Global Congress challenges Media practitioners - Children’s voices must be heard

(Oct.21,2009): “Media for a culture of peace; Children’s rights, Tomorrow’s promise”, was the theme of the World Congress of SIGNIS – the World Catholic Association for Communication. Some 660 participants from 70 countries attended the five day meeting that began in Chiang Mai ,Thailand on Oct. 17 and concluded on Wednesday, (Oct.21).
The President of SIGNIS, Augustine Loorthusamy, in his opening address had stressed that media practitioners must both respect the rights of children and ensure that their voices are heard. He said “By the children, for the children and providing a voice for the voiceless, are key mantras that have been heard time and again, but children are still too often invisible in the media and more needs to be done.” He added that in particular, Church leaders must renew their support for lay Catholic communication professionals, who are in a unique position to engage creatively with the challenges of a digital media world for the good of children, who are - our future and tomorrow’s promise. He pointed out that Pope Benedict XVI emphasized in his special greeting to the Congress, “the formation of children by the media and the formation of children to respond appropriately to the media, should be central concerns for professional communicators.”