austraLasia 1640
Delhi meeting gives new impetus to Salesian communications
NEW DELHI 31st August 2006 -- When austraLasia emerged nine years ago from a communications meeting in Batulao, Philippines, the handful of Salesians who made that move could not have known what the future would hold. When austraLasia's coordinator met this week in Delhi with BOSCOM, an all-India overseeing group for Salesian communications, it was possible to see what had been achieved: the then (1997) Australia-Asia region included India, and so many of austraLasia's early readers were from the Subcontinent. Today they have BIS (Bosco Information Services), at least partly inspired initially by austraLasia, but far more now than a simple 'fork'. BIS has taken its own directions and become a most effective regional news service in its own right which does Salesian India proud. One of the joys of this writer has been to meet in the flesh so many who have corresponded and contributed (and who continue to do so) over the years.
But austraLasia's presence in India was simply coincidental to another meeting - in view of the worldwide energy and direction being displayed by communications in the Salesian world today. The World Advisory Council for Salesian Communications (WACSC) had decided to meet in India as a 'once-off' opportunity to recognise a centenary of Salesian presence in the Subcontinent, a centenary which has seen so much development including a media presence that would be the envy of any region. BOSCOM sits around the table on an equal basis with similar entities both Church and secular in India. WACSC wanted to recognise that and learn from it too, to the benefit of all Salesians worldwide.
WACSC met with BOSCOM, but then continued in its own right for several days, drawing members from as far afield as Uruguay and Africa-Cameroun. Indeed, the doyen of Salesian communicators, Fr Jean Baptiste Beraud, from Yaoundé, Cameroun, an alert and active member of WACSC, celebrated his 84th birthday in the company of fellow members! Amongst matters considered by the body, which directly advises Fr Tarcisio Scaramussa, General SC Councillor, and his department, were the following: practical forms of support for Province Delegates for social communications, and an exploration of the implications of Free and Open Source Software for the Congregation - indeed, WACSC believes it may be in a position to take a lead in the Church's contribution to what is now a worldwide movement with reflection up till now emanating largely from secular sources. WACSC has also taken up the task of preparing for GC26 which must evaluate the decision of the previous General Chapter to appoint a separate Councillor for communications. In its own regular operation via internet, WACSC aims to model forms of communication and interaction which belong to the kind of world today's younger set inhabits and is comfortable with - the read-write culture of today's wikis and online conferencing, internet telephony and the like. WACSC took note of developments in parts of the world where the largely unknown (to the rest of us) concept of 'educommunication' helps broaden our understanding of media education, and looked at practical ways to bring its benefits, while avoiding its unwieldy language, into the media education field.
There was little doubt that WACSC benefitted considerably from its interaction with the vigorous communications scene in Salesian India. And if Salesian India can say the same, then everyone goes home happy!
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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 Try out BoscoWiki to be interactive. For RSS feeds, subscribe to www.bosconet.aust.com/RSS/rssala.xm A separate service entirely is called F/OSSERVATORE to help us keep abreast of trends in the digital world.
Delhi meeting gives new impetus to Salesian communications
NEW DELHI 31st August 2006 -- When austraLasia emerged nine years ago from a communications meeting in Batulao, Philippines, the handful of Salesians who made that move could not have known what the future would hold. When austraLasia's coordinator met this week in Delhi with BOSCOM, an all-India overseeing group for Salesian communications, it was possible to see what had been achieved: the then (1997) Australia-Asia region included India, and so many of austraLasia's early readers were from the Subcontinent. Today they have BIS (Bosco Information Services), at least partly inspired initially by austraLasia, but far more now than a simple 'fork'. BIS has taken its own directions and become a most effective regional news service in its own right which does Salesian India proud. One of the joys of this writer has been to meet in the flesh so many who have corresponded and contributed (and who continue to do so) over the years.
But austraLasia's presence in India was simply coincidental to another meeting - in view of the worldwide energy and direction being displayed by communications in the Salesian world today. The World Advisory Council for Salesian Communications (WACSC) had decided to meet in India as a 'once-off' opportunity to recognise a centenary of Salesian presence in the Subcontinent, a centenary which has seen so much development including a media presence that would be the envy of any region. BOSCOM sits around the table on an equal basis with similar entities both Church and secular in India. WACSC wanted to recognise that and learn from it too, to the benefit of all Salesians worldwide.
WACSC met with BOSCOM, but then continued in its own right for several days, drawing members from as far afield as Uruguay and Africa-Cameroun. Indeed, the doyen of Salesian communicators, Fr Jean Baptiste Beraud, from Yaoundé, Cameroun, an alert and active member of WACSC, celebrated his 84th birthday in the company of fellow members! Amongst matters considered by the body, which directly advises Fr Tarcisio Scaramussa, General SC Councillor, and his department, were the following: practical forms of support for Province Delegates for social communications, and an exploration of the implications of Free and Open Source Software for the Congregation - indeed, WACSC believes it may be in a position to take a lead in the Church's contribution to what is now a worldwide movement with reflection up till now emanating largely from secular sources. WACSC has also taken up the task of preparing for GC26 which must evaluate the decision of the previous General Chapter to appoint a separate Councillor for communications. In its own regular operation via internet, WACSC aims to model forms of communication and interaction which belong to the kind of world today's younger set inhabits and is comfortable with - the read-write culture of today's wikis and online conferencing, internet telephony and the like. WACSC took note of developments in parts of the world where the largely unknown (to the rest of us) concept of 'educommunication' helps broaden our understanding of media education, and looked at practical ways to bring its benefits, while avoiding its unwieldy language, into the media education field.
There was little doubt that WACSC benefitted considerably from its interaction with the vigorous communications scene in Salesian India. And if Salesian India can say the same, then everyone goes home happy!
Click here to comment on this item.
___________________
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 Try out BoscoWiki to be interactive. For RSS feeds, subscribe to www.bosconet.aust.com/RSS/rssala.xm A separate service entirely is called F/OSSERVATORE to help us keep abreast of trends in the digital world.
