3800_First Meeting of Publishers from the South Asia & East Asia-Oceania Region

By Bro. Ephrem Santos, SDB

Tokyo, Japan. November 12, 2015 - The 8 heads of Salesian Publishers based in the regions of South Asia and East Asia-Oceania have just ended their two full days of discussion and reflection on the realities of Salesian Publishers in Asia-Oceania.

Fr Mario Yamanouchi SDB, the GIA Provincial, together with his delegate for Social Communication and the GIA team on SC had warmly welcomed all the participants and had made the meeting a successful encounter.

The meeting was chaired by the General Councilor for Social Communications, Fr Filiberto Gonzalez SDB and assisted by his secretary. Another notable feature of this Asian meeting was the special attendance of Mrs Marta Palomares (edebe-Spain), the coordinator of the European Salesian Publishers, who shared some best practices of her region.

It is the first time that the 3 Publishers from India have met with those of East Asia-Oceania, paving the way for small positive outcomes based on a realistic view of the various situations of the 9 Salesian Publishing Houses of these two regions. One of the outcomes was the election of Coordinators for the Salesian Publishing Houses in both regions. Fr John Kennedy Mariaprakasam SDB (INM) is the Coordinator for South Asia and Fr Alex Garces SDB (FIN) for East Asia-Oceania.

Recommendations were formulated in view of their being presented to the Provincials and Regional Councilors of the two regions so that synergy is made easier and the positive impact of the publishers upon society is assured, following the example of Don Bosco the communicator. There will be a number of monitored activities and common projects until the next meeting that is expected to happen in 2019. ​