2nd FORUM. Spain
80 young people took part virtually in the 2nd Teresian Association Spain Youth Forum to discuss the theme Giving Voice to Life and Hope. They represented schools, colleges, social projects, InteRed NGDO and international programmes.
The meeting was held on 6 February in the afternoon, and the narrative thread revolved around a number of testimonies of life and hope that were noted during the course of the pandemic.
Experiences
Several young people gave their personal accounts of service, solidarity, interreligious prayer, participation in conferences, training for volunteering, involvement in activities to help other people, the weekly prayer offered on YouTube by Acit Joven, etc. In all of this, they both showed and received signs of life and hope at a time of lockdowns and social distancing, circumstances that served to enhance their creativity.
Alongside the discussion, the participants were sharing through Instagram whatever values they were observing in the testimonies and other personal experiences of life and hope.
Local initiatives
A desire had been expressed at the 1st Forum to go forward as a TA Youth group and to meet face-to-face in their cities. Although this has not been possible, they have been able to organise some activities.
Paula from Jaen spoke of how a very heterogeneous group of young people are training and volunteering. Their aim is to involve more people because they are convinced that there is great potential in diversity.
Miguel, said that in Madrid they joined forces to send Christmas cards to elderly people in residential homes and now they are planning to put other ideas into action.
In Valencia and Alicante, initiatives have emerged to accompany sick or elderly people. Lucía told the group that “we grow when faced with adversity and initiatives are undertaken so that the difficulties of those around us may be eased”.
Confidence in young people
Camino Cañón, director of the TA Spain sector, addressed the group with words of encouragement. She started with a text in which Pedro Poveda expressed his confidence in young people: “Who are the ones who revolutionise, who react, who are the most courageous, fearless, reckless and who are the ones with ideals...? Young people”. She pointed out that “at this moment in time, pushing for life requires ideals, courage and the conviction that life is a gift received from God”.
She encouraged the young people to discover their vocation and to ask themselves: Who do I want to be in the society of which I am a part, a society where I see things I would like to change to make it more tolerable and inclusive? How can I help to make it possible for everyone to be able to live life more fully?
Camino suggested some answers that included trusting in oneself, listening to one’s heart and listening to the people who love us. Our own vocation, when recognised and accepted, will be a guiding light, even in times of darkness. In the charism of the Association, study and prayer are ways to grow as persons, always in connection with others. The TA accompanies you and says to you, “Come on, companions, there is more to life than this”.
As a way of keeping in touch, the facilitators of the meeting presented the TA Youth Wall on Twitter and Instagram and invited people to join these social networks.
Before concluding, time was given for suggestions on how to continue to give impulse to life while the chat was filled with expressions of gratitude.
TA Translators Team.
Enlarged team of the TA Spain Youth Project.
