3138 THA-Cambodia Don Bosco's Pedagogy seminar, Gustilo
austraLasia #3138

Preventive System Seminar, Cambodia
PHNOM PENH: 28 September 2012 -- The EAO regional formation coordinator, Fr Francis Gustillo, today concluded his Seminar on the Preventive System for the teachers and leading personnel of the educational communities of Cambodia (September 25-27) at the Don Bosco Technical School, Phnom Penh. 150 teachers from Poipet, Battambang, Phnom Penh, Sihanoukville and Kep attended the Fr. Gustillo's conferences. He has a degree in Spirituality from the Pontifical Salesian University (UPS). The event was organized by Fr Roel Soto and the community at Don Bosco Phnom Penh and it was the second part of the visit by Fr Francis Gustillo to the Thai-Cambodian province, since he had earlier led a seminar for Salesians in Hua Hin.

During the first day, Fr. Gustillo explained to the Cambodian teachers the historical roots of the Salesian Family and the life of Don Bosco through a rich use of IT resources. The meaning and origin of the Good Nights, the role of Mamma Margaret and the importance of the Salesian Oratory were the introduction to what was to be called the Salesian Preventive System. The lecturer reminded his listeners of the need for modern young people to find other 'don boscos' that, like the Salesians' founder, do not engage in welfare activity as such but have Salesian spirituality and share it with the young.

'To this point, the Salesian Society through Father Pascual Chavez, makes constant appeals to the Salesians to live forever loyal to the Salesian heritage, avoiding growing away from preventive pedagogy,' he said in one of his interventions.

The next two days were dedicated to the modern challenges in a society like Cambodia, the need for ministering to the young and the need for the Salesian educator to be with them all the time.

The Cambodian teachers were able to question and share their experiences with Fr. Gustillo, and design their own strategies to improve the Salesian preventive system in their own works. The seminar became also an opportunity for a friendly sharing between teachers from four different cities of the country in a schedule that included sport, cultural programs and meals, many of them attended by Fr. Gustillo, who enjoyed listening to the Khmer language and the empathy of the Cambodian teachers, many of them young people in their twenties.