austraLasia 1125
Sunday May 8th is World Communications Day
Media "Can Foster Greater Unity or Create Divisions and Conflict"
JERUSALEM: May 7, 2005 -- Herewith a brief commentary on the Papal message for WCD. This commentary comes from Jerusalem, a fact which helps make the point!
Breaking down dividing walls and building bridges are two great challenges of communication which face all of us, both as individuals and professional communicators. It is necessary to work so that nobody is influenced by prejudices or is a source of them, and to ensure that communication is transformed into an instrument "to strengthen the bonds of friendship and love that clearly signal the onset of the Kingdom of God here on earth."
"Indeed, the media have enormous potential for promoting peace and building bridges between peoples. The media can teach billions of people about other parts of the world and other cultures. Accurate knowledge promotes understanding, dispels prejudice, and awakens the desire to learn more," wrote Pope John Paul II, in his message for the 39th World Day of Social Communications.
The relationship between peoples and cultures and the key role of the media : In this year's message, the Holy Father focuses on a topic which is of particular importance today.
We cannot remain indifferent to the critical situations in our world. This message, along with the message for the World Day of Peace, calls on all of us and especially the communications media to serve the common good - a good which can be practically realized by favoring understanding between peoples.
The Holy Father reminds us that not only our actions, but also our words and other forms of communication have consequences. Those who have the privilege of working in the communications media reaching wide audiences have a special responsibility in this area.
Many conflicts have their roots in prejudices and misunderstandings which one people has of another one, either close or faraway. This view of society is created and sustained in large part on the basis of information received from the media. .. For this reason, the message compels us to confront what could lead to an irresponsible use of the instruments of the communications media, so powerful in influencing the human spirit.
"The Incarnate Word has established a new covenant between God and his people - a covenant which also joins us in community with one another. 'For he is our peace, he who made both one and broke down the dividing wall of enmity, through his flesh' (Ephesians 2:14)."
_________________________
