Signis

New SIGNIS India Executive Committee Underline the Need for Intercultural Dialogue

Guwahati, April 3, 2008 (SIGNIS India) - SIGNIS India, the national body of Catholic Communicators in India, has stressed the need to preserve India’s rich cultural pluralism and diversity and urged media in the country to pay greater attention to the concerns of the tribals, dalits and the marginalized. It called for an end to communal and divisive politics, fundamentalism and attacks on the religious minorities in the country.

The New SIGNIS India Executive Committee at the National Assembly in Guwahati

125 media persons attended the four day convention on Culture and Communication at Bosco Institute, Guwahati, February 26-March 1. Cardinal Oswald Gracias, Chairman, CBCI Commission for Social Communication inaugurating the seminar urged the Christian communicators to the need for greater networking and collaboration among SIGNIS members.

In his keynote address, Archbishop Thomas Menamparampil of Guwahati, urged communicators to be more sensitive to cultural and ethnic differences and show respect to them. He highlighted the growing sense of alienation and marginalization that need to be stemmed.

Several papers on culture and communication were presented during the three-day seminar. Fr. George Plathottam, Director, Dept of Mass Media, St.Anthony’s College, Shillong, urged the media not to trivialize news and reduce it to mere entertainment and to desist from the temptation to play into the hands of market forces at the cost of representing the concerns of those without a voice. Fr.Walter Fernandes, Director, North East Research Centre, Guwahati, highlighted the need for media to give up excessive coverage of violence, and pay attention to development stories. Fr. Babu Joseph, Spokesperson CBCI, New Delhi, asked media to step in to stem the tide of stifling minority cultures and branding religious minorities as terrorists. Senior journalist Wasbir Hussain, Guwahati, highlighted the challenges media faces in reporting conflict. Media, he admitted, pays attention to reporting negative news at the neglect of positive and development news, but the editors and policy makers, not reporters, are the key players in media to effect the much needed change.

The panel discussion led by Fr. Jose svd, Sr. Celine D’Cunha and Fr. V.M. Thomas, dealt with culture and communication from Christian, feminist and youth perspectives. The participants visited Don Bosco Centre for Indigenous Cultures (DBCIC). Fr. Joseph Puthenpurakal, Director of DBCIC, speaking on the gospel-culture encounter said every culture becomes challenged and changed for the better when confronted the message and values of the gospel.

The SIGNIS India meeting reviewed the recent attacks on Christians in Orissa and appealed to the authorities to uphold the rule of law and to ensure that the rights of the religious and ethnic minorities are protected.

SIGNIS India is the national body of the World Catholic Association for Communication, SIGNIS. Its members include media professionals and directors of communication. It is the first time that SIGNIS India is holding its annual convention and general body meeting in Northeast India. The event was organized by North East Social Communication (NESCOM) with the collaboration of SIGNIS India.

SIGNIS India Elects National Office Bearers

SIGNIS India elected Jesuit Father Rappai Poothokaren, of Gurjarvani, Xavier Centre for Culture and Communication, Ahmedabad, as its President, Mr. Allan Brooks, Guwahati, as Vice President, and Divine Word Father John Paul as Secretary cum Treasurer. Dr. Magimai Pragasam, Chennai, and Salesian Father George Plathottam were elected as members of the Project Selection Committee.

The new team was elected to head SIGNIS India at the Annual Conference and General Assembly held at Don Bosco Institute, Guwahati, February 26-March 1, 2008. They replace Dr. Dominic Emmanuel, Mr. MD. Vincent and Fr. Peter Selvanathan who guided the organization for the past four years.

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