(ANS – Esmeraldas) – With a moving day dedicated to inclusion, recognition and gratitude, the Chicos de la Calle Salesian Project Foundation – Costa Norte celebrated the conclusion of the collaborative project developed in partnership with the Salesian Polytechnic University (UPS), based in Quito. The initiative, which lasted around five months, brought benefits to the centres in Santo Domingo and Esmeraldas, strengthening the educational, community and pastoral work that the Foundation carries out with children, adolescents, young people and their families.

The project’s closing event took place at the Madre del Salvador Reference Centre in Esmeraldas, where UPS officials, lecturers, students, educators, beneficiaries and families came together for a programme packed with meaningful moments.

Each of the participating faculties made a valuable contribution to the community: the creation of the mural was the result of an intensive week of collaborative work, during which students and lecturers lived alongside the community, listened to their stories, learnt about their lives and transformed these experiences into a work rich in meaning. During the programme, lecturer Ricardo Moreno, from the Multimedia Design degree programme, emphasised that every element of the mural was created through a participatory process, resulting in a genuine joint effort between UPS in Quito and the Foundation.

the Psychology degree programme organised workshops for children and teenagers, promoting emotional wellbeing and strengthening life skills; the Education Sciences degree programme provided formation and reflection opportunities for educators and mothers, reinforcing the holistic support provided to those involved; Meanwhile, the degree programme in Multimedia Design created one of the project’s most significant legacies: a community mural that will remain as a symbol of Salesian identity and mission.

The mural features St John Bosco as its central figure, flanked by key figures from the Church and the Salesian Congregation such as Pope Leo XIV, the Rector Major of the Salesians, Fr Fabio Attard, alongside various Salesians and laypeople who, day after day, bring the Salesian charism to life by supporting young people in need and contributing to the development of the Salesian project in Esmeraldas.

The artwork also represents the essence of Don Bosco’s Preventive System, through the courtyard where young people grow alongside their friends; the school that educates; the church that evangelises and transforms; as well as the ‘GolAso’ School, childhood, adolescence and youth, and the Afro-Esmeraldan cultural heritage reflected in the marimba and music, symbols of the local population’s identity.

During the event, the heads of the degree programmes in Education, Multimedia Design and Psychology, together with the Director of External Relations at UPS, expressed their gratitude to the Fondazione Progetto Salesiano Costa Norte and the Salesian Sacred Heart of Jesus Province of Ecuador (ECU) for opening the doors to the development of this collaborative process, emphasising that the most valuable learning arises from engagement with communities and from serving those most in need.

The Director of the Foundation, Fr Robert García, SDB, expressed his deep gratitude to the ECU Province and UPS for believing in this initiative and making possible a project that has borne significant fruit for the community. In particular, he acknowledged the commitment of the lecturers and students on the Multimedia Design course, who devoted a week’s work to creating a mural that will remain as a legacy of hope and identity for the Salesian work.

“Don Bosco taught us that education is a matter of the heart. Today you are showing us that art, too, educates, evangelises and transforms lives. This mural not only beautifies our spaces, but tells our story, reflects our mission and will be a source of inspiration for future generations of boys, girls, adolescents and young people who are part of this Salesian house,” said Fr García on the occasion.

As a token of gratitude, the Foundation presented institutional gifts to the authorities, the directors of the degree programmes, the lecturers and the students of UPS, as a memento of this shared journey and in recognition of their commitment, dedication and service.

Certificates were also presented to participants in the workshop and the drawing competition, and one of the most moving moments of the day came with the posthumous tribute to Jeremy, one of the many young people supported by the Salesian Foundation who fell victim to violence; his memory was honoured with a special presentation and a minute’s silence, reminding us that his joy and his time spent in the Salesian work will remain forever in the hearts of the community.

The conclusion of this project reaffirms that when the academic world, art and social commitment come together in the spirit of the Salesians, initiatives are born that transform lives and leave an indelible mark. The mural, created with dedication over the course of a week and the result of more than five months of joint work, will henceforth be a symbol of identity, hope and shared commitment between the ECU Province, the UPS and the Costa Norte Salesian Project Foundation.

Source: Salesians of Ecuador