Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
SDB
Lubumbashi (Agenzia Fides) - The "Mobile Journalism" project of the Salasians missionaries continues. In fact, there are numerous French-speaking Salesians in the Province of Central Africa who are active as missionaries in digital media, joining the English-speaking ones who have already been trained in Zambia, Malawi, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Madagascar (see Fides, 16/7/2024) and, looking at the rest of the world, also in Sri Lanka, where the initiative of "Mobile Journalism" (MoJo) workshops began in February of this year.
The first MoJo training for 18 young Congolese, including 15 young journalists from "Radio Don Bosco Lubumbashi", a novice and two members of the "La Colombe" multimedia center, was recently held in Lubumbashi at the Salesian community "St. Francis de Sales" in Imar.
According to a statement sent to Fides, Father Maciej Makuła (SDB), of the Social Communication Department of the Salesians of Don Bosco, after a two-month French course in Imara, agreed to hold the first workshop in French. The 18 participants learned a series of techniques and received tools to create professional content using Android phones or iPhones, so that they can better respond to the main challenges of evangelization today. They also acquired in-depth knowledge of digital editing and mastered specific applications on their mobile phones and PCs, which will increasingly be part of daily professional practice in their communities.
"Most of the four-hour work sessions were devoted to practical work," the statement from the Salesians continues. The participants also practiced creating content to disseminate, receiving critical comments and suggestions to improve their work and apostolate.
In his closing address, Father Makuła stressed that "the Salesian Congregation in general and the Province of Central Africa in particular will have no future without digital technology". In line with Pope Francis, he explained that the Church and the Salesian Family are called to adopt an integrated approach to social media and urged everyone to do their utmost to create new digital missionaries.
(AP) (Agenzia Fides, 4/11/2024)
