PNG-SI gives a lead for celebration for 24th January
celebration
PORT MORESBY: 21st January 2006 -- With exquisite
timing, the PNG-Solomon Islands Delegation, through its Social
Communications Commission, has set up a three day training programme in
communications for those in formation. The programme will be
conducted by Frs Ambrose Pereira sdb, Director of Catholic
Communications in the Solomon Islands, and Fr Edwin Genovia sdb from
Vunabosco in Rabaul. The programme begins on 22nd January and
concludes precisely on the Feast of St. Francis de Sales. Topics
to be covered include matters to do with Salesian understanding and
practice in the field, including the identity of the Salesian Social
Communications System, then approaches to youth and pop culture,
liturgical music and animation of music at Mass, the Church and the
media, the anatomy of a newspaper, advertising. The
sessions will include a visit to a radio station in Port Moresby.
In terms of timing, the expertise involved, the
topics and the dynamic for the sessions, this event sends an important
message that the Delegation is thinking and acting along the lines
regularly promoted by the Social Communications sector in the
Congregation, under its leadership from Fr Tarcisio Scaramussa and the
Department which he heads. Papua New Guinea and the Solomon
Islands may sound like exotic locations to some, but in a globalised
world, any point on the globe can be the 'centre' of the world.
PNG-SI are not 'exotic' but at the heart of today's global culture,
where rap and hip hop, advertising, the influence of television and
resultant attitudes are as much a feature of life as anywhere else, for
young people.
In a distinct but connected development, the East
Boroko College community was, just a week ago, 'rascalized'
(see below for the meaning of a term quite specific to PNG). The
night guard was tied up, TVs, 200 school uniforms, DVD player,
computers and the school safe stolen. The safe was abandoned,
contents intact; the lock was damaged but did not yield. As Fr
Roger Miranda, Rector in East Boroko put it, "our schools have been
rascalized several times. This is one reason why we need to stay
in this country. We can help in the education of the
young".
It is to be hoped that the rascals have left
sufficient amount of equipment for Ambrose and Edwin to 'do their
thing'! austraLasia is also hopeful that one fruitful outcome of
the three day seminar will be a sustained outpouring of news and views
with a Melanesian touch to it. Something we look forward to.
VOCABULARY
rascals, rascalize: rascals are gang
members usually given to violence, including armed robbery. These
gangs are often made up of young people who have come into Port Moresby
(it is more a Moresby situation than in other parts) from the Highlands
or at least from rural parts, and have no other forms of survival.
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