Tokyo Summer Olympic Games and 12th EAO regional congress of Salesian Family Past Pupils
By Mr. Tateishi
Secretary of the Japan Federation of Don Bosco Past Pupils
Tokyo, Japan, 16 October 2016 -- At the conclusion of the EAO Regional Congress in Dili, Timor Leste the World President Mr. Michal Hort announced the next venue for the 2020 in Japan, the only Asia-Oceania Federation that didn't yet host this regional event. During last Board meeting (October 15) of the Japan Federation of Don Bosco Alumni, chaired by President Mr. Hiroshi Yoshida in the presence of SDB Provincial Fr. Mario Yamanouchi, the hosting was officially accepted.
At present the Federation of DB Alumni Japan, launched last April 2016, is composed by 5 Alumni Centers of Salesian Schools: Tokyo - Salesio Gakuin: elementary and junior high; Yokohama - Salesio Gakuin: junior and senior high; Tokyo Salesio Polytechnic; Osaka - Seiko Gakuin and Miyazaki - Hyuga Gakuin. More than 4100 students and 45.000 graduates during past 80 years.
The Federation Board meeting was held in Tokyo-Kodaira Salesian Gakuin (the youngest among the 5 schools) with a participation of 23 Past Pupils of Don Bosco, one representant of Past Pupils of Mary Help of Christians (Unione), SDB Provincial, Provincial Delegate for DB Alumni (Fr. Suzuki Masao) and Youth Ministry Delegate (Fr. Shin Mishima) and EAO Regional Councilor SDB. Very significant was a presence of good number of GEX (Young Alumni) from different schools.
During a rich sharing about the past semester activities of each Alumni Center (gatherings, newsletter, fundraising) and give a large space for sharing of 7 participants in the recent 11th EAO Regional Congress in Dili, Timor Leste. For all participants it was a wonderful opportunity of learning about their Association, getting know the new World President and 7 priorities of the Alumni in the world. Then followed an open discussion about the acceptance of hosting the next 12th EAO Congress in 2020. Pondering on the challenges and difficulties connected with such international event in high cost country like Japan, the Alumni leadership reached a consensus to take it as meaningful opportunity to grow in communion among the members, to grow in openness towards the Salesian world. So Japan Salesian Family accepted a second EAO regional event - after the 2017 EAO Congress of Salesian Cooperators (Tokyo, May 7-10).
In the business part of the meeting were deepen some concrete points like DB Alumni badge (made in Japan), contribution to the starting Don Bosco Mission Office (SDB). After the official meeting continued an open dinner with presence of the Tokyo - Kodaira SDB community present and past member - all of them Don Bosco Alumni! At that occasion were showed and tasted many fruits of the EAO Congress in Timor.
At level of animation all participants did pray together for the first time the Japan version of the "Prayer - Promise" of Don Bosco Alumni (adjusted from the World Confederation Statutes art. 5b):
"We, Salesian Past Pupils
Share the desire to be an honest person
Who gives oneself to own family, society and to the world
As a mature person of good will and a good citizen.
We want to give our best to others
Always and at any time,
With strong will and righteous heart.
May we uphold Don Bosco's teachings
And always as the light of the world
Live together with children and youth."
NOTE FROM THE WORLD PRESIDENT OF THE DB PAST PUPILS
Dear all,
I would like – once again – thank you for the wonderful experience of the Congress in Timor. I really enjoyed being with you. I felt engagement of all of you. I felt the heat of the flame of the enthusiasm for Don Bosco.
These are the moments when I realise that everything we do has sense only when blessed by don Bosco.
I want say special thank you to our new world delegate Don Jayapalan Raphael from India.
It’s wonderful that we will have once again spiritual guide that will lead us in our way to heaven.
Last but not least special thanks goes to Timorese people, especially organisation committee.
Eduardo, Gregorio, Alex, Dino and many others – THANK YOU - OBRIGADO BARAK!
I want to remind you the tasks we gave ourselves:
· to prepare a development plans at national level until 31.1.2017and
· to collect the contacts of the past pupils at the national level until one year from this meeting.
Remember that what we are we are because of the received education! Give back what we received! The gifts of God that we received to be “the salt of the earth and the light of the world”;
LOOKING FORWARD TO SEE YOU IN 2018 FOR THE MID-TERM MEETING AND THEN IN 2020 IN JAPAN!!!
I pray for you all
Yours in Don Bosco
Michal Hort