Event takes place in three Brazilian states and reinforces solidarity and fraternity
The cities of São Paulo (SP) and Ponta Grossa (PR) hosted a special event last weekend. On 27 and 28 September, about 500 young people took part in the Marist Youth Meeting (EJM) 2024, whose theme is ‘The art of living the we’. The event will also take place in Rio Grande do Sul on 19 October in the same format.
The EJM is a space for Marist Youth Ministry (MYM) groups to raise awareness and debate social, environmental and human issues. The aim is to strengthen the students’ confidence in a more humane and fraternal world, while at the same time celebrating the culture of solidarity and plurality and promoting the integral formation of the young participants.
Activities and dynamics
During the two days of the meeting there were practical activities, workshops and dynamics involving cognitive, emotional and spiritual aspects, stimulating personal growth and reflection on life projects.
The event emphasises inclusion and dialogue. The EJM gives young people the chance to take part in an active and collaborative community, based on Christian and Marist values, reinforcing their commitment to creating a fairer and more supportive world.
In São Paulo, the Archdiocesan Marist College hosted the meeting. In Ponta Grossa, the Marist College Pio XII will host the activities. During the two days, the young people participated in cooperative games based on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), contemporary dance workshops, coexistence groups for the cultivation of interiority, among other activities. Sustainability was also on the agenda, with the planting of fruit trees and the restoration of community gardens at the school.
Historic meeting
The Marist Youth Meeting takes place every year in different venues, always with the aim of uniting and celebrating the journey undertaken by the young people taking part in the pastoral programmes. The traditional event was born in Rio Grande do Sul and now includes the other Marist regional centres. In October, it will be the turn of the city of Cachoeira do Sul to welcome hundreds of students who will take part in activities, debates and moments of reflection.
Check out the venues for each meeting:
- Curitiba Region: 28 September, at Colégio Marista Pio XII, in Ponta Grossa/PR;
- São Paulo Regional: 28th September, at the Marist Archdiocesan College in São Paulo/SP;
- Regional Porto Alegre: 19th October, at Colégio Marista Roque, in Cachoeira do Sul/RS.
About the Marist schools
The Marist Colleges are present in 18 states and the Federal District with 63 units. The more than 80,000 students receive an integral education, based on the tradition of Marist values and academic excellence aligned with contemporary challenges. Through differentiated pedagogical proposals, children and young people develop knowledge, critical thinking, autonomy and become better prepared to live in a constantly changing society. The Marist schools are part of Marist Brazil, a network of schools present in 20 Brazilian states and the Federal District, which serves more than 97,000 children, young people and adults.
Marist Brazil