UGANDA: “Develop Websites That Will Publish More Positive News To Improve Faith, Says UEC Secretary General
As key drivers of information and communication, you need to develop websites that will publish more positive news that improve faith, the Secretary General of Uganda Episcopal Conference (UEC), Msgr. John Baptist Kauta told Diocesan IT personnel on November 19, 2019, during the opening ceremony of the Information Communication and Technology (ICT) Workshop.
“Catholic communicators and IT experts need to be able to distinguish between good and bad news. Therefore, create websites that will publish more positive stories than negative. Social communication should be about good news, improving faith in the community,” he added.
Msgr. Kauta made the remarks during the opening ceremony of the ICT Workshop for Diocesan IT personnel in Uganda at St. Augustine Institute in Nsambya, Kampala.
He observed that advancement in technology presents opportunities but also challenges that require urgent attention, saying that “Society is destroyed today because of the digital technological revolution.”
“I am therefore certain that after this workshop you will be able to build the Catholic Church in Uganda in a good way. This should be at the centre of your concern.”
According to the lead facilitator of the workshop, Mr Bernard Mberere, ICT Officer at AMECEA, the main objective of the workshop is to ensure that each Diocese in Uganda moves towards getting an online presence that can be used to communicate and evangelize in the Dioceses and beyond.
“Our aim is to promote proper networking within the Dioceses in Uganda and beyond,” he noted.
Commenting on the topics covered during the workshop, the UEC Executive Secretary of Social Communications Department, Rev. Fr. Philip Odii, said that the IT personnel will now be able to develop and create active websites for their Dioceses and parishes.
“We are happy that you have benefited a lot from this workshop. It is evident from the practicals that you are doing that you have learnt a lot. Don’t go back home and stop practising. Let this be part of your everyday business since skills are developed through practise,” Fr. Odii said.
He applauded the organizers of the event saying it is important for communicators to have an online platform for sharing news about emerging issues back in their Dioceses.
Over 20 participants from the 17 dioceses took part in the week-long training that concluded on November 22, 2019. It was organized by the AMECEA Social Communications Department in collaboration with the UEC Social Communications Department.
By Jacinta W. Odongo
Media Officer, Uganda Episcopal Conference
