Seville Archbishop presides over teachers' meeting in Tomares

Archbishop José Ángel Saiz Meneses chaired the III Encounter of Teachers and Staff of the Victoria Díez Foundation in Tomares, with the presence of the mayor and diocesan officials.

The Archbishop of Seville, José Ángel Saiz Meneses, presided over the third meeting of teachers and staff from the Diocesan Teaching Foundation Victoria Díez on Thursday, June 25. The event took place in the gardens of the Hacienda Santa Ana, the seat of the Tomares City Council, which has hosted the end-of-year gathering for the past three years.

Saiz Meneses was accompanied by the mayor of Tomares, José María Soriano, and by the episcopal delegate for Diocesan Schools of the Archdiocese of Seville, Fernando Emilio Borrego Ojeda, who is also pastor of Nuestra Señora de Belén in Tomares. The meeting brought together representatives from the diocesan delegation and the foundation's board, along with teachers, management teams, administrative staff, and service workers from the educational centers integrated into the foundation.

During his inaugural speech, the archbishop emphasized the end-of-course nature of the gathering and thanked the educational community for their work over the past months. "We give thanks to God for all the gifts received during this school year," Saiz Meneses stated before the representatives of the Victoria Díez Foundation schools. The meeting was designed as a day of coexistence, reflection, and recognition of the work carried out in the classrooms.

The foundation groups together Christian educational centers of the Archdiocese of Seville and works both on knowledge transmission and the comprehensive formation of students. Mayor José María Soriano thanked the foundation for choosing Tomares again for this event, highlighting the dedication of teachers and school staff. "We are proud to share with those who contribute every day to building the future from the classrooms," he said, defending education as one of the fundamental pillars of society.

Soriano noted that educational work acquires special relevance in the face of social, technological, and cultural changes, and recognized "the effort, dedication, and vocation" of professionals working daily in the formation of children and young people. He also highlighted the transmission of values such as solidarity, respect, responsibility, coexistence, and commitment to others within the educational project of the Victoria Díez Foundation.

The event also included the participation of the special delegate for Major Festivals of the Tomares City Council, María Toledo, and the special delegate for Citizen Participation, Carmen de la Cuesta. The meeting had the collaboration of the Sacramental Brotherhood of Tomares. The foundation's educational network includes several schools in the province of Seville, and this annual meeting serves to strengthen ties among the teaching community.

Last year's gathering was held at the same venue, and the foundation has expressed its intention to continue using the Tomares municipal facilities for future editions. The Victoria Díez Foundation was established in 2003 and currently manages a dozen schools across the archdiocese, serving thousands of students. The tradition of the end-of-year meeting began as a way to recognize the work of teachers and to foster a sense of belonging among the staff of the different centers.