South Asia regional meeting-Conclusions

BOSCOM-SOUTH ASIA REGIONAL MEETING

ON SOCIAL COMMUNICATIONS


Synthesis and Conclusions


The Provincial Delegates for Social Communications and members of the Provincial Commissions for Social Communication from the nine provinces of South Asia gathered in Chennai on 25-26 August 2003 for the annual assembly of BOSCOM-SOUTH ASIA. The meeting was animated by Fr. Tarcisio Scaramussa, General Councillor for Social Communication, along with Fr. Renato Butera and Fr. Peter Gonsalves of the Central Department for Social Communication in Rome. Present at the meeting were also Fr. Joaquim D’Souza, the Regional Councillor for South Asia and Fr. Ivo Coelho, the Provincial designated by SPCSA for Social Communication.


Fr. Tarcisio Scaramussa, the chief resource person, made a well-prepared PowerPoint presentation of the document, Salesian System of Social Communication (SSSC) - a Draft Frame of Reference, and held discussions with the participants and explained the salient aspects of the document.


The Provincial Delegates presented reports of the Social Communication activities in their respective provinces. The two days of intense study, discussion and reflection brought about in the participants a deeper awareness of the resources available, the problems that need to be faced and the possibilities to be explored in this “significant field of activity which constitutes one of the apostolic priorities of the Salesian mission”. The following conclusions are a synthesis of the fruit of their discussions and reflections.


  1. Animation and Formation: In this area, we in South Asia have achieved a certain amount of stability. We have a well-defined syllabus and manual for the formation of the Salesians in Social Communications. Training programmes are offered by members of Boscom team both for Salesians and other groups.

  2. Information: It is here that we still have a long way to go. We have not yet set in place an appropriate system for gathering and disseminating information. We urgently need to build up an efficient network of correspondents for gathering information. A regrettable fact is that the flow of news from our provinces to the rest of the world via ANS is so little. Hence in the international Salesian News our share is indeed insignificant. The Bosco Information Service (BIS), which was intended to be the equivalent of ANS for South Asia, has not picked up in many provinces. Hence this sector needs to be given priority in the coming year. We also need to draw up a policy with regard to BIS.

  3. Production: In this area, many of our communication centres have made significant progress, especially in the local languages. Some of our publications have won public recognition and commendations.

  4. Salesian Bulletins: The region of South Asia publishes seven different language editions of the Salesian Bulletin, namely: English, Tamil, Malayalam, Telugu, Sinhala, Kannada and Hindi. However, all the Bulletins face serious problems, and their problems are similar: editors lack training and are often overburdened with many other tasks, lack of qualified editorial staff, financial crunch, etc. With regard to circulation and promotion, there has been no coordinated and planned effort. The general situation of the Bulletins remains a matter of concern. The Bulletins need to be given special attention, especially with regard to their editorial staffing, financial viability and circulation promotion.


SPCSA Response to BOSCOM

During the recent meeting of the SPCSA Council in Sri Lanka, the provincials of South Asia were appraised of the situation of Social Communication in the region. After examining the issues placed before them by the Regional Delegate and after their own study and reflection on the matter, they have accepted the following proposals to be taken up on a priority basis in the provinces:

  1. The provincials will identify suitable confreres who could be trained in journalism and communication, and make a plan for qualifying them.

  2. Provincials will appoint (if not already done) a suitable confrere as the Chief Correspondent and Coordinator of ANS/BIS in their respective provinces who will be responsible for organizing Salesian information (news/stories/features, etc) within the province and for disseminating them to ANS and to the Salesian Bulletins.

  3. Each Province will draw up its Provincial Plan for Social Communications, both six-year and the annual.

  4. To request BOSCOM to re-examine the need for having BIS (Bosco Information Service) alongside ANS (Salesian International News Agency).The Regional Delegate will take up this matter with Boscom members at their next meeting.