History of the Marist Social Centres

Keep alive the story of Marist social action, contribute to more efficent work in the Social Centres and set up new platforms for children and youth, such are the attitudes that become more in evidence with the launching of the book « Presença Marista ? Os caminhos da educação e da solidariedade » (Marist Presence ? The roads of education and solidarity).The project, which has lasted 17 months, has involved Marist brothers, lay people, researchers and a team working to a retrace the almost 200 years of existence of the Marist Institute. In conceiving the work, an effort has been made to consider all the approaches which form part of the Marist solidarity education: « The book shows how the institution has contributed to education and solidarity for the least favoured from the arrival of the Marist Brothers in Brasil more than 100 years ago», says Br. Jorge Gaio, director of the Sector of Social Assistance of the PMBCS (Marist Province of « Brasil Centro-Sul »).Web SiteWith the aim of making this event known and broadening its scope, a web site has been created: www.solmarista.org.br/caminhos. One can read and download the numeric version of the book, watch an explanatory video and see the collection of photos in the publication. The section Tell your story has been created for all those who may wish to send accounts, photos and videos of their experiences of solidarity, in rapport with the Marist Institution or not.Exhibition of photosCoinciding with the launching of the book, a photographic exhibition was opened on 13 August, and will remain open until 3 September. It is in the Aleijadinho Hall of the « Pontifícia Universidade Católica » of Paraná, that the Photographic Exhibition of Marist Presence is presented. It recalls the aspects of the history contained in the book and serves to provide greater awareness of the Marist social action in Brasil, through its Social Centres.Visit the gallery and consult the document on the site! This is a new proposal from the Solidarity Network of the Marist Province of « Brasil Centro-Sul », whose aim is to continually promote the quality of the socio-educational projects, thus contributing to the guarantee of the rights of children and adolescents.________________Alexandre Lourenço CardosoIrene Elias Simões