(ANS – Rome) – As the Season of Creation 2026 gets underway, the Salesian Youth Ministry Sector has announced a special initiative, the “Breath of Life Campaign,” to be carried out during the final week of the Season of Creation, from 27 September to 4 October 2026.
The campaign is a tree-planting initiative promoted by the organizers of World Youth Day 2027. According to the official World Youth Day website, “this is more than just an environmental initiative. It is a faithful act of preserving the order of creation and a concrete step toward carbon neutrality rooted in our belief in God.”
Announcing the campaign, Fr Rafael Bejarano, General Councillor for Youth Ministry, said: “I am happy to invite Salesian communities and institutions around the world, and especially members of the Salesian Youth Movement, to actively participate in the Breath of Life Campaign. Through this initiative, we can meaningfully celebrate the Season of Creation while, at the same time, beginning our preparation for World Youth Day 2027.”
The Youth Ministry Sector has invited Provincial Youth Ministry Delegates to animate Salesian communities in their respective provinces and encourage them to organize tree-planting activities from 27 September to 4 October. “Young people in our oratories, youth centres, parishes, schools and universities can all be encouraged to participate actively in this campaign. Tree-planting activities can be carried out on Salesian campuses or in any other suitable location,” Fr Bejarano said.
The Season of Creation is a time for prayer, reflection and prophetic action. Among the actions proposed in the Season of Creation Celebration Guide 2026 is the planting of trees. The guide states: “Let tree growing become an integral part of our spiritual lives. Trees absorb carbon pollution, prevent erosion, reduce flooding, provide food and medicine, and cool urban environments – they truly bring healing to the nations.”
Planting and protecting trees is an important means of addressing the triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution that the world is facing. Trees absorb carbon dioxide, helping to reduce greenhouse gas concentrations, while providing habitats and food for countless species. They also improve air quality, protect water resources and help create healthier communities. Although tree planting alone cannot solve these global challenges, restoring and expanding tree cover is an important contribution to building a healthier, more resilient planet.