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Creation Care The Precious Contribution from Young People

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!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!The views expressed in this publication are those of the authors and organisations. They do not necessarily reflect the views of the Salesian Congregation.

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Introduction 5 Don Bosco International 9 TGS - Turismo Giovanile Sociale 11 Don Bosco Network 17 Contact Details 21

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Introduction Creation Care

The Precious Contribution from Young People J. I. Kureethadam

!The contemporary ecological crisis points to the precarious state of Earth, our planetary home. The ecological crisis is about our home as it is evident in the etymological origin of the very term ‘ecology’, derived from two Greek words: oikos and logos, meaning ‘home’ and ‘discourse’ respectively. It is not a mere environmental issue, or even a host of them, as it is often presented in the media and in academic discussions. The crisis is about the real threat to the survival and flourishing of life, including human life, on Earth, our common home. From climate change to species extinction, from pollution of land, air and water to the fast depletion of natural resources, the impacts of the contemporary ecological crisis on our common planetary home are indeed a matter of deep concern. The deliberate destruction of our common home – the current ‘oikos-cide’ on account of human activities, is bound to have not only physical consequences, but also profound ethical implications for our fellow human beings, for future generations and for our fellow species. The contemporary ecological crisis will affect all inhabitants of the common home of the Earth. But it will hit the poor hardest. The soaring temperatures could make agriculture unviable over huge areas of the world where people are already poor and hungry while rising sea levels will destroy substantial coastal areas in low-lying countries such as Bangladesh, or small island nations like Tuvalu. Richard W. Miller cautions us: “We are running the risk of condemning the poorest of the world, the 2.6 billion people who survive on less than $2 a day, to a desperate struggle for food and water and all the displacement, violence, and suffering that such a struggle could entail.” In the same way, the costs of the contemporary ecological crisis 1

will have to be paid one day by the future generations. The ecological crisis is

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Richard W. Miller, “Global Climate Disruption and Social Justice: The State of the Problem” in God, Creation 1

and Climate Change: A Catholic Response to the Environmental Crisis, ed. Richard W. Miller (Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 2010), 18.

indeed one of the greatest ethical dilemmas of our times as it is ultimately a question of eco-justice. ! It is heartening to see that young people are often at the forefront of campaigns to protect our common home and our common household. In fact, the ecological crisis will eventually affect the youth most, as it is their very future which is at stake. “Most of today’s decision makers will be dead before the planet feels the heavier effects of acid precipitation, global warming, ozone depletion, or widespread desertification and species loss. Most of the young voters of today will still be alive.” In the context of the contemporary 2

ecological crisis, education to sustainable living is vitally important today of which young people can be real protagonists. The young people who are most vulnerable to the contemporary consumerist culture, need to educate themselves to make responsible ecological choices in terms of life-styles. The future of our common planetary home rests above all on the young generations of today. !In the important task of the stewardship of Earth, the young people can find a good ally in the Christian tradition. There is indeed an ever-growing concern on the question of the ecological crisis at the level of Churches and various Christian denominations. The insistence in the Catholic social teaching on the concept of common good can find real application when it comes to the stewardship and protection of earthly goods to which all have equal rights. !The Catholic Church recognized the ecological crisis as early as 1971 as evident in the papal letter of Pope Paul VI Octogesima adveniens (no. 21) where it was stated: “Man is suddenly becoming aware that by an ill-considered exploitation of nature he risks destroying it and becoming in turn the victim of its degradation.” Saint John Paul II in 1979 proclaimed St Francis of Assisi as the 3

patron of ecologists, and published, to date, the most important of the 4

contribution from the Catholic Church towards the ecological question - the 1990 Message for the World Day of Peace entitled: Peace with God the Creator, Peace with all Creation. The concerns expressed by the Pope have found an adequate

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World Commission on Environment and Development, Our Common Future (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2

1987), 8.

