On Sunday 26 September the charitable association, UTAONLUS (United for Tanguiéta and Afagnan), celebrated its 25th Anniversary at Romano d'Ezzelino.

The event was inaugurated with the celebration of Mass in the Archpriestly Church of Santa Maria at Romano d'Ezzelino, with Brother Jesús Etayo, the Superior General of the Hospitaller Order of Saint John of God, presiding.  It was a lovely occasion to thank God for all the work the Association has accomplished during these past 25 years to support the Hospitals of the Hospitaller Order of St. John of God in Tanguéta, Benin and in Afagnan, Togo.

During the celebration, the founding members of the UTA -- Giuseppe Andriollo, Fulgenzio Bontorin, Giuseppe Carlesso, Giovanni Zanon and Antonio Degasperi  -- were presented with the Charter of Aggregation to the Hospitaller Order of Saint John of God. 

Mass was followed by a period of socialising, friendship and fraternity and for the customary official addresses by the civil and religious authorities, after which Brother Luca Beato, the current president of the Association, gave an account of the development the UTA association over the years, and the projects it had been implementing to respond to the needs that have arisen in these localities. During these 25 years, the Association has managed to raise more than 11 million euros for these two African nations.

Finally, a number of the people who have been in contact with the Brothers spoke of their personal experiences, which have been collected in a volume published for the 25th anniversary of UTAONLUS, which also coincided with the 50th anniversary in the arrival in Africa of the missionary doctor, Brother Fiorenzo Priuli, and the 50th anniversary of the Religious profession of Brother Taddeo Carlesso, a missionary from Romano d'Ezzelino.