Del Sistema Educativo Dentro de la Caverna de Platón a la Educación del Siglo XXI y Viceversa

The book presented below addresses as a central theme one of the fundamental pillars of the educational and pedagogical work developed by the Salesian Polytechnic University. Associativity is a concept that goes beyond the idea of integration of people: on the contrary, it places the young person at the center of the proposal as a dynamic axis of actions that brings together more young people, triggering processes of accompaniment and alternatives that benefit the community. Under this premise of collective work that seeks the construction of a common good, the V Salesian Education Congress proposed within the debate to think about youth associativity and its effects on socio-educational transformation from a sustainable development perspective. The conferences and papers presented analyzed the contexts of vulnerabilities and growing social inequalities in the educational world in post-pandemic times. There is no doubt that social inequality in Latin America and the Caribbean has increased since 2020, and figures indicate that the youth population is the most affected in terms of educational dropouts and unemployment1. Against this social, economic, health and political backdrop, the presentations generated educational and pedagogical alternatives that are implemented in different spaces, levels and educational contexts. The debates strengthened the Salesian educational proposal, which highlights the need to move forward with a collaborative and fruitful work.