1640 Delhi meeting gives new impetus to Salesian communications
austraLasia 1640
Delhi meeting gives new impetus to Salesian
communications
NEW DELHI 31st August 2006 -- When austraLasia emerged nine
years ago from a communications meeting in Batulao, Philippines, the
handful of Salesians who made that move could not have known what the
future would hold. When austraLasia's coordinator met this week
in Delhi with BOSCOM, an all-India overseeing group for Salesian
communications, it was possible to see what had been achieved: the then
(1997) Australia-Asia region included India, and so many of
austraLasia's early readers were from the Subcontinent. Today
they have BIS (Bosco Information Services), at least partly inspired
initially by austraLasia, but far more now than a simple 'fork'. BIS
has taken its own directions and become a most effective regional news
service in its own right which does Salesian India proud. One of
the joys of this writer has been to meet in the flesh so many who have
corresponded and contributed (and who continue to do so) over the years.
But austraLasia's presence in India was simply
coincidental to another meeting - in view of the worldwide energy and
direction being displayed by communications in the Salesian world
today. The World Advisory Council for Salesian Communications
(WACSC) had decided to meet in India as a 'once-off' opportunity to
recognise a centenary of Salesian presence in the Subcontinent, a
centenary which has seen so much development including a media presence
that would be the envy of any region. BOSCOM sits around the
table on an equal basis with similar entities both Church and secular
in India. WACSC wanted to recognise that and learn from it too,
to the benefit of all Salesians worldwide.
WACSC met with BOSCOM, but then continued in its own
right for several days, drawing members from as far afield as Uruguay
and Africa-Cameroun. Indeed, the doyen of Salesian communicators,
Fr Jean Baptiste Beraud, from Yaoundé, Cameroun, an alert and active
member of WACSC, celebrated his 84th birthday in the company of fellow
members! Amongst matters considered by the body, which directly
advises Fr Tarcisio Scaramussa, General SC Councillor, and his
department, were the following: practical forms of support for Province
Delegates for social communications, and an exploration of the
implications of Free and Open Source Software for the Congregation -
indeed, WACSC believes it may be in a position to take a lead in the
Church's contribution to what is now a worldwide movement with
reflection up till now emanating largely from secular sources.
WACSC has also taken up the task of preparing for GC26 which must
evaluate the decision of the previous General Chapter to appoint a
separate Councillor for communications. In its own regular
operation via internet, WACSC aims to model forms of communication and
interaction which belong to the kind of world today's younger set
inhabits and is comfortable with - the read-write culture of today's
wikis and online conferencing, internet telephony and the like.
WACSC took note of developments in parts of the world where the largely
unknown (to the rest of us) concept of 'educommunication' helps broaden
our understanding of media education, and looked at practical ways to
bring its benefits, while avoiding its unwieldy language, into the
media education field.
There was little doubt that WACSC benefitted
considerably from its interaction with the vigorous communications
scene in Salesian India. And if Salesian India can say the same,
then everyone goes home happy! Click
here to comment on this item.
___________________
AustraLasia
is an email service for the Salesian Family of Asia Pacific.
It also
functions as an agency for ANS based in Rome. For queries please
contact admin@bosconet.aust.com
Try
out BoscoWiki
to be interactive. For RSS feeds, subscribe to www.bosconet.aust.com/RSS/rssala.xm
A separate service entirely is called F/OSSERVATORE
to help us keep abreast of trends in the digital world.
