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ASIA Catholic communicators at world congress focus on children and media
19-10-2009
CHIANG MAI, Thailand (UCAN) -- Children's rights and media issues were the highlight of opening speeches at the start of the SIGNIS World Congress now being held in Chiang Mai, northern Thailand.
Young people "must have the inherent right to become involved and to participate in media," asserted Augustine Loorthusamy, president of the worldwide Catholic association for professionals and academics in audiovisuals, broadcasting and new media.
Loorthusamy delivered his opening address on Oct. 18 to more than 300 laypeople, priests and Religious involved in the communications apostolate. The congress, which will end on Oct. 21, has the theme: "Media for a Culture of Peace -- Children's Rights, Tomorrow's Promise."
The SIGNIS head juxtaposed the claim that the communications apostolate is central to the Church with his observation of "widespread lethargy" and lack of support for this ministry.
He called on participants to build bridges between young and old, laity and clergy, secular and religious media, and among different religions.
Referring to the plight of children in many parts of the world, a major concern of the congress, he noted that "every day more than 24,000 children die of hunger or hunger-related causes."
Zilda Arns Neumann from Brazil addressed the issue of hunger in more detail when she spoke about her work reducing malnutrition and mortality among children.
Neumann, a pediatric and public health physician, is founder and international coordinator of the Catholic-inspired Pastoral da Crianca (children's pastoral). This autonomous organization, which the National Conference of Bishops of Brazil initiated in 1983, works in Brazil and other parts of the world to empower poor families and motivate community leaders.
Congress activities include audiovisual and performance workshops for about 100 teenage students from three Catholic schools in Chiang Mai. Meanwhile, 10 young video journalists from Southeast Asian countries are documenting the congress from their individual perspectives.
Archbishop Salvatore Pennacchio, apostolic nuncio to Thailand and the Holy See's representative to several other Southeast Asian countries, led the opening Mass. Several bishops and about 50 priests concelebrated.
The congress will conclude with a media awards ceremony.
According to its website, SIGNIS' mission is "to engage with media professionals and support Catholic communicators to help transform our cultures in the light of the Gospel by promoting human dignity, justice and reconciliation."
The organization, officially the World Catholic Association for Communication, comprises members from 140 countries. It was born in November 2001 through the merger of the International Catholic Organization for Cinema and Audiovisuals (OCIC, French acronym) and Unda ("wave" in Spanish), the International Catholic Association for Radio and Television.
http://www.ucanews.com/2009/10/19/catholic-communicators-at-world-congre...
