1. How can the young of our Districts know and contact ICYL ?

The mission of ICYL is to encourage and support the commitment of young people of our Districts in the movement of Young Lasallians. In order to achieve this mission ICYL desires to be in touch with Brothers, pastoral, and youth leaders in each District. The Council has been working on a database that has the contact information to reach these people. On the other hand, ICYL has an email address: icyl@lasalle.org; as well as some articles on the Institute's website: www.lasalle.org . Feel free to use any of these tools to know and contact us.

2. After this Youth Meeting we intend to set up a Lasallian youth group in Malta.
What is our next step? What are we expected to do? As a council, what help can you offer? Malta Youth delegation.

ICYL is very happy to know that the Maltese delegation is beginning to work as a youth group, a team of Lasallian young people. The next step is to plan and organize th group you are starting. You have to give the group structure and begin thinking about guides, themes you want to have, prayers, reflections, communication with the communities of Brothers, etc.

We encourage you to contact your Auxiliary Visitor, Br. Mario and the youth, educational and pastoral commissions in your region. The young are eager to work with you, to know more about what you are doing in your country, and all about the Lasallian charism through faith, fraternity and service that are lived through local actions in your parish, church or youth associations, and your work for the poor. We also pray that the great intuition of St. John Baptist de La Salle will be with you and enlighten you on this road. Do not be afraid to create, to innovate in our world, at our time... ICYL would love to accompany you, please remain in touch.

3. Jestésmy z was dumni! (We are proud of you!) Where will the next gathering take place? Do you think that it would be possible that the next European gathering could be created and animated by the Lasallian Youth? (From Poland youth delegation)

CLEP is organizing the next European Lasallian Youth Gathering but the details are not known yet. We are happy to see the will of some Young Lasallians to lend a hand in the organization and animation, and we strongly encourage you to get in contact with CLEP.

Also know that ICYL made the recommendation to Brother Alvaro to hold the next International Symposium of Young Lasallians in Europe during mid-Summer 2005, before the World Youth Day in Cologne. It should be an excellent opportunity to better define how we are associated to the Lasallian mission.

4. Have you got a dream like Martin Luther King that you want to share with us? "Don't dream your life but live your dream..." ( Martin Luther King )

ICYL has a dream, which is not so far from that of Martin Luther King, but in another context. This dream is to see young people recognize this community at an international level, that is the basis of building a Civilization based on Love. It means being able to live our lives lit by our faith, to remain united as brothers and sisters, and to feel called with a mission shared by other organizations or movements to work for social justice, the rights of children, freedom for all men and women, and equal opportunity.

5. Is it possible to have European gatherings not only as this one we're having, but also to work, to serve? Is it possible for groups of people from different countries not only to talk between them, but also to help each other?

Yes, ICYL thinks that young people in Europe are able to provide service to people who are in need. There are volunteer camps that are very different from one another in Europe, in France, in Spain or Italy. There are also camps in other parts of the world such as in Mexico and Australia. ICYL is very willing to hear your proposals and help you with all the means we have.

6. How can we be an active part of the International Lasallian Youth Movement and to share the information with everyone? In addition to the communication objectives; are there other projects or activities of concrete service in each District, country... in the name of ICYL?

This international movement is the movement of all the young people who feel they are Young Lasallians, in teams, national organizations or by Districts. There are young people who live FAITH, COMMUNITY and SERVICE and thus make up the international movement. Proposals in the future will make it possible for young people to be committed with more responsibilities, destined for particular missions in this international movement. ICYL, which has just been created, needs time to set up concrete projects of service to others, but each team or organization has to continue its project and be aware that we all are part of an international movement.

7. What are the objectives of the ICYL for Europe? What structural changes are you considering, when it is known that the CLEP (Lasallian European Commission of Pastoral Ministry), which should be the tool of communication and engagement in Europe, is completely disconnected from the life of the local movements and its proposals do not reflect the views of youth? Personally, I believe that several of the questions that the Council posed must be the subject of reflection in the local contexts. I greatly appreciate what you are doing: the important thing however is to not create structures "above" the people.

