Maria Charles sdb KOLKATA, FEBRUARY 21, 2009: A two-day National Seminar on 'Emerging Trends in Childcare' opened yesterday morning at Don Bosco Nitika in Kolkata. Organized by Ashalaya of the Forum for the Young at Risk (YaR) in Kolkata, the seminar has brought together 75 Salesians and lay collaborators from 51 YaR centres from all over India. Inaugurating the seminar, Fr. Tho
mas Ellicherail, Provincial of Kolkata, said, “in order to mould the future citizens of the nation, learning to act for social change is the crying need of our times”. Taking cue from a speech made by the Rector Major in India two years ago, Fr Thomas reiterated the importance of “giving most to those who received the least”. He also paid rich tributes to the great pioneers in this field of work, whose courageous example set in motion a new trend in Salesian response to the plight of the young at risk across India. Mr. K. P. Sinha, Director of the Department of Social Welfare, Government of West Bengal, whom Fr. George Chembakathinal, Director of Ashalaya, described as a man “with a heart for the marginalized children”, called for greater concern for the marginalized among the marginalized. He invited Don Bosco institutions to network with Government Children’s Homes, particularly in the areas of health care, recreation and vocational training. Awareness of the need for child protection and juvenile justice is growing in India. The Salesians, who are the front-runners in the fight for human rights and justice among marginalized youth and children, need to constantly understand the rapid changes and emerging issues of childcare in the context of globalisation. This seminar is a concerted effort by the Don Bosco Forum for the Young at Risk to understand the gravity of the issue of childcare in India.
mas Ellicherail, Provincial of Kolkata, said, “in order to mould the future citizens of the nation, learning to act for social change is the crying need of our times”. Taking cue from a speech made by the Rector Major in India two years ago, Fr Thomas reiterated the importance of “giving most to those who received the least”. He also paid rich tributes to the great pioneers in this field of work, whose courageous example set in motion a new trend in Salesian response to the plight of the young at risk across India. Mr. K. P. Sinha, Director of the Department of Social Welfare, Government of West Bengal, whom Fr. George Chembakathinal, Director of Ashalaya, described as a man “with a heart for the marginalized children”, called for greater concern for the marginalized among the marginalized. He invited Don Bosco institutions to network with Government Children’s Homes, particularly in the areas of health care, recreation and vocational training. Awareness of the need for child protection and juvenile justice is growing in India. The Salesians, who are the front-runners in the fight for human rights and justice among marginalized youth and children, need to constantly understand the rapid changes and emerging issues of childcare in the context of globalisation. This seminar is a concerted effort by the Don Bosco Forum for the Young at Risk to understand the gravity of the issue of childcare in India.