(Africa and Madagascar). On 20 May 2023, the School Referents of the CIAM Interprovincial Conference of Africa and Madagascar participated in an online meeting, organized by the Youth Ministry Sector of the Institute of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians and conducted by Sr. Chanda Nsofwa, Collaborator of the Sector.
The objectives of the meeting were: to reflect on the seven commitments of the Global Educational Pact in the light of General Chapter XXIV; resume the path of the CIAM School and give continuity to the work on the Identity Card of the CIAM School; reflect on the possibility of a permanent formation network for the CIAM School Referents together with the laity who collaborate in FMA realities in the perspective of the GCXXIV and the Global Educational Pact.
In addition to the Referents, also present were Sr. Natália Miguel, Provincial of Queen of Peace Province (ANG) and YM referent for the CIAM Conference; and Sr. Carolina HermÃnio, Provincial of St. John Bosco Province (MOZ) who was Coordinator for School CIAM, called to give continuity to the journey.
In preparation for the online meeting, the Referents were invited to formulate a reflection starting from the Seven Commitments of the Global Educational Pact convened by Pope Francis, in comparison with the Acts of GC XXIV and with the Guidelines of the Educational Mission (LOME) of the FMA Institute. A further request was the updating of data on the Schools present in one’s Province.
The data and reflections were shared during the meeting, as well as the future perspective for the work on the Identity Card of the CIAM Schools network, which has already begun. Each Coordinator will carry on this reflection with the local Commission, listening to and involving the whole Province in a spirit of synodality.
From the point of view of Pope Francis – who in Video message del of 15 October 2020, on the occasion of the launch of the Global Educational Pact, hopes for a new season of educational commitment that involves all the components of society – and in line with the Acts of GC XXIV of the FMA Institute, which states: “In Heart of the contemporary world, in order to make priority choices adapted to the various contexts, it is fundamental to re-appropriate the prophecy of presence assumed by Don Bosco and Mother Mazzarello and entrusted to us with the Salesian charism. A presence that for the Institute in this historical moment, is solid ongoing formation, missionary synodality, listening to the cry of the poor and of the earth from the perspective of integral ecology” (n. 35) – the CIAM School network wants to be a reality that invites everyone to “dialogue on the way we are building the future of the planet and on the need to invest everyone’s talents, because every change needs an educational path to bring about a new universal solidarity and a more welcoming society” (Vademecum – Global Education Pact).
This is done through the ongoing formation of the CIAM School Referents and the Educating Communities, together with the young people entrusted to the FMA in the educational mission in the various contexts of Africa and Madagascar.
