austraLasia #2355

Communications issues gaining momentum

EAO: 11th February 2009 -- It may be of interest for readers to know some of the communications developments emerging for 2009, especially as they affect them.  Between February and May there will be a series of meetings all involving representatives from EAO. In Madrid, late February, the World Advisory Council for Social Communications, which includes two representatives from EAO, will be taking up a range of issues stemming from GC26, which asked the General Council, through the SC Department, to reflect on and help offer guidelines in several 'communications' areas, but also set up the so-called 'Department of the Mission' which involves SC along with YM and Missions. As well as the WACSC members, Fr Vaclav Klement will also attend this meeting, thus two of the three 'Department of the Mission' Councillors will be involved. the WACSC meets every two years.
    In late March, SC representatives from all provinces and circumscriptions in EAO will meet in Seoul. Planning for this meeting is well advanced and several provinces are sending two representatives. At least two provincials and the Regional Councillor Fr Wong will also be present. As well as looking at implications for the region's social communications planning arising from GC26, some time will be devoted to looking at regional cooperation in this key area of the Salesian mission.
    Mid May will see a world meeting of Salesian Bulletin editors in Rome, (and a meeting of European editors to look at the SB role in Project Europe).
    It is to be noted that our brother region, South Asia, now has a Salesian, Fr George Plathottam, involved at the level of the Catholic Bischops Conference of India (as executive secretary of the . George is also a member of WACSC and will be attending the Madrid meeting. recently he presented the western region of the bishops council with an overview of social communications in the Church, highlighting responsibilities of various communications bodies. Concrete plans were developed to make communications more effective in the region vis-a-vis the current scenario in India, ensuing parliamentary elections, and the Church's mandate as indicated in its documents.
Bear in mind, too the Papal Communications message for this year: new technologies, new relationships - promoting a culture of respect, dialogue and friendship, and the SIGNIS meeting in Chiang Mai, Thailand, in October this year on Media and Children's Rights. These become a helpful backdrop to our own communication efforts within the region.
    And now for a helpful tip, in the spirit of communications! This applies to any users of Thunderbird (an alternative, and IMHO a much better one, to Outlook/Outlook express).  There are two very useful addons you might want to explore.  One is called Attachment Extractor.  It is a marvellous way to ensure safekeeping of any email and its attachments. With a single click, a selected email will be converted to html, and deposited in a folder on your hard disk or elsewhere, as well as the attachment, now deposited there separately (but the email retains a reference to it so you don't lose context). Frankly this is a 'must have' if you wish to not just back up but preserve key items. I found it as a result of someone needing to find and read an attachment, and he couldn't. This is a practical response to a practical need!  The second is called 'Seek'. You can toggle it on/off, and it allows faceted search which means you can quickly find any email or its contents. 
To find either or both of these just Google 'attachment extractor addon' or 'seek addon' and follow instructions. If you run into difficulties, ask me.
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 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 . Use Bosconet-wiki to be interactive. RSS feeds - just go to Bosconet, click on austraLasia 2009 in the sidebar. You will see the RSS orange icon in your browser address bar - add it from there.  Avail yourself of the Salesian Digital Library at http://sdl.sdb.org

Title: australasia 2355
Subject and key words: EAO Region, communications
Date (year): 2009
ID: 2000-2099|2355