Lima (Perù). From 15 to 17 January 2026 the XXIX Inter-American Congress of Catholic Education, was held in Lima at the Westin Lima Hotel & Convention Center. This event, promoted by the CIEC (Inter-American Confederation of Catholic Education), brought together leadership teams, teachers of all levels, pastoral workers, trainers, educational and religious authorities, united by the desire to renew their commitment to a Catholic education that is alive, inclusive and prophetic.
With the slogan: Tradition that inspires, innovation that transforms. “Educate with the soul, transform with vision”, the Congress offered a space for encounter, reflection, and future projection on the mission of Catholic schools in the 21st century, valorizing the strength of their evangelizing tradition and opening themselves to the challenges and opportunities of educational innovation.
Among the participants – over a thousand – 48 were registered, including Daughters of Mary Help of Christians and lay people involved in the works of the FMA. St. Rose of Lima Province (PER) welcomed various Sisters. Present also was Sister Ivone Goulart Lopes, collaborator of the Youth Ministry Sector of the FMA Institute, responsible for the Salesian School in America (ESA) and the Institutions of Higher Studies (ISS-FMA). Overall, this important ecclesial and educational event was attended by approximately one hundred and twenty members of the Salesian Family.
The Congress was articulated around six major objectives:
- Reflect on institutional identity in motion, to recognize the founding roots and reread them in light of the challenges of the present time.
- Share innovative and transformative pedagogical experiences that promote meaningful learning and student-centeredness.
- Analyze the impact of artificial intelligence and technology on education, valorizing its ethical, critical, and creative use.
- Strengthen educational leadership, understood as service, co-responsibility, and engine of learning communities.
- Promote integral ecological awareness, inspired by the care of the Common Home and the values of sustainability.
- Deepen educational marketing strategies with identity and coherence, to enhance educational projects and build authentic bonds with families and society.
In addition to conferences and academic sharing, the Congress was enriched by Eucharistic celebrations, cultural events, and the awarding of the “Jesus Teacher Award”, which recognized the commitment and creativity of Catholic educators on the continent.
Sister Laura Guisado, FMA of the Uruguayan Immaculate Conception Province (URU), also received the Award in a personal capacity, and Father Alexander Sosa Vaca, SDB, National Director of Don Bosco Popular Schools, on behalf of the institution.
The XXIX Inter-American Congress of Catholic Education was a time of renewal, discernment, and communion, an encouragement to “educate with the soul and transform with vision”, so that Catholic schools continue to be spaces of light, hope, and future for future generations.