Paul VI, apostolic letter Octogesima adveniens, 14 May 1971 in Enchiridion Vaticanum IV, 743.3

John Paul II, apostolic letter Inter Sanctos, AAS 71 (1979), 1509ff.4

synthesis in the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church prepared by the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace in 2004. Chapter X of this compendium is entitled as “Safeguarding the Environment”. Significantly, Pope Francis invited everyone to be guardians of creation in the homily of the inaugural mass of his pontificate and evoked saint Francis as a model for stewardship of our common home. !The members of the Salesian family who draw their inspiration from St John Bosco, are happy to accompany young people around the world in the important mission of creation care. Mamma Margaret, inculcated in the saint of youth a profound love for God’s creation right from his younger days. Pointing to the star-lit skies and the meadows decked with spring flowers that surrounded their poor hamlet in Piedmont she used to tell little John: “if the creation is so good, how infinitely good is the Creator!” The Salesian educative system has at its core the mission of leading young people the beauty of goodness in our world, beginning with the beauty of the natural world, the mirror of God’s own glory. ! The young people are invited to participate in the task of creation care, sharing in the deep faith that we have not only a common Father in heaven, but also a common Mother Earth, to be loved and cared for. Such spiritual paternity and earthly maternity alone can guarantee true fraternity among humanity. The dream of our youth of weaving a better tomorrow is possible only on a greener Earth, together not only with our human brothers and sisters, but with all of God’s creation. The Salesians are happy to accompany our young people in the realization of such a beautiful dream. !

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Prof. Joshtrom Isaac Kureethadam

Salesian Pontifical University

00139 Rome – Italy

joshtromisaac@yahoo.com

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Don Bosco International !

“Experience has taught me that if we wish to sustain society then we should take good care of the young” Don Giovanni Bosco  !

Don Bosco International (DBI) is an international Catholic organization with a mission to advocate for the empowerment of young people and the rights of children, education, especially in the area of education and job training. The Society of Saint Francis of Sales (the Salesian of Don Bosco) founded DBI in 1995 in order to have a platform for institutional dialogue with the European institutions. ! We believe that education has to encompass formation and information, technology and values in order to achieve its purpose: the integral development of the human person. Education, for us, is one of the prime tools in promoting the common good and social integration. It is also a vital instrument for the empowerment of the young and for helping them to acknowledge the importance of diversity in the human family. ! Don Bosco International calls on all policymakers to be guided by the principles of empowering the youth and upholding the dignity of minors in all of their policies. Throughout conferences, policy and press briefings we try to disseminate best practices, to share knowledge and build up innovative ideas. We base our work firmly on the centenary and worldwide practical experience of the Salesian Congregation. ! At the same time DBI facilitates communications, meetings and exchange of information, best practices and internal policies within the Salesian Congregation and facilitates communications and exchange with external audiences with special emphasis on decision-making bodies in order to bear witness of the Salesian work with the Youngsters.

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Escuela de Educación Ambiental Bosco (Valencia)

In the context of the European Union, DBI has tried to promote the social inclusion of young people in particular those facing complex situations, stressing the importance of education. On this current debate, we believe that young people can and must contribute to the social development of their communities and that all young people should be involved in this process, including those in difficult life situations. ! In line with Don Bosco’s teachings we are deeply committed to forming a new generation of environmentally respectful and active citizens. ! !

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TGS - Turismo Giovanile Sociale

!!TGS (“Turismo Giovanile Sociale”, Italian for “Youth and Social Tourism”) is an Association for Social Promotion supported by the Salesians of Don Bosco in Italy. Established in 1968, TGS has had since then its headquarters in Rome.

!It is run by lay people and promoted by CNOS (National Centre for S a l e s i a n W o r k s / Salesians of Don Bosco) and CIOFS ( I ta l i an C e n t e r f o r Fe m a l e Works / Daughters of Mary Help of Christians) as part of the Salesian Youth Movement (SYM),

which coordinates all associations and activities for the youth (also including PGS - Polisportive Giovanili Salesiane, CNOS SPORT, CGS - Cinecircoli Giovanili Salesiani). !

Mission !TGS promotes tourism as a social experience on an association form, to integrate and strengthen the training of its members and contribute to the full education of young people, inspired by the educational principles of St. John Bosco. !

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Don Bosco’s Walks" in Montebelluna (Treviso)

TGS in an association focusing particularly on youth tourism and, more generally, on the various forms of social tourism, with emphasis on the cultural and educational aspects of the tourist experience and the social experience. !!TGS recognises the fundamental values of the education of the person through the tourism experience, shaped on essential and qualifying choices such as the Salesian Preventive System, the youth, the group, the voluntary work. !!

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Activities !

