Salesians of Don Bosco at the United Nations

About the Salesians Salesians in the World Salesian Logo Salesians at the UN

Call to Action Featured Ministry HIV AIDS Poverty Eradication Trafficking of Persons Social Development Migration Climate Human Rights Indigenous Peoples

Oral Interventions Written Interventions Endorsed Statements

UN Links Salesian Links UN Updates Other Links

UN Salesian Ed Resources Other

Staff Directions & Map

	NEW Spain — Bosco School of Environmental Education Celebrates 20 Years of Green Education (Godelleta) The Bosco School of Environmental Education in Godelleta Spain celebrated its 20th anniversary on September 28, 2011 with a special commemorative event at San Antonio Abad in Valencia. During the celebrations, a book entitled Stories to Make the Invisible Visible was launched. The book was produced by the school community to help increase environmental awareness in society. Read more »
	India — Assam Agricultural University Trains School Dropouts (Dimapur) September 8-14, 2011, a training program, Farmers Training on Efficient Water Management for Improved Agricultural Production was held at the Institution for Culture And Rural Development (I-CARD) assisted by the Assam Agricultural University (AAU), Jorhat. The program was offered by twenty eight professors from Assam Agricultural University on issues related to water and agriculture. The 100 participants were all school dropouts, but who are now actively engaged in agriculture related practices. Read more »
	India — Solar Lighting Transforms Quepem Village (Goa) In late May 2011, over 50 households in the village of Quisconda, Quepem district, Goa were provided with solar home lighting units to replace their kerosene lamps. Designed and packaged by the Quepem Salesian Society, these units (called Bosco-Plus) contain a 20 watt panel, three CFL lights and a charge controller. The kit generates two-three hours of additional light, which, for now, is sufficient for the remote village’s simple needs. The Salesians trained the youth of the village to do the electrical wiring and maintenance of the units. Read more »
	India — The Art of Water Harvesting in Quepem (Goa) The Quepem Salesian Society (QSS) successfully harvested rain water for the community of Padi, Gokuldem and Quisconda in the taluka of Quepem. QSS was chosen by the government as the implementing agency based on its experience and credibility in the field of natural resource management and serves as the between the government and the village. Fr. George Quadros, project director of QSS said, "We act as the resource person and animators to the local community. “ Read more »
	India — A Watershed Project designed by Don Bosco Farmers Rehabilitation Society (Goa) In January, 2011, the ministry of water resources invited Fr. George Quadros, S.D.B., director of the Don Bosco Farmers Rehabilitation Society, to be a part of the consultation meeting to reformulate the 11th National Water Policy. Fr. Quadros was invited owing to the effective watershed development project that was implemented in the QSS. Read more »
	Brazil — Educators address Ecology (Porto Alegre) Teachers from Catholic schools in the north of the Porto Alegre state, Brazil gathered in the Great Hall of Don Bosco Salesian Insitute on February 18, 2011 to explore the importance of the study of ecology. The theme of ecology was drawn from the Campaign of Fraternity promoted by the Brazilian Bishops’ Conference for 2011. Read more »
	Costa Rica — National Prize for Don Bosco Technical Institute (San José) Karol Muñoz, Mariana Quesada and Kevin Pérez, students in the ninth grade at Don Bosco Technical Institute in San José, have won the XXIV National Science and Technology Fair held November 10-11, 2010 at the University of Costa Rica Sports Center at Sabanilla de Montes de Oca. Read more »
	Kenya — Karibu Sana Salesian, the Gratitude of the UNO High Commissioner for Refugees (Kakuma) On September 7, 2010, Dr. Antonio Guterres, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, paid a visit to the Don Bosco Center in Kakuma. He was accompanied by Dr. Antonio Mexia, Executive Director of Energias de Portugal (EDP), the Minister of Labor, the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Immigration and many other dignitaries from the UN and the Kenyan Government. The occasion was the inauguration of the EDP solar project at the Salesian Center. Read more »
	India — Ecological Symposium at Don Bosco College, Aluva (Bangalore) Responding to the exhortation of the United Nations to increase public awareness of the need to preserve the world and reduce global warming, Don Bosco College, Aluva held a symposium on June 29, 2010: Nurturing Nature: Ecology from a Christian Perspective. The event was held in honor of Benedict XVI, who has been strong in his teachings about respecting the earth and preserving its resources for future generations. Read more »

