Subject: 'australasia' #430

NATIONAL PAST PUPIL BODY COMMITS TO PEACE

By C.M. Paul

CALCUTTA -- At the end of three-day national congress, men and women Past

Pupils of the Salesians of Don Bosco (SDB) and the Salesian Sisters (FMA)

passed a unanimous resolution "to be agents and promoters of a peace

culture".

"We resolve to commit ourselves to peace education, to empower ourselves to

be agents promoting a culture of peace and non-violence" says the six-point

resolution setting the tone of their resolve.

"We resolve to combat any form of discrimination, violation of human rights

and socio-ecological disharmony through group activities towards social

change," says the resolution spelling out it practical implications.

The SDB and FMA alumni held their third national congress at Liluah

(Calcutta), 10-12 October. In this third joint congress delegates of nine

SDB and five FMA provinces took part. Participants from the host province

matched 250 out-station delegates totaling 500 members. Attendants in the

earlier congresses had 160 in Chennai (1998) and 198 in Bangalore (1999).

While Mr. Davis Thomas, national president of SDB Past Pupils gave the

keynote address, Mr. Manoj Agarwal Calcutta provincial president and Mr.

Vinod Agarwal Congress Secretary and Liluah Unit president welcomed the

national delegates and dignitaries present.

Three major presentations of the first day were: Relevance of Don Bosco's

Educational System in the New Millennium (SDB Bangalore); Responsibility of

Past Pupils in Cultivating Family Values (FMA-Shillong), and Past Pupils and

the Promotion of a Culture of Peace and Non-Violence (SDB-Hyderabad).

The participants discussed the above topics on the third day and drew up a

six-point resolution highlighting the urgency of promoting a culture of

peace and non-violence.

There was ample time on second day to strengthen old bonds and build new

ones with a day tour. A convoy of seven buses and a fleet of cars proceeded

to Calcutta's Belur Math (RK Mission HQ), Mother Teresa's Tomb, Victoria

Memorial, joy ride in the Metro culminating in a lunch at Don Bosco Park

Circus. Shopping time and tour of the Science City concluded the day.

Representatives from the worldwide organization of the Past

Pupils spread out in 120 countries were present. In India, the national

headquarters in Chennai coordinates nine provincial federations in

Bangalore, Chennai, Calcutta, Mumbai, Dimapur, Guwahati, Hyderabad, New

Delhi and Trichy. Fr. Joseph Manipadam coordinates the SDB Calcutta

provincial federation which has eight active units with over 500 members.