• conception, planning and implementation of tourism initiatives aimed at the enhancement of the local territory, in terms of both its environmental and cultural aspects, to suggest a sustainable development of the territory itself;

• initiatives for youth animation integrated into the Pastoral Educational Programme at both provincial and local level;

• initiatives for training tourism and leisure professionals in the Salesian style; • the organization of study stays abroad for language learning; • the promotion of opportunities for cultural exchanges for different nations; • research and experimentation of new forms of tourism, especially youth

tourism; • initiatives to encourage multi-ethnic meetings and exchanges.

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TGS in numbers

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National TGS network of 13 participating Regions

! 56 local TGS groups all over Italy, evenly distributed on the territory and linked to National TGS in Rome

3.079 TGS members all over Italy

Source: TGS Nazionale, 2013

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TGS for sustainable tourism !Over the last decade, the Association has focused its attention to the study and knowledge of sustainable tourism, a much debated subject by the scientific community and the bearer of many issues in the field of human sciences. !TGS aims to make aware and educate its members, from TGS executives and young animators until the final recipients of the tourist initiatives, toward a form of sustainable tourism which has to be environmentally conscious and respectful of the local territory: a real educational challenge of responsible tourism for the safeguard of creation.

!Past and present projects

!1. TGS National Master on “Sustainable Tourism: from model to project”, Asolo (Treviso) 2003. In collaboration with Veneto Region, Province of Treviso and Municipality of Asolo. This 3-day-long master class provided a detailed programme for the acquisition and consolidation of knowledge on sustainable tourism, including lectures, workshops, debates and field experiences through excursions and visits of the local territory.

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2. TGS “Theme of the year” (ca. 2000-2005) : Every year TGS used to launch a national campaign to invite all local groups all over Italy to organise themed activities throughout the year according to a specific environmental issue (sustainability, recycling, etc.) or inspired by a particular natural resource (water, air, earth, etc.). Best practices were shared and discussed on the occasion of the annual National Assembly. !3. TGS social service training: “Tourism faces the challenge of climate change” : (2008-2009 project - co-funded by the Italian Ministry of Labour and Social Policy). This training programme was held on a national scale to make local TGS groups and members aware of the need to respect the earth and make it a liveable “house” for future generations. Trainer’s aid booklets and operating cards were prepared to help organising activities all over Italy, also including a national competition. 4. TGS-CGS National Summer Camp on Environmental Sustainability, Salerno 2009. (co-funded by the Italian Ministry of Labour and Social Policy and Ministry for Cultural Assets and Activities). Tourism today and its impact on the environment, Tourism activity leaders for the safeguard of creation, Web communication tools for sustainable tourism were just a few of the themes developed through a 5-day long programme of lectures and workshops. 5. Don Bosco’s Walks (2012-2013 project - co-funded by Italy’s Presidency of the Council of Ministers, Department for the Youth). Following Don Bosco’ footsteps, who first organised a number of “Autumn Walks” for the young all around Turin and Piedmont region back in 19th century, the most recent project by TGS starts from the educational meaning and value of travelling and getting in touch with different people and places. A long series of walks and events were planned all over Italy, taking young people to rediscover and respect the natural resources and heritage of their local territory. A final journey had Turin and Don Bosco’s birthplace as a central point of interest, to allow hundreds of young people from all over Italy to get to know more about our patron saint’s life and spirituality. 6. Bicentenary of Don Bosco 1815-2015 (upcoming project). As a natural result of the successful “Don Bosco’s Walks” project, a new series of training meetings is currently being planned by TGS to support the thousands of young people coming to Turin next year to visit the “Salesian places” on the occasion of the

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Bicentenary of Don Bosco’s celebrations. Young tour guides will be trained to take other young people to discover Don Bosco’s heritage and history throughout the main sights in Turin and the smaller towns in the Piedmont countryside

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"Su e Zo per i Ponti” ( Venice)

"Bicentenary of Don Bosco 1815- 2015" (Turin)

Some member Activities !TGS Delfino (Taranto, Puglia region). www.tgsdelfino.it !

-! Beach Clean-up Days, in collaboration with WWF, Taranto (ca. 1995-2000) -! Tree planting events engaging local communities in local parks, in collaboration with Legambiente, Taranto (ca. 1995-2005) -! Recycling and separate collection activities at local summer camps, lectures and workshops about recycling in local schools, Taranto (ca. 1995-2010). !