The objectives of ICYL for Europe (and the world) are directed towards better communication between the work young Lasallians do. This could be through pastoral ministry one (tools, texts, topics), the life of the teams of young Lasallians, spiritual formation, etc. ICYL wishes that young people answer the needs of the world illuminated by the Lasallian charism, as Brother Alvaro called us to do in Poland this summer. About structure, ICYL does not have the intention to change the organizations that already exist in Europe or in the world. We are ready to help CLEP concerning Europe, if they invite us to work with them. For us, in essence young people are the heart of the decisions, while also being associated or even part of both lay partners and brothers.

8. For the creation of good links between Lasallian youth, have you used or tried to use the tools that the European Union gives us, such as the ERASMUS or the LEONARDO projects?

For us it is a priority to create good links between the Lasallian Youth, but this a long term objective. We will be studying the possibilities.


9. How can we make the youth of our Institute join Young Lasallians and be more involved with Lasallian life and charism?

The presence in the heart of pastoral ministry projects in the schools, seems to be a good way to encourage the young people to commit themselves to the Lasallian life. ICYL thinks that the feedback between young Lasallians, the different and various service experiences, the spiritual richness, life in community, among many other things, show that the Lasallian charism is a way of life. ICYL wants to motivate young Lasallians to take responsibilities to help the Brothers in their work and the persons in charge of pastoral/ministry/educational formation for the young people.

10 a) How has ICYL thought to aid in the creation of the District or national associations (where there still aren't any)? Is that a part of its mission?

This is an objective of the ICYL. First of all, we want you to know that we will be present to encourage the young people in their regions and Districts to create their Lasallian Youth Group. We will try to bring the needed assistance, and support your work. We feel that it is also necessary to work hand in hand with the Brothers and lay partners. A team has been created for that purpose within ICYL to strengthen the links between the 60 sectors of the Institute.

b) What's the place of the youth in the Institute? Are they to be advisors of the General Council as you are? As associates? Have you thought about that?

The young people are the heart of the Institute; it was the founder who had this inspiration. In the sense of ICYL and others, it is necessary to work on the question of association of young Lasallians. It should be known that the Young Lasallian Movements are already associated as well, by lay partners. ICYL, with the Brothers and lay partners talk about the project of association; but this is the main task of the Association Commission, with whom we would be proud to work with if they invite us. The members of ICYL are official advisors to the General Council.

11 a ) Is it possible to create a "worldwide" website of the YL?

This could be a long term project. Up to now we have been invited to use the website of the Institute, specifically in the Lasallian Youth Section. We encourage you to enter the website, whose address has already been given above. We would welcome ideas and suggestions on how to improve this section. There is also a team that has the especific task of working on the website and all communications in general.

b) What concrete actions have you already taken to help the youth?

We are attending a lot of youth meetings where we try to give a helping hand to their local efforts. We have a group working to strengthen communications with the hope that the information that we're going to gather could help us in knowing how to be able to help the youth in a more effective way.

12. How can the LY of our Districts know about the work of ICYL?

ICYL has been created for young Lasallians. We are aware of this fact and we are trying to publish all the things we are doing, our projects, etc. on the Institute's website and also in other publications such as Intercom and other Lasallian magazines in the different regions and Districts of the Institute. We hope that you can help us keep the people close to you informed.

13. Is the international Lasallian youth movement related with any national movement of young Lasallians?

The international movement of the Lasallian Youth is growing thanks to the local teams and the national organizations of Lasallian Youth in the world, such as in France, Canada Francophone and Australia. ICYL maintains relationships with young Lasallians in the world that are in organizations or teams, and sometimes individually with young people who require our assistance to create or to build a team. ICYL wants to be directly in contact with Youth, Educational, and Pastoral Ministry Commissions in sectors as well as with the Brother Visitors.

14. Why do you not have as one of your objectives to encourage young people to join the Brothers and the Institute?

ICYL, like the local and national teams of Lasallian Youth, and like lay partners engaged in the network, must remain attentive to the callings of young people to all vocations. We have to help the young people, as Brother Alvaro says to all Lasallians, who are considering the religious vocation, by putting them in contact with the Brothers responsible for vocations in their Districts; by sharing their questions, accompanying them in prayer and other types of formation. The first step must, however, originate with each young person.

ICYL invites youth and anyone who is interested, to ask questions about ICYL or to contact a member of the Council by using icyl@lasalle.org or using e-mail addresses of the members that you already know. You are also able to access information on the Institute website http://www.lasalle.org. We are on a journey, willingly and energetically to help all the sectors and to create and establish the International Lasallian Youth Movement.