Sports programs empower and educate youth around the globe.
NEW ROCHELLE, NY (April 6, 2025) Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco, joins humanitarian organizations and the international community in celebrating the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace, which is celebrated each year on April 6. The United Nations General Assembly designated the day in 2013, and it has been celebrated each year since 2014. The adoption of this day signifies the increasing recognition by the U.N. of the positive influence that sports have on the advancement of human rights and on social and economic development.
This year’s theme is “Leveling the Playing Field: Sport for Social Inclusion.” In a statement about the day, the U.N. noted, “This year’s theme aims to challenge stereotypes, promote equal opportunities, and enable inclusive sport for all, regardless of age, gender, or race. It highlights the role of sport as a unifying force that fosters inclusion and more equitable societies, while being a powerful platform for dialogue to tackle prejudices and inspire positive change across the world.”
Salesian missionaries provide sports programming in schools and youth centers in countries around the globe. “Sports programs empower and educate youth about teamwork, tolerance, inclusion and respect,” said Father Michael Conway, director of Salesian Missions. “Learning and playing team sports teach important social skills while giving youth opportunities for growth and maturity. Salesians offer sports to both boys and girls in youth centers and schools.”
In honor of the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace, Salesian Missions highlights sports programs in countries around the globe.
BRAZIL
The Don Bosco Salesian Institute, located in Parnamirim, Brazil, opened the Don Bosco Gymnasium in September 2024. The opening ceremony for the new sports facility launched the Interclass Games, part of the 15th anniversary celebration of the school’s founding.
The gym is a significant investment in sport and education. It offers a capacity for 824 spectators in fixed stands with the possibility of accommodating an additional 452 mobile seats in and around the entrance area.
The space includes an official multi-sport field, bathrooms and changing rooms suitable for people with disabilities. The new space also features an administrative room, a warehouse and a parking lot with 235 parking spaces. The technological innovations include thermal and acoustic insulation panels, the use of natural lighting, and an intelligent automation system that allows remote control of lights, gates and air conditioning. The contemporary architecture emphasizes the connection between interior and exterior space with doors opening to the gardens around the structure.
EGYPT
Almost 100 youth are participating in the socio-sports school at the Don Bosco Institute in Alexandria, Egypt. The school is carried out in collaboration with the Salesian Mission Office in Madrid and the Real Madrid Foundation.
Through soccer and basketball, along with psychological and social support, boys and girls between the ages of 5-17 enjoy playing sports, put healthy values into practice and improve their school performance, all in an environment conducive to teamwork.
A Salesian explained, “Two days a week, youth are involved in three hours of soccer and basketball training. They are also provided a snack during this time. Sports and education complement each other, and youth learn study habits, hygiene and healthy eating, as well as the values of companionship and solidarity. Youth experience a positive transformation that translates into the development of discipline, punctuality and responsibility.”
The partnership between the Salesian Mission Office and the Real Madrid Foundation began in 2010 in a Salesian school in Senegal. Today, the collaboration has 21 projects in 15 countries and serves nearly 4,000 children each season, using educational sport and its values as a catalyst for the social betterment of youth and communities.
SIERRA LEONE
Salesian missionaries operate the Don Bosco Socio-Sports School in Lungi, Sierra Leone, thanks to support from the Salesian Mission Office in Madrid and the Real Madrid Foundation.
As part of the Real Madrid Foundation’s “They play, we educate” program, participants receive nutrition, family and psychological support, regular health checkups, the opportunity to participate in social and educational workshops, gymnastics, crafts, reading, and citizenship activities. Training sessions on topics such as health, hygiene, values, and the prevention of alcohol, tobacco, and drug abuse are also provided.
The Don Bosco School has four soccer teams, two basketball teams and three volleyball teams, involving 70, 45 and 98 students, respectively. The school has been renovated for this season, and youth have access to all the equipment they need to learn and practice the sports. Students will also engage in competitions.
Ansuma, one of the youth involved in the school, said, “The school taught me much more than soccer. I have learned to control my temperament and now I also help at home and in school activities.”
TANZANIA
The Salesian Province of Tanzania organized the first edition of Salesian Sports, with the theme of “The Dream that Makes You Dream.” The event brought together more than 300 youth and 32 leaders from all over the country to the Don Bosco Dodoma campus. Also present at the event were Father Michael Muia, provincial delegate for youth ministry, and Father Valerain Kway, delegate for the Salesian Family in the province.
A Salesian said, “The competition brought together boys and girls who have been involved in different disciplines, such as basketball, soccer, volleyball and netball. For many, it was an opportunity to meet and to test themselves. At the end of the day, after the tournaments and a moment of prayer, the winning teams were rewarded.”
Salesians believe in the importance of sports in education. The Salesian noted, “Sports and education complement each other, and youth learn study habits, hygiene and healthy eating, as well as the values of companionship and solidarity. Youth experience a positive transformation that translates into the development of discipline, punctuality and responsibility.”
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About Salesian Missions
Salesian Missions is headquartered in New Rochelle, NY, and is part of the Don Bosco Network—a worldwide federation of Salesian NGOs. The mission of the U.S.-based nonprofit Catholic organization is to raise funds for international programs that serve youth and families in poor communities around the globe. The Salesian missionaries are made up of priests, brothers and sisters, as well as laypeople—all dedicated to caring for poor children throughout the world in more than 130 countries and helping young people become self-sufficient by learning a trade that will help them gain employment. To date, more than 3 million youth have received services funded by Salesian Missions. These services and programs are provided to children regardless of race or religion. For more information, go to SalesianMissions.org.
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Laura Perillo
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