Your 2024 Dream for Ecology!
As a Salesian how can we instill care for our planet? Don Bosco used to take his boys regularly on treks and nature trails. He loved nature and in his early childhood years worked on the farm. Jesus and our blessed Mother spoke to him in his dreams using different animals of nature. We see a deep connection with nature and creation in all his works from care for his poor boys, to taking them on nature treks and spending time outdoors. Don Bosco understood that we are not just part of creation but are one with the Creator and creation.
How can we then go forward with benevolence and without doubt that all created things come from God and must go back to Him for His praise, reverence and service. We must value all the gifts and carry gratitude in our hearts for all God’s creation and the created things we have received from his bounty. This is the attitude we must carry in every Salesian home. We must ask our beloved Blessed Mother to guide our efforts so that we can offer all our labour back to our creator who has bestowed all his blessings upon us.
We are an international collective of young people from Salesian Institutions & Organizations who are passionate about the welfare of our only planet.
Season of Creation 2024
The theme for this year's Season of Creation is "To Hope and Act with Creation". The symbol that will guide us is "The first fruits of hope," inspired by Romans 8:19- 25. DBGA has put together a few resources which you can use for this Campaign. View our Campaign Note which consists of our posters, social media resource kit for Season of Creation 2024 and much more!
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.
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.
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.
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
Mushroom Cultivation Workshop at Don Bosco College: A Step Towards Sustainability
Don Bosco Cares for Our Common Home (DBCCH) Centre’s initiative, Don Bosco College (Co-Ed), Yelagiri Hills, India recently conducted a workshop on Mushroom Cultivation. This hands-on workshop aimed to equip students with practical knowledge of sustainable agricultural practices and encourage them to take active steps toward environmental stewardship.
The workshop, which was organized by DBCCH, offered an excellent opportunity for students to learn the entire process of mushroom cultivation, from preparing the substrate to harvesting. Experts from the DBCCH team led the session, demonstrating how mushroom cultivation can be a simple yet effective way to promote food security and environmental sustainability.
India: With full power towards a sustainable future
With the new e-mobility training branch at its own vocational schools, Don Bosco Mondo is tackling two problems simultaneously: extreme environmental and air pollution and high youth unemployment. 🎓💚
Since the end of 2023 young automotive mechanic trainees in 📌Mumbai greater area, India have been made fit in e-mobility. In short courses, they will learn how electric drives work, how they are maintained and refurbished - among other things with the means of BMZ. 💡🔧🌿
With this knowledge, they are sought-after experts in a growing market. 🚗🎓💪
The young people, who on the fringes of society, hardly had a chance to live a self-determined life, are thus becoming shining pioneers: for a sustainable future - for themselves, for their families, for their home and ultimately for the whole world! 🌍💚🙌
Planting 10 thousand mangrove trees in Kep Province
The Academic community of Don Bosco Kep as a member of the Don Bosco Green Alliance and the Department of Environment of Kep Province, Cambodia led by Mr. In Sao, joined together for the project of Mangrove Planting at the west coast of the Kep peninsula, just one km at the north of the Don Bosco Kep’s campus.
On 29 August 2024 early morning, 500 students and teachers of Don Bosco, a group of members of the Kep District made of farmers, fishermen and community leaders, representatives from the department of environment and Kep city hall, opened the program that has the goal to plant 10 thousand mangrove trees in the area.
The area known as the Mangrove Forest, located at the Thmey Village, Prey Thom Commune, has an extension of one km and it has been designated by the community and the authorities as a protected area. The planting will increase its extension and capacity of environment balance between the sea tides and the coast at the Kep Bay.
Revitalizing Spaces with an Integral Ecological Vision: The Weliwen Project at the Silva Henríquez Catholic University
At the Universidad Católica Silva Henríquez, Lo Cañas Campus, Chile, students from the Faculty of Health Sciences, which includes the courses of Speech Therapy, Nursing and Kinesiology, have undertaken an inspiring project that embodies integral ecology and the pedagogy of love. Under the guidance of their courses in phytotherapy, therapeutic gardening and the production of phytoproducts, they have transformed an old Salesian winery, once used to make mass wine, into a vibrant herbal salon.
