-PRESS RELEASE

Sri Lankan children will have a rare opportunity of seeing a young, world-class brass band when a group of over 100 children from Thailand perform and also interact with them in a series of events that will coincide with International Children’s Day.

The award-winning Sarasit Phithayalai School Marching and Show Band (gold medal winners at the 2006 World Marching Show Band Championships in Korea being one of numerous awards), comprising children from 9 to 18 years of age will perform in Negombo, Nochchiyagama, Balapitiya, Tangalle, and Colombo from October 1 to 13. President Mahinda Rajapaksa has invited the band to perform at Temple Trees.

Flying in from Thailand with instruments and all, the band is being brought to Sri Lanka by the Salesians of Don Bosco in the name of peace and harmony.

‘Marching towards peace with children’ as the series of events is titled, is Don Bosco’s way of contributing their mite to the country, in addition to the numerous social work they carry out by providing vocational training for youth of all races and religions across the country.

The children in this band from Ban Pong district who not only pursue their academic studies but also foster their love of music under the wings of the Salesians of Don Bosco in Thailand are all Buddhists, testimony to the non-discriminatory policy of the Salesians not only in that country but all over the world.

The Salesians of Don Bosco are a religious congregation founded by St. John Bosco in 1859 in Turin, Italy, to help, educate and train poor boys. The Salesians came to Sri Lanka in the 1950s with French priest Rev. Fr. Henry Remery.

Currently, the Salesians of Don Bosco have an island-wide network of 16 centres in 11 districts being run under the guidance of Provincial Superior Rev. Fr. Anthony H. Pinto. Some of the centres are located at Arabegama, Bibile, Dankotuwa, Elpitiya, Kotadeniyawa, Kandy, Murunkan, Nochchiyagama, Negombo, Palliyawatta and Uswetakeiyawa, with the hub being Dungalpitiya in Negombo.

In addition to providing vocational training, the Salesians are also heavily involved in preventing child abuse, along with the clergy of other religions, particularly Buddhist monks.

With more than 34,000 Salesians spread across the world, they are active in 130 countries in Asia, Africa, West Asia, Europe, North America, Latin America and Australia.

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