1233 Salesian Bulletin world meeting - the 'troops' are gathering
austraLasia 1233

Salesian Bulletin world meeting - the 'troops' are gathering

ROME: 28th August 2005 --  In what will be the largest gathering ever of editors and key personnel from Salesian Bulletin teams the world over, Rome's Sacred Heart (Sacro Cuore, Termini) is preparing to welcome at least 60 men and women during this coming week.  The meeting officially commences on 4th September, however, and continues till 10th.
    This will be only the second such meeting in recent years.  The first was held in 1998, to set in motion the renewal and relaunching project asked by the Rector major and his Council at the time.  The renewal and relaunching of the Salesian Bulletin also features in the current six year programme, and Fr Chavez will be present for part of the meeting to offer his contribution too.
    Since the renewal programme began some seven years back, there has been a notable improvement in quality and in distribution of the Salesian Bulletin taken as a whole worldwide.  There are now 52 editions in 27 langauges, with one or two unofficial versions (for political reasons) and at least one further edition, again for reasons of difficulty in the nation concerned, which has for the moment ceased operation.
    One of the exciting things for the EAO region is that two provinces which have not previously had a Salesian Bulletin as such, are sending several representatives to this meeting - Japan and Indonesia-East Timor.  Japan does produce a well-respected Catholic Salesian magazine but it is not the Salesian Bulletin.
    The meeting's overall theme is the SB in the Third Millennium, but in fact it is a practical meeting with contributions and workshops led by journalists from outside the Salesian Bulletin teams as well as those from within.  There has been so much by way of good material in recent times (John Paul II's last letter on communications, The Rector Major's recent Letter, the Salesian Social Communication System outline) that the gathered editors and teams will have their work cut out to digest it all and to draw up further practical directions for their own editorial policies and distribution practices.  Every effort will be made at this meeting to vastly increase the degree of cooperation at regiional and worldwide levels, especially in exchange of materials, availability of graphics and photographic materials, and so forth.
    Of particular significance is the fact that this meeting takes place as part of the 120th anniversary of Don Bosco's 'magna carta' of communication - his circular on the distribution of good books, which is effectively a paean to the press.

VOCABULARY
paean - a hymn of praise
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