This renovated space not only serves as a classroom for practical teaching of gardening and species propagation, but also as an environment where students can connect deeply with the land and nature. Through these field experiences, they apply the Salesian preventive model, integrating academic knowledge with sustainable and ecological practices.
The project has come to life under the name “Weliwen”, which in Mapudungun means “new dawn”. As its name suggests, this space has become a symbol of rebirth and reconnection with life. The students have taken the lead in creating medicinal gardens and vegetable gardens, which not only beautify the environment, but also contribute to the recovery and revitalization of the ecological space.
Each week, the progress made on these projects reflects the students' commitment to sustainability and the regeneration of spaces. This project not only enriches their academic training, but also represents a significant contribution to the community and the environment, demonstrating that education can be a powerful agent of change in building a greener and more conscious future.
"Weliwen" is a living example of how the integration of education, spirituality and ecological commitment can lead to a true encounter with life and nature.
Salesian Agricultural School of Catemu receives award - ESVAL's “Contigo en Cada Gota 2024” Fund for the Installation of a Photovoltaic Panel’
The Salesian Agricultural School of Catemu continues to consolidate its commitment to sustainability and environmental education by winning ESVAL's “Contigo en Cada Gota 2024” (With You at Every Drop 2024) Competitive Fund. This fund will allow the institution to take a significant step in its Eco-educational Route through the installation of a didactic photovoltaic panel.
The project, which was selected among numerous applications from more than 410 organizations, will focus on the implementation of a renewable energy system that will not only contribute to the reduction of the school's environmental impact, but will also serve as a pedagogical tool for students. This photovoltaic panel will enable the students to understand in a practical way the importance and operation of clean energy, integrating this knowledge into their technical and agricultural training.
The school's rector, Nataly Araya expressed her gratitude to ESVAL for the opportunity that this fund represents, highlighting that “this project not only helps us to be more sustainable, but also enriches our students' learning, preparing them to face the challenges of the future with an ecological and responsible perspective”.
The awarding of this fund is a new milestone in the Eco-educational Route of the Salesian Agricultural School of Catemu, reaffirming its position as a reference in sustainable agricultural education in the region. With this initiative, it is expected to continue promoting environmental awareness and innovation among students, who will be the protagonists of an educational model that integrates theory with practice in caring for the environment.
Tree-planting program in the Philippines!
Laguna, Philippines—In support of their commitment to environmental stewardship, the Don Bosco Mountaineering Society (DBMS) has successfully carried out a tree-planting program at Don Bosco Colle in Calamba, Laguna. This initiative not only helps mitigate the effects of climate change but also creates livelihood opportunities for the surrounding communities. Additionally, DBMS donated gardening equipment to Colle and plans to nurture and plant more seedlings in the coming months.
This program also provides a valuable educational opportunity for the children of DBMS members, encouraging their active participation in tree-planting activities, deepening their understanding of environmental issues, and promoting conservation efforts.
Blog Articles
Infinite Dignity: A Privilege To Care For Creation
The impact of the present imbalances in the environment affects the most vulnerable people on the planet. Strategies for a solution demand an integrated approach to combating poverty, restoring dignity to the excluded, and at the same time protecting nature.
I want to share an enthralling episode involving my friend and her 4-year-old daughter, Yannah, during the Mumbai monsoon. When the windows are open, insects and moths often take temporary shelter inside their house. Like any other child, Yannah doesn't like moths and panics when she sees one.
Bonding with the Feathered Brother
Bird watching is fascinating. It’s been happening in my sister’s house in Chennai. Every day a crow visits her kitchen window. Not for his day’s share of cooked food or bird's feed, but for his delicacy mixture (a common spicy snack). When others try to offer the best bird’s feed, it doesn’t interest him. He demands only mixture.
Heatwaves: Testing our human endurance
India was sweating through heatwaves in the past few months. Temperatures in 37 cities crossed 45ºC and night-time temperatures remained as high as 36 degrees in many locations.
My missionary experience took me to Banswara, Rajasthan. Along with my friend, Dr. Gloria, I went for 10 days. Our visit was during peak summer, and the scorching 48-degree heat was harrowing, but it was also an opportunity to see a new place, culture, and way of life. Salesian Missionary Volunteering is invaluable for youth seeking exposure and a chance to make an impact.
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