
?Solidarity is part of the DNA of the Marist charism?
The sixth social forum ‘A vueltas con lo social, a vueltas con lo local’ was held on Feb. 24 at the school of San José del Parque in Madrid, Spain. For this occasion, participants were invited to try to respond to the keys that emerged from the General Chapter such as the framework of solidarity and of living with hope.
The meeting took place at various times, with the participation of around 200 people. It started with a presentation made by Brother Ismael González, who, through his vital testimony, invited us to reflect on ‘A new beginning as the key of hope.’
Later, Brother Álvaro Sepúlveda, from the Marist International Solidarity Foundation Onlus For the benefit of children (FMSI) spoke in depth about the rights of children and showed how “the protection of the rights of children is a commitment of our Institute.” Brother Eugenio Sanz then shed some light into the reality of his mission in Bangladesh and delved into how “solidarity is part of the DNA of the Marist charism”.
In the afternoon, representatives of the province’s social works in Romania – Todo Avanza, Espiral, SED and Ausartzen – shared what day-to-day life is like and how Marist pedagogical features are present in its work.
The meeting ended with Fran Fernández who, with his hopeful songs, asked the participants to set out and face the challenges and vicissitudes with hope.
Throughout the social forum, children and young people were very present. They were the ones who, with their questions, opinions, reflections and testimonies, reminded us that they are the ones who are driving our mission.
The reflections that arose helped and inspired the promoters of this initiative for the planning of future actions to be promoted in the coming years.