From: "jbfox" <jbfox@is.com.fj>
To: <jbfox@is.com.fj>
Subject: 'austraLasia' #400
Date: Wednesday, 9 August 2000 5:35 PM

With this edition of austraLasia, we turn 400!

FIRST INTERNATIONAL GATHERING OF SALESIAN YOUTH MOVEMENT

FORUM SYM 2000

Press Release n. 4

Sr. Antonia Colombo meets the young of the SYM:
“You are the greatest treasure of the Salesian Family”

“I am happy to be in your midst, you who represent the different cultures
where Don Bosco’s dream is realized.” Thus, Sr. Antonia Colombo, Superior
General of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, greeted some 200 young
people of the Salesian Youth Movement (SYM) gathered for FORUM 2000 until
August 13 at Colle Don Bosco  (Asti, Italy).

A colorful assembly greeted Sr. Antonia.  These days, in fact, youth
representatives, from countries in continuous ethnic conflicts, from areas
almost forgotten by all, gather together to share the riches, the challenges
and the journey which they are undertaking in different parts of the world.
A dialogue, based on mutual trust and sympathy, was easily established
between the young and Sr. Antonia:  “I have met many of you in my visits
around the world” – she affirmed – “and in everyone I appreciated the desire
to live life to the fullest, to commit oneself to the pursuit of peace and
justice”.
Sr. Antonia sensed seriousness from the youth of the SYM:  “Many times” –
she continues – “you pose questions which help us to be more ourselves, more
determined.  I found you ever more aware of the difficulties and of the
possibilities which the world of today offers.  The phenomenon of
globalization for one, with all its negative aspects, has also its positive
points:  it invites us to networking, to unite our forces, to face the great
world problems in front of which we all find ourselves inadequate, with the
hope that comes from faith in Christ and from the possibility of
establishing a network of communion worldwide.  The presence of men and
women, of boys and girls not simply for coeducation, but in order to bring
one’s specific contribution and experiences , is a new proposal which the
world awaits from us”.
Before leaving the Assembly, Sr. Antonia addressed herself to the adult
animators, to the religious men and women present:  “The young challenges us
to be more radical, to be more convinced and less fearful in making
challenging proposals for the formation of men and women into responsible
citizens.  Let us not fail them”.

The encounter with Sr. Antonia Colombo finally, sustained the efforts of the
young who today worked on identifying some guidelines,  perspective at the
continental levels, in order to meet the challenges of the questions of the
young, the new forms of poverty highlighted in the situational analysis done
yesterday.
The “Synthesis Group”, composed of youth from the different continents,
pointed out  the formation of the educators and of the young as two of the
priority steps in giving response to the disorientation and confusion of the
new generation.
Journeying with the young, being present there where the youth aggregate,
going beyond the gates of our schools and youth centers in order to reach
out to them are concrete actions of a coherent witnessing which involves the
family in the educative journey and collaborates with the different entities
present in the territory at the ecclesial and civil level.

Colle Don Bosco (Italy), August 8, 2000