The 2024 International and Intercultural Community Formation Program Begins
The 2024 Formation Program for International and Intercultural Communities will begin at the General House on May 13. The first stage will be in Rome until May 24. Then, from May 24 to June 6, the 8 participants of six different nationalities, will be in Manziana (Sisters of the Cottolengo). They will conclude their formation at the Hermitage, France, from June 6-12. The program is coordinated by Brother Valdícer Fachi, assistant director of the Solidarity Secretariat-CMI, and Brother Xavier Barceló, of the Ongoing Formation Team. It is supported by Flaminia Filanci, assistant to the Secretariats of Solidarity-CMI and Brothers Today.
The seven brothers and one lay Marist who share the desire to live their vocation to the service of the most needy in different Projects are: Br. Donatus Uzoma Abiaka (Nigeria), Br. Edvaldo Ferreira de Lima (Brasil Centro-Norte), Br. Flavien Modeste Ramarolahy (Madagascar), Br. Frédéric Nadji Ngarsandje (West-Africa), Br. Jean Aimé Randrianasolo (Madagascar), Br. John Edgar Arrieta Lopez (Norandina), Luis Vicente Torres Gordillo (Mediterránea) and Br. Rafael Ferreira (Brasil Centro Norte).
The objective of the formation program is that each participant can:
- discern their call to be part of an intercultural initiative of the Institute, assisted by the Program Coordinators
- become more familiar with cultural diversity, and
- be aware of the personal challenges of living interculturally, to develop new competencies and skills for intercultural living.
During the training course, the participants will deal with topics that contribute to living intercultural and internationality: overview of international/intercultural communities, mission today, non-violent communication, communion and co-responsibility, conflict resolution, intercultural community life, inclusive spirituality, children’s rights and child protection. More than theoretical, the program is intended to be experiential where each participant experiences interculturality in a concrete way in an international environment and acquires tools and aids for the future, whether in a Lavalla200> Community or in another project or initiative of the Institute.