We are an international collective of young people from Salesian Institutions & Organizations who are passionate about the welfare of our only planet.
From September 1 to October 4, 2023, Christian Churches and communities will celebrate the Season of Creation, a period of prayer and reflection as stewards of God's creation.
“Care of creation, our mission”, missions and integral ecology: this is the theme of 2023 Salesian Mission Day, fruit of the collaboration between the Sector for the Missions and the Sector for Youth Ministry.
They have created a booklet in which you will find many interesting insights that will consider the vast theme of integral ecology from different points of view, starting precisely from the Salesian reflection that illustrates the entire path. Each of the contributions, which are a clear example of the richness of the Church, is preceded by a quotation from Pope Francis’ Laudato si’.
2023 - A Year of Eco Action!
The ecological crisis is getting worse daily, and we realise that it is impossible to resolve this global crisis only through science and technology or even through economic means or political powers. It is not simply about climate change mitigation, adaptation, or financial commitments such as the Loss and Damage Fund agreed upon in the latest climate conference, COP27. (Jeyaraj SJ, 2022)
The Letter
A message for our Earth
“We see what is happening, and the worst thing is that we are becoming used to it. This ‘becoming used to’ is a terrible illness.” – Pope Francis.
This documentary focuses on the encyclical letter ‘Laudato Si’ addressed to everyone that the Pope wrote in 2015. Today his message is even more urgent!
This film is presented by YouTube Originals, produced by an Oscar-winning Off The Fence Productions, in partnership with the Laudato Si’ Movement.
Featuring:
Pope Francis;
Cardinal Cantalamessa, the Preacher to the Papal Household;
Cacique Dadá, Leader of the Novo Lugar community of the Borarí people (Voice of the Indigenous)
Arouna Kandé, a climate refugee hailing from the Kolda region of Senegal (Voice of the Poor)
Ridhima Pandey, a young climate activist from Haridwar, Uttarakhand, India (Voice of the Youth)
Greg Asner and Robin Martin, marine biologists from Hawaii, United States of America (Voice of Wildlife)
Lorna Gold, president of Laudato Si’ Movement.
About Us
Don Bosco Green Alliance is an international Green Salesian Movement of people from the Salesian Family institutions, who contribute to global environmental action, thought and policy. Launched in 2018, the alliance is today an active platform where Salesian Family institutions, organisations and individuals exchange ideas and work together on global environmental campaigns all for the ‘Love of Creation.’ Read More...
Priority Areas
Member Activities & Contributions
Don Bosco Chatillon - Aosta Valley, Italy inaugurates Mamma Margaret Didattical Garden for the students
On 24 November, on the eve of the death anniversary of Mamma Margaret, the mother of Don Bosco, the Salesian school at Chatillon - Aosta Valley inaugurated a didattical garden. This project is realized as part of the objectives taken by the school under the roof of "Don Bosco Green Alliance". The project was inaugurated by the officials from the educational department of the region. They appreciated the efforts put in by the students to realize this garden and encouraged us to continue the good work.
International Day for the Elimination Of Violence Against Women
Violence against women and girls is a serious violation of human rights.
"God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them" (Gen 1:27). Man and woman are created in perfect equality and have a dignity that is never lost. Man and woman reflect the wisdom and goodness of the Creator.
The encyclical Laudato Si', which focuses on the care of the natural environment and of all people, contains fundamental aspects of the dignity of men and women:
The human being is a creature of this world, who has the right to live and to be happy .(cf. No. 3).
We consider the human being as a subject, who can never be reduced to the category of object (cf. No. 81).
This type of violence is an obstacle to achieving equality, development, peace, as well as respect for the human rights of women and girls. Moreover, the promise of the Sustainable Development Goals to leave no one behind cannot be fulfilled without first ending violence against women and girls.
For all these reasons, at Salesianos - Úbeda in Spain, we do not want to let November 25, International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, pass without doing our bit to achieve a world free of gender violence.
Watch this video created by the students of Salesianos - Úbeda -
Green TVET-Solar Energy round trip in AFE-Kenya
Between October 9th 2023 and November 10th 2023, the Planning and Development Office (PDO) in AFE-Kenya through Don Bosco Tech Africa’s Green TVET project conducted a solar energy demonstrative awareness creation and training round trip. The purpose of this initiative was to educate and empower the youth of the five Don Bosco centers. The theme of this round trip was solar as green energy and the role it plays in climate change mitigation measures.
Click the link to hear the students' testimonies about the training.
San Francisco de Sales' school in Argentina receives Environmental recognition
San Francisco de Sales' school in Almagro, Buenos Aires, Argentina is pleased to announce that during the month of November, our school received the "Environmental Ribbon III".
