Asian Youth Day 2017, in preparation

By Fr. Vincent Prastowo, SDB

Jakarta, Indonesia, 23 March 2017 -- Jakarta To encourage and accompany young people in Asia to live and promote a "culture of solidarity and encounter with the other, in the multicultural and multireligious societies of Asia", and increase the awareness of the contribution to give to the Church and society: this is the intent of the seventh Asia Youth Day, which in 2017 will be held in Yogyakarta in central Java, from July 30 to August 9, 2017. The theme chosen for the event which will bring over 3,000 young Catholics from 29 Asian countries to Indonesia is "Joyful Asian Youth! Living The Gospel In Multicultural Asia".

The Catholic bishops of Indonesia expect that all the Catholic youth in Indonesia and other Asian countries will get involved in the spirit of the central theme: understand and experience the importance of unity among differences.

As in the previous AYD 6: Korea (2014), also the AYD 7: Indonesia will be divided into three phases: a phase in the dioceses; a few days in the city’s headquarters; and the meeting of the leaders of the youth ministry will follow. In the first phase, participants will be spread across 11 dioceses in Indonesia, where they will live a special sharing of experiences. Then all participants will move to Yogyakarta and live moments of catechesis, liturgy, sharing their stories, according to the different origins, finding the common element of faith in Christ. The meeting of the Youth Ministry animators then is a special occasion for those who accompany young Catholics, to be trained as their good assistant who know how to accompany the young.

Father Antonio Haryanto, executive secretary of the Episcopal Commission for Youth, as president and chief executive of the organizing committee of the Asian Youth Day, told: "To directly see and listen to other cultures and languages gives the figure of the complexity of living in a pluralistic society. It also increases mutual tolerance and a sense of brotherhood and solidarity, in the commitment to create a better global future".

In order to involve the inhabitants of Indonesia, Asia Youth Day 2017 will be preceded by a marathon, sporting event to be held in Jakarta on May 7, 2017 with some 5,000 participants. Here, young people from Jakarta and its surroundings will be able to feel and infect people with the spirit of Asian Youth Day. The 7 AYD Cross is also on the Pilgrimage around the Indonesian dioceses.

For the SDB Delegation of Indonesia (ITM Viceprovince) this is an occasion to be connected to the large Catholic community (9 million of Catholics in our country). We are preparing our 3rd Bosconian Youth Encounter (BYE) in Blitar-Surabaya for 150 young animators and leaders from all 10 Salesian Presences in Indonesia. All activities of Indonesian BYE will be in Blitar and Surabaya (July 4-9). This years we choosen a theme “WE ARE FAMILY: HAPPY AND HOLY LIKE DON BOSCO”.

For me as the Youth Ministry Delegate this really a special event to promote with our young people a spirit of creativity to evangelize young people in our Asian context of Indonesia. That is mean that we our young people we are called to use the richness of our culture to make the Word of God and his Good News more understandable, easy catching to youth of other religions and cultures.

All of the preparation of 7 AYD is handled by 11 dioceses, include the dioceses of Jakarta, Purwokerto, and Surabaya where we are present. As a Salesian Youth Movement delegation we are not taking part as a team of the dioceses, but our parish of Saint John Bosco in Jakarta, Sunter is appointed to accommodate young people coming from Korea for three days. We are happy that two of our leaders (Surabaya and Blitar) take a part as Volunteers and Tour guide in Yogyakarta for young people from other Asian countries.

As an Indonesia Delegation we are not yet organize a group to participate in the AYD in Yogyakarta but we will take a consideration the massage of Fr. Fabio Attard during our YM delegate meeting in Batulao that it would be better to let our young people participate as a part of diocesan groups. Please, pray that this ecclesial event may bring many fruits for our Salesian Youth Ministry animation around Indonesia.

The event features an advanced online platform and social networks: you can access on the web site: www.asianyouthday.org; via Facebook: asianyouthday; on Twitter: AYD2017; Instagram: asianyouthday2017.

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