The ceremony was attended by representatives of the academic community, staff, engineers, construction workers and members of the company responsible for carrying out the work – ‘Conscape’ of Araçatuba.
At the opening of the ceremony, the Rector of UniSALESIANO, Fr Paulo Vendrame, emphasised the historical significance of the event. “Today is a special day for our Salesian Catholic University Centre ‘Auxilium’. I would even go so far as to say that it is a very special moment for Conscape too, chosen to carry out the mission of constructing this new building,” he stated.
The Vice-Rector, André Ornellas, then said a prayer of blessing for the laying of the foundation stone, in which he highlighted the coincidence with the liturgical memorial of St Philip Neri and the birth of St Dulce of the Poor.
The Head of the Architectural Project, Emílio Ruas, explained that the idea for the new library was inspired by the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul and the guidance of the Rector of UniSALESIANO, in collaboration with the institution’s administrative and teaching staff.
According to him, the new building will have a floor area of 2,300 square metres and will feature striking architectural elements. “The library represents a microcosm of our civilisation. All the information of an entire civilisation will be gathered here,” he stated.
BASILICA
The architect also revealed that the space will feature a large dome, inspired by the Basilica of Hagia Sophia. Dr Ornellas, meanwhile, highlighted the innovative nature of the new Extended Reality Centre, developed based on technological insights gained during a technical visit to the Pontifical Catholic University of Paraná.
This centre, he explained, combines physical reality, virtual reality and augmented reality in immersive learning environments. “You will enter a room and find yourself inside a street. You will enter another environment and find yourself in the centre of Rome. That is the idea,” he explained.
The space dedicated to extended reality will cover an area of approximately 900 square metres and will be located on the first floor of the new building, integrating cutting-edge technologies into the library environment, described by the Vice-Rector as “an icon of wisdom”.
THE TIME CAPSULE
During the ceremony to lay the foundation stone of this new complex, the “time capsule” initiative was also presented. It will be placed in the new block housing the UniSALESIANO Library and Extended Reality Centre, and will contain a series of symbolic, historical, Salesian, religious and institutional objects representing the Salesian identity and the university’s current situation in 2026.
The contents will be preserved for the next 50 years and are to be opened only in 2076, allowing future generations to learn about the values, projects and events that shaped the academic community during the construction of the new space.
Among the items placed in the capsule are:
- the Don Bosco University Medal of Merit
- the magnetic medals of Don Bosco and Our Lady Help of Christians, presented to the academic community during the Masses celebrated in 2026
- the identification cross of the VAMS Project (Salesian Academic Missionary Volunteer) bearing Don Bosco’s motto Da mihi animas, cetera tolle
- the pin of Our Lady of Aparecida, Queen and Patroness of Brazil, together with institutional badges and insignia of UniSALESIANO
- a miniature painting of St John Bosco, Father and Teacher of Youth
- a pin bearing the phrase “I am transforming Brazilian education”
- material relating to the social campaigns promoted by UniSALESIANO, such as the anti-suicide campaign “Yellow September”, the women’s health campaign “Pink October” and the men’s health campaign “Blue November”
- the silver commemorative medal of the Holy Year of Hope (2025)
- the one marking the Bicentenary of Don Bosco’s “Dream at nine years of age” (2024), accompanied by the Strenna of the then Rector Major – “A dream that makes one dream”
- the medal of the Association of Mary Help of Christians (ADMA) representing all the groups of the Salesian Family present in Araçatuba
- a set of real banknotes and coins in circulation in the year 2026
- official documents such as university minutes, the list of staff at UniSALESIANO, the registers of the Salesian community, the documents of the Rectorate and the construction contract for the new block
- copies of the daily newspapers “Folha da Região” and “O Liberal Regional” published on 26 May 2026
- UniSALESIANO course brochures, academic calendars and other publications deemed significant
- and a copy of the encyclical letter Magnifica Humanitas, by Leo XIV, on the protection of the human person in the age of artificial intelligence, published as recently as 25 May 2026
Monique Bueno
Source: UniSALESIANO
{gallery}BCG – Posa priima pietra biblio 2026{/gallery}
