By Keith Amodia
FIS Social Communication Coordinator

EAO Zoom Online Meeting, 5 February 2024 -- Twelve communicators gathered online from the East Asia - Oceania Region to welcome the new provincial delegates of Social Communication and discuss the communication programs in the region. Together with the different delegates were Fr. Harris Pakkam, SDB, representing the Social Communications Sector from Rome, and Fr. Ambrose Pereira, SDB, the EAO Regional Coordinator for Social Communications.

The group welcomed Fr. Jeff Miller, SDB, as the new delegate from Australia. They congratulated Fr. Albeiro Rodas for an inspiring VOICES program, the encounter of which has created an impact on the eight indigenous groups, past pupils, and others who have benefited from this rich experience of listening, accompanying, and journeying with indigenous people.

The successful VOICES program has generated a wave of interest, inviting many to set their sights on other regional communication events for young people. The group foresees a March media training for indigenous youth from the region in collaboration with Porticus Asia. It aims to hear and see what indigenous groups have to say in a Synodal Church and, at the same time, empower youth in their media production.

The Don Bosco Global Youth Film Festival will have its third iteration this year. It will be open to all young people around the world. The exact details of the festival are being finalized and will be published on the official website in the coming days.

The Social Communications Sector will also implement the Mobile Journalism course for youth or MoJo in the region after it was piloted in Zambia in Africa. Using the power of their smartphones, young people will be trained to be versatile content creators.

Lastly, the communicators had their initial discussions on the upcoming Communications Conference on August 1 to 7, 2024, at the Pontifical Salesian University in Rome. The conference is the first to gather all the SocCom delegates over the world and immerse them in training and discussion with communications experts.

The coordinators were happy to have Fr Pedro Leong SDB, who has been heading China's social communications sector for decades. His zeal and commitment are inspiring. Gratitude to Fr Harris Pakkam and Fr Gildásio Mendes SDB for their constant encouragement and support.

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