by Cleric Sanket Chauhan for BISMumbai

Don Bosco Chhotaudepur hosted a SYM [Salesian Youth Movement] Leadership meet on 23 October 2021 with the theme, 'Yes We Can!' This was to emphasize the qualities of a good leader for aspiring leaders from the Salesian youth groups of Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh. There were 52 youngsters and 08 Salesian Youth Delegates for the event. The event was coordinated by Deacon Chris Ferreira.

On arrival, the youth were assigned their teams and with a touch of creativity, were tattooed with mehndi to denote their belonging to their assigned teams. The nests meaning their teams were named after birds - cuckoos, eagles, herons, hornbills, owls, peacocks and woodpeckers in an added effort to raise awareness about avian protection. After registration and breakfast, a small prayer service was organized in order to invoke God's presence and blessings on the day.

Ferreira gave the introductory talk in which he introduced the theme for the day, 'Yes We Can' and spoke of the sprit of leadership in Don Bosco, which little Johnny already began to nurture right from the age of nine. The three sessions on leadership dealt with the Beauty of Leaders in the Bible, Leadership among Peers in a Youth Group, The Importance of Complementarity among Women and Men Leaders, and Servant Leadership – these insightful talks turned out to be very helpful for the participants. The inputs given were apt and lucid enough for the participants to grasp. The talks were delivered by Kiran Macwan from Nadiad, Father Jerome Aruldass, Dr. Roman Bhatia and Snehalata Bhatia from Surat.

The main highlights of the event were the case studies of possible problems in a youth group and an organizational game which laid stress on planning and management. Food, music and dance kept the youth happy and rejuvenated throughout the day, which concluded by 5.30 pm.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=Cz1XH59ZW5c&feature=share