The 20 page Working paper includes also very concrete targets, like: To 'train 1000 Past pupils worldwide in the 'School of Life', involve 2000 Past pupils at national level, in collaboration with the Salesian Youth ministry to rejuvenate the Past Pupils (GEX - Giovani EXallievi) etc.
On the evening of June 16 (Thursday) the Rector Major and his Council held a simple evening prayer concluded with the Prayer - Promise (Art 5 of the Confederation Statutes, ed. 2015). Then the present new provincials and the general councilors listened to a wonderful good night talk of the Alumni World President, Michal Hort. Before the joint dinner of the whole group each of the participants received a little gift of the Confederation - Concrete project of the DB Past Pupils and Alumni Business Platform Chocolate Package.
All participants were deeply impressed by the wide and bold vision of the 6 years plan including four main flagship projects:
- Permanent secretariat at all levels (Federations and Confederation) with paid secretaries, that will take care of the Alumni contacts. The Presidency aims to reach some 5 million of Alumni contacts during this 6 year period.
- Business Platform: a Union of entrepreneurs (Past Pupils and Friends of Don Bosco) which try to apply Christian and Salesian principles and ideals to the Business world. They try to support actively the Salesian Family projects.
- Past Pupils (Exallievi) Academy: umbrella project that gathers all the formation and education. One volume of Past Pupils Formation Handbook and new Statutes in 5 languages were offered to the Rector Major after the good night talk.
- Past Pupils (Exallievi) Voluntary Service - both in Salesian Youth Ministry or in Missionary activities, always in cooperation with the Salesian Congregation.
One of the non-formal fruits of this encounter was a strong feedback on the preparation of the incoming EAO Regional Congress in Timor Leste (Dili) next October 2016. The Vice-president Mr. Rajesh Gupta (Councilor for Asia) met early this month the Dili Congress organizers and offered some significant feedback.
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