TGS Eurogroup (Venice, Veneto region). www.tgseurogroup.it !

-! Su e Zo per I Ponti / Up and Down the Bridges (1975 - ongoing) www.suezo.it Annual spring event engaging  thousands of people in a walk for solidarity around Venice alleys. Different itineraries twist and turn through the less known areas of the city on the water, also touching its most famous landmarks. A day of sustainable tourism, respecting the city we are in, its art, its history, its real soul and its essence. With the forthcoming 37th edition (19th April 2015) TGS Eurogroup will join the Municipality of Venice with the launch of a new project known as “Refill Venezia”, inviting all participants to fill up their empty plastic bottles with the water of Venice’s drinking fountains, contributing to waste reduction and enhancement of local natural resources.

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!!Don Bosco Network

Development Work Don Bosco Network (DBN) is a worldwide federation of Salesian development NGOs whose vision, mission and actions are based on the values and principles expressed by the Salesian tradition of solidarity with the poor. The Federation, whose headquarters are in Rome, counts on the networking among 8 NGOs. !

Members !

The Federation, whose headquarters are in Rome, counts on the networking among 8 NGOs: !• VIS Volontariato Internazionale Per Lo Sviluppo (Italy), • Via Don Bosco (Belgium), • Don Bosco Mondo (Germany), • Jovenes y Desarrollo (Spain), • Salesian Missions (USA), • Noi per Loro (Italy), • Solidaridad Don Bosco (Spain) • SWM Młodzi Światu (Poland). !DBN members support directly work of Salesian missionaries all over the World, concentrating on developing countries. DBN members are striving for a sustainable human, social and economic development by working towards the eradication of poverty, with particular attention to childhood and adolescence. In the pedagogical heritage of Don Bosco, education and empowerment are considered most efficient tools for development. Development work of DBN members include projects in the areas of: education, health, equality, human rights/advocacy, emergency reaction, capacity building, volunteering. DBN members are engaged as well in development education in their countries, promoting international development, MDGs and beyond taking part in sustainable development strategy.

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Global Education Park (Kraków)

!Current programmes

!1. Provincial Development Office (PDO) capacity building – Working closely with the Salesians of Don Bosco DBN supports and strengthens their work and local capacity mainly in the Salesian programmes in Africa, Asia, Central and South America. Good example is a 4 years capacity building project for 36 ACP countries funded by EU and coordinated by VIS from Italy. All the DBN members take part in the project. !!2. Emergency Responses – In the times of natural calamities and human made disasters DBN takes part in coordination of emergency help through Salesian congregation to affected population. A good example of DBN emergency

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reaction is help in the Philippines after the hit of Yolanda Typhoon in November 2013. DBN members provided emergency food and shelter to people who lost their homes. Don Bosco Mondo together with the Salesians in the Philippines and in cooperation with all the DBN members designed a reconstruction programme to repair 3000 homes and build 360 new houses and 10 schools with emergency shelters. DBN members recently assisted Salesians working with refugees in countries affected by military conflicts like Syria, South Sudan and Republic of Central Africa.

!! 3. Supporting DBN NGO members in Development Cooperation, and Development education work, through exchange of information, online data base, creating partnership in projects and funding applications, working on guidelines and best practices in the field. !

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4. Human Rights and Advocacy. Don Bosco Network is committed to defend human rights of children and young people in need and to advocate for their empowerment. DBN task is to facilitate communication between all the Salesian organizations and to contribute to common strategy in Human Rights and Advocacy Fields. Speaking with one voice Salesian Family present in more than 130 countries is working to support young people and children and give them the possibility to fulfil their potential and participate !!!!!!

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Contact Details !!TGS Nazionale – Turismo Giovanile e Sociale Via Marsala 42 - 00185 Rome, Italy Tel.: +39 06 446 0946 Email: info@turismogiovanilesociale.it Website: www.turismogiovanilesociale.it !Don Bosco Network Via della Pisana 1111 - 00163 Rome, Italy Email: info@donbosconetwork.org Website: www.donbosconetwork.org !!European Office Don Bosco International Clos André Rappe 5 - 1200 Brussels, Belgium Email: dbi@sdb.org Website:

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