By Fr Ashwin Macwan for BISMumbai

The 29th Value Education Day was celebrated at Don Bosco, Dakor, on 29 February 2024. It was organised by AmrutDhara Don Bosco Animation Centre under the able leadership of Fr Ashwin Macwan, the Director. 

A total of six schools with 475 students of Grade 9 participated in the programme. This was the culmination of year-long value education workshops and sessions organised by AmrutDhara. The main motive behind celebrating and organising this event was to inculcate moral values and virtues within the students.

The day began with the arrival of students with much enthusiasm and vigour to participate in the programme. The students were divided into groups with the names of values that they had studied during the year. The icebreakers were organized by the Salesian Youth Movement (SYM) volunteers in these groups which helped the participants to interact with each other as they were from different schools. The entire place was well-decorated as the students put up attractive and creative charts as well and logbooks prepared by the different schools were displayed at the exhibition.

During the inaugural function, students of Don Bosco, Halol, animated the prayer service and Students of Don Bosco School, Dakor, put up a lovely prayer dance. Fr Macwan introduced Fr Pravin Makwana, the Rector, who was the Chief Guest for the event. Fr Makwana welcomed the gathering.

This was followed by a one-hour input session by Dr Priti Rathod and Mr Shailesh Rathod, the resource persons of the day.  Their lively and interactive session explained the importance of having life-giving values at the centre of one’s life which brings a person up.

After lunch, the students together with teachers participated in the Timli dance – a traditional folk dance in Gujarat.  During the cultural programme held afterwards, the students from each school presented their theme song and skit on the theme ‘Love brings Peace and Unity’ with the help of their teachers.

The thanksgiving prayers were animated by students of Don Bosco, Chottaudepur.   Fr Macwan thanked the Rector, the Salesian community and the entire staff at Don Bosco, Dakor, for hosting this mega-learning event. He also expressed his sincere thanks to the Principals of different schools, teachers, students and especially the SYM Volunteers for taking a lot of interest and making this day a memorable one.