Colombia (Medellín). On 3 and 4 June 2023, in Medellín, at the headquarters of Mary Help of Christians Province (CMA), the meeting of the Educommunication Commission of the Salesian Family (EDUCOMFS) was held, with the participation of the Provincial Coordinators of Communication and Education of the four Colombian Provinces: Sr. Lisber Zuluaga, Sr. Marleny Patiño, Sr. Yomaira García of St. Maria Mazzarello Province (CMM); Sr. Sol Redondo, Sr. Laura Pasión, Sr. Olga Pineda of Mary Help of Christians Province (CMA); Sr. Astrid Angarita of Our Lady of the Snow Province (CBN); and Sr. Doris Jaimes of Our Lady of the Rosary Province of Chiquinquirá (CBC).
The objectives of the meeting were to evaluate the progress made by the Commission and to draw up a proposal for an operational plan for the three-year period 2023-2026.
The Educommunication Commission of the Salesian Family (EDUCOMFS) is an organization for Animation/Management – Coordination – Accompaniment, Consulting, and Evaluation of the educational and communicative processes in each of the Educative Pastoral Communities of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, of the Daughters of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus, and of the Salesians of Don Bosco of Colombia. In turn, it seeks to make itself present and to influence national and international bodies that make decisions at the level of young people, education, and communication.
For the elaboration of the 2023-2026 strategic plan, Sr. Leidy García was invited to share the work done in the meeting of CINAB and Andean Region of April 2023 in Copacabana Antioquia, where the Identity Card of the Escuela Salesiana America (ESA) was studied, with its history and 4 axes. Retracing the path taken, it was recognized that the ESA is a shared work network in the Salesian Family. This encourages to continue to strengthen the quality and charismatic identity and knowledge management based on successful experiences. Sr. Doris Jaimes, who attended the meeting of the Social Communications Team of America (ECOSAM), presented its history, evaluation, and strategic plan 2023-2025.
For the formative moment, the diocesan priest Oswaldo Cano, President of the CONACED Federation (National Catholic Confederation of Education) of Antioquia, proposed a reflection on the Global Educational Pact based on the Vademecum. He shared the commitment to the educational process, which goes beyond education, trying to develop thinking, listening, dialogue, mutual understanding, and to have the formation of hearts and the recognition of the other as a fundamental purpose. He also focused on the need for young people to have role models, wondering why they are not; young people are shipwrecked in the lack of spirituality.
The moments lived together favored the elaboration of the working document of the EDUCOMFS strategic plan 2023-2026. At the end of the meeting, the participants thanked Sr. Olga Pineda for her passion and dedication in working with the Commission in recent years, during which she has encouraged networking for the good of the Salesian Family; and Sr. Lisber Zuluaga for the time dedicated in sharing her gifts for the growth of the Commission.