This recognition was created with the aim of strengthening the commitment of schools with Environmental Education and Management. It is a distinction granted by the Green Schools Program of the Ministry of Education of the City Government to schools that develop strategies, activities and experiences that contribute to the challenge of building a more environmentally responsible citizenship.
It is based on a voluntary scheme of recognition as a Green School based on self-management in the incorporation of contents, practices and pedagogical strategies that promote environmental education. This proposal is aimed at all state and privately managed schools, at all levels (initial, primary, secondary) of the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires.
In that way, we are giving clear signs of our commitment, in response to the invitation of Pope Francis in his encyclical "Laudato Si", to care more and more actively for our "Common Home".
Ecological Action at Recanto da Cruz Grande School, Brazil
On November 16 and 17, the school's pupils and students from the Project at Recanto da Cruz Grande School in Brazil carried out an "Ecological Action" to raise awareness and clean up the area around their institution. This simple gesture of caring for nature and the neighborhood was intended to demonstrate their commitment to a healthier, less polluted and more respectful world. They also made their small contribution to the environment in which we live, and the little ones need to learn from an early age to be the guardians of our planet. “We've seen how their hearts are more sensitive and open to accepting the rules that are already obvious in some countries. We are concerned about the attitude of many adults who, unfortunately, by their example do not educate their children to take care of the planet, our common good. We congratulate our maintenance team, the school's teaching staff and the project coordinators for joining forces to protect our common home. One more thing to be thankful for!”
Construction of a Biodigester at the School: One more step towards a Sustainable Future.
Catemu Agricultural School, Chile is proud to announce the beginning of an exciting and significant project: the construction of a biodigester at our facilities. This project is part of an international collaboration with the Bonn, Germany procurement office and marks an important step in our commitment to sustainability and environmental education.
The biodigester is being installed in the piggery sector of our school and will serve as an innovative technology that will transform organic waste into biogas and organic fertilizers. This process will not only allow us to reduce our carbon footprint, but will also provide us with a source of sustainable energy and organic fertilizer for our agricultural activities.
A special feature of this project is the active participation of our students. Various course groups are being invited to witness and participate in the installation phases of the biodigester. This provides our students with a valuable opportunity to learn firsthand how this technology works and to understand the positive impact it will have on our school and the environment.
Salesians in Dominican Republic carry out renewable energy projects to help youth employment and to protect the environment
Salesians from the St John Bosco Province, the AntilleS (ANT), through the Salesian Don Bosco Foundation, the Youth Ministry School Sector and the Environment Unit, have launched a renewable energy project with which they will equip seven polytechnic institutes in the Dominican Republic with solar panels. Three immediate benefits will therefore be achieved with this initiative: the production of clean energy for the development of technical and vocational education, the protection of the environment, and the growth of access to the labour market for young people trained in this sector.
The project approved by the Salesians is called: “Vocational qualification of vulnerable young people in the field of renewable energy and environmental awareness” and will last until the end of 2025; it will be developed in the provinces of Barahona, Santiago, La Vega and Santo Domingo and foresees a financial investment of 872.000 euro, a figure that will be co-financed by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), the German Don Bosco Mundo NGO and ANT Province, in coordination with the Directorate of Vocational Technical Education of the Ministry of Education.
Benzina Zero is an Australian Company founded by Ben Silver and Joe D'Ercole just a few years ago. After successful business careers, they had both decided to retire early, go off-grid, spend time with family and community.
But again, in tandem, with concerns for the environment and their young children, they began Benzina Zero, No Petrol, designing and producing electric scooters and mopeds.
What is an Eco Youth Encounter?
The "Eco Youth Encounter" is a monthly webinar series designed for youth aged 13 to 25 who are passionate about environmental sustainability and climate action. The Laudato Si’ Movement and the Don Bosco Green Alliance have partnered to launch this initiative. Through this initiative, young people can connect with like-minded peers, gain valuable insights into environmental issues, and develop the skills and knowledge needed to effect positive change in their communities and beyond.
The Catholic church is a global family with over 1.3 billion Catholics worldwide. At World Youth Day, this vast global family was personified not just in numbers but by its love for Mother Church. Although I personally missed out on the 'Days in the Diocese' experience, I gathered stories from my friends about the warm hospitality they received. This made me realise that we belong to a larger family that has a tangible presence.
I can recount the moments when injustice was done to me. Deep down, these experiences make us believe that we will not always be treated with fairness and justice. They get us used to unjust situations and often leave us feeling helpless.
After such experiences, I began to question whether restoration is possible. We can't turn back time to erase those negative experiences; sometimes, the memories linger, altering our perceptions and beliefs about the world.
Partners
EcoJesuit
World Clean Up
Let's Do It! World