ETHIOPIA: Be Part And Parcel of SIGNIS Africa, Cardinal Berhaneyesus Urges National Conferences of AMECEA Region
H.E. Cardinal Berhaneyesus, Archbishop of Addis Ababa Ethiopia Addressing SIGNIS Africa Congress
Even though the just ended SIGNIS Africa Congress took place in AMECEA region, in Addis Ababa Ethiopia between 3rd and 7th September, the participation of National Communications coordinators and Catholic media practitioners from AMECEA countries was strikingly dismal, with only AMECEA Secretariat, Malawi and the host country Ethiopia in attendance, strictly speaking. This caught the attention of His Eminence Cardinal Berhaneyesus Souraphiel, C.M. who until July last year was the chairman of AMECEA.
“I am happy that we had this great Congress of SIGNIS Africa in Addis Ababa nearly one year after hosting the AMECEA 19th Plenary Assembly. Indeed, the Plenary Assembly was beautifully done and all the AMECEA family, including the Bishops, Secretaries General, Communications people and various Church Departments were there. Now when it is SIGNIS Africa, we miss the AMECEA Communication Heads from the nine countries in our region,” Cardinal Berhaneyesus said.
He also expressed his concern by adding: “I hope that in the future AMECEA countries will take seriously social communications and get more involved in all the various forums that promote the communications apostolate of the Church because it is very important especially when dealing with the youth.”
Cardinal Berhaneyesus explained that the youth are all exposed to the modern communications technology and therefore are at risks of being alienated in the real world.
“Pope Francis said to the youth that they should use these technologies well for the good of the Church and the good of the people and not to be alienated from real people by getting too immersed into the virtual world,” he added.
He encourages Social Communications Department from the AMECEA countries to learn from the example that the AMECEA Secretariat is giving and put social communications in the fore front, specially to embrace the various associations and forums for Catholic communicators where they can have platforms to learn from each other and grow.
“SIGNIS Africa is a very important platform because it brings together practitioners of various Catholic media from all over Africa together. It is the best forum for Catholic communicators to sit together, discuss issues that affect them and learn from each other. It is my sincere hope that when SIGNIS Africa holds the next Congress, wherever it will be, there will be a bigger participation from AMECEA countries.”
The just concluded SIGNIS Africa Congress in Addis Ababa had approximately 70 participants, the majority of which were from Nigeria, Ghana and Democratic Republic of Congo.
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By Pamela Adinda, AMECEA Online News
