(ANS – Naples) – The 2026 National Assembly of Salesians for Social, held at the Don Bosco Salesian Institute in Naples, has concluded. Dedicated to the theme, “Those Who Love Educate: Educating for Social Justice,” the event took place from June 5–7, 2026, and brought together hundreds of participants from across Italy. The assembly served as an important opportunity for discussion, discernment, and shared responsibility regarding the future of the Salesian social mission, while renewing the network’s commitment to social justice and the most vulnerable young people.
During the proceedings, participants overwhelmingly approved the 2026–2029 Policy Document, along with the 2025 Social Report and the 2025 Financial Report.
“The National Assembly concludes with a result that goes beyond the voting figures. The nearly unanimous approval of the documents expresses a shared vision and a strong sense of responsibility,” said Fr. Francesco Preite, National President of Salesians for Social. “From Naples, we move forward more united, aware that educating for social justice means building opportunities, rights, and a future together for the most vulnerable young people. A network that chooses to walk together is a network capable of creating change.”
A Network That Chooses to Walk Together
The assembly opened with the testimony of Alice, a member of the Salesians for Social Action Youth Forum, who shared her journey of personal growth through her experience in Italy’s Civil Service program. Her remarks highlighted the value of educational communities that welcome, listen to, and empower young people.
The presence of young men and women from the Youth Forum, representing various regions of Italy, served as a tangible sign of participation, active citizenship, and shared responsibility. After completing their Civil Service experience, many chose to continue their commitment to the network as volunteers, remaining actively engaged alongside minors and vulnerable youth.
The opening session also included greetings from Fr. Gianpaolo Roma, Provincial of the Southern Italy Province (IME); Fr. Giuseppe Russo, Regional President of Salesians for Social – Southern Italy; and Fr. Elio Cesari, Director of the National Center for Salesian Works (CNOS). The newly appointed Provincial of the Special Circumscription of Piedmont and Valle d’Aosta, Fr. Giorgio de Giorgi, also addressed the assembly.
In their remarks, the speakers emphasized the value of Salesian education as a concrete response to emerging social vulnerabilities and as a vital contribution to building the common good through the promotion of rights, participation, and inclusion for younger generations.
The report presented by Fr. Preite strongly reflected the assembly’s theme: “Those Who Love Educate: Educating for Social Justice.” He emphasized that educating today means standing alongside vulnerable young people, understanding the causes of inequality, and helping transform those realities. The report reaffirmed the identity of Salesians for Social as a Public Benefit Association network called to represent local communities, coordinate initiatives, promote development, and influence social and educational policies.
In the spirit of Don Bosco’s Preventive System, the network is called to move beyond simply being together and toward acting as one, making education an evangelical, social, and public commitment.
Alongside the plenary sessions, participants engaged in working groups, discussions, and presentations that fostered the sharing of experiences, best practices, and future perspectives. A guided tour of the Don Bosco Center in Naples, led by Rector Fr. Fabio Bellino, offered an opportunity to gain firsthand insight into a ministry that continues to serve as an educational and social hub for the local community.
A Story of Hope from the Rione Sanità
One of the most moving moments of the assembly was a visit to the Catacombs of San Gaudioso and the Rione Sanità neighborhood, accompanied by a meeting with Fr. Antonio Loffredo.
The experience in the Sanità district provided a powerful example of how fragility, marginalization, and poverty can be transformed into opportunities for development, culture, employment, and youth leadership through direct community involvement and the active participation of young people.
The assembly concluded with a Eucharistic celebration presided over by Fr. Silvio Zanchetta, Provincial of the North-East Italy Province (INE) and Delegate for the Conference of Salesian Provincials of Italy (CISI). The Mass entrusted the network’s mission to the light of the Gospel and the educational charism of Don Bosco.
Belonging, Sustainability, and Social Justice
In his closing remarks, Fr. Preite presented three key principles to guide the network in the years ahead: belonging, sustainability, and social justice.
“We have chosen to be a network that does not merely manage services, but seeks to be an educational presence, a public voice, and a social alliance on behalf of the most vulnerable young people,” he said. “A network capable of bringing together the Salesian charism, rights, participation, and the common good within the framework of the Italian Constitution and the challenges of our time.”
Don Bosco’s Dream Continues
A common thread throughout the assembly was the enduring relevance of Don Bosco’s charism and Preventive System, reinterpreted today as a path toward social justice and a practical response to educational and social inequalities.
From Naples, the association network moves forward with renewed commitment: transforming shared words into concrete decisions, approved documents into action, and new partnerships into real opportunities for vulnerable young people.
Because today, as in Don Bosco’s time, educating means generating hope, dignity, and a future.