"Climate change
is not just a distant
future threat, it is
the main driver
behind rising
humanitarian needs
and we are seeing
its impact now."

"The most affected
are people living
on the frontline
of climate disasters
in risk-prone
countries."

United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

focus_climate_Brazil_Students_Request_Less_PlasticBags10_sml.jpg

Brazil — Students Request Less use of Plastic Bags

(Niterói) On June 2, 2010, nine students from the Saint Rose Salesian Institute in Niterói, Brazil, accompanied by their science teacher, went to five large supermarkets in the city and delivered a letter to the management asking them to make a greater effort to reduce the use of plastic bags. The action was taken in the context of Environment Week, celebrated annually in Brazil during the first week of June.

focus_climate_Argentina_Yes_to_Environment10

Argentina — Yes to the Environment

(Corrientes) On June 9, 2010, the students in the sixth year in Colegio Salesiano Centro in the city of Corrientes took part in an Environment Walk. Organized by the Headquarters of Private Schools (DIGEP), on the occasion of the bi-centenary of the independence of Argentina, it had the slogan: For the Bi-centenary Year, a Healthy Environment.

images/focus_climate_Ireland_ACREGreenTech_sml10.jpg

Ireland — Contract signed for Salesian ACRE Project: Green Technology Projects

(Celbridge) - On May 4, 2010, Fr. Patrick Hennessy, S.D.B., rector of Celbridge, signed the contract for phase 1 of the Salesian ACRE Project with Adrian Burke of Footprint Developments, a contracting firm from Rathkenny, Co. Meath.

Ireland — Helping the ACRE Project

(Celbridge) – In April, 2010 the ACRE Project, promoted for the last 15 years by the Salesians in Celbridge, in Co. Kildare has been in the news twice. Once when it received a generous donation from the AIB Bank and secondly when it received the support of a famous Irish gardening expert.

World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought

Bonn, Germany - June 17, 2009 was the XVth World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought centred on the preservation of water supplies inaugurated by the United Nations through the Convention to Combat Desertification of 17 June 1994 (UNCCD). The theme of this year observance focused on the links between man’s survival on the planet to the preservation of the water supply.

Touch green...... Touch God!

Jakarta - The Bosco Green Club, one of the many groups in the St. John Bosco Parish at Sunter, held its second day trip to a village setting in Depok, a district on the outskirts of Jakarta City. About 150 people ranging in age from toddlers to the elderly took part in the village experience.

Cross of Merit for the Salesian Brother Alois Würste

Berlin, Germany - On June 18th, 2009, Salesian Brother Alois Würste received the Cross of Merit from the German Government in recognition of his many years of service and humanitarian work among the Indigenous peoples of Brazil.

Germany — Involving young people in safeguarding the environment

Don Bosco Mission Office in Bonn has announced that they will be hosting an international congress concerned with safeguarding the environment and involving young people in 2009. This announcement coincided with the conclusion of the 9th United Nations Conference on Biodivesrity that was held in Bonn during the second half of May, 2008.

Wells of Hope — Life Giving water flows in Matto Grasso, Brazil

In a remote region in the west of Brazil, about 280 km from Cuiabá, in the State of Matto Grosso, one can find Sangradouro village, the home of nearly 2,000 Xavante and 400 Bororo Indians. Considered primitive by the developed world’s standards, these indigenous people preserve their way of life and culture with the assistance of the Salesians of Don Bosco.