by Cl Ethan Fortes

The meeting of the Social Communication Delegates was held on June 27, 2024. The meeting focussed on helping the delegates carry the ministry of social communication in their respective communities.

In his introductory address, Fr Savio Silveira, the Provincial of the Salesian Province of Bombay, presented Don Bosco as a model for all Salesians in the field of social communication. He highlighted that Don Bosco had written and published many works despite the many activities he conducted for the boys. Fr Silveira also encouraged the delegates to ‘be active and present’ on the digital playground as that is the place for the young to meet.

The day-long meeting was filled with various input sessions to help the delegates stay up-to-date with the latest trends in the digital world while also being educators themselves, educating the young towards the ethical use of media.

Fr Joshan Rodrigues, the Editor of the Examiner, presented different methods wherein one can present articles and reports in an engaging manner. Editing techniques, writing methods, and presenting styles were some of the key topics brought out by Fr Rodrigues. This helped build the enthusiasm to write articles among the delegates.

Mrs Mausami Patil, a senior Inspector in Cyber Police Station Mumbai, brought out the different cyber crimes that take place and how one could easily fall prey to such frauds. She highlighted the need to be vigilant when using the Internet with the growing rise in cyber crimes and data phishing. Through a few examples, Mrs Patil elaborated on how many people fall victims to cyber frauds.

The delegates also discussed ways in which they could enhance the social communication sector of their communities. Moderating in groups, the commission members of the Province helped bring out the important aspects that need to be worked on during the year to better the works in social communication. In this regard, the groups chalked out plans for the different regions of the Province focussing on building and expanding the digital outreach in their respective areas.

Fr Joaquim Fernandes, a former director of Tej Prasarini, guided the delegates towards understanding the importance of media education and media literacy in today’s age. He focussed on building media teams in every institution to help in better collaboration and education of right media use for the young today.

The meeting was a good start towards a growth in the field of social communication within the Province of Bombay. Many of the delegates expressed their gratitude for the very informative sessions that helped them gain a broader understanding into the use of media.