(ANS - Lyon: 9th November 2005) - At the end of the International Symposium on Media Education, UCIP (International Catholic Union of the Press) and SIGNIS (World Catholic Association for Communication) jointly presented two awards on 8 November, 2005 at Valpre, Lyon, France – The Salesian Society and Educaunet collaboration. The Salesian Society was singled out for the many diverse initiatives organized all over the globe to promote Media Education in the context of schools, institutions for young people and the public. The Society has established curricula, published manuals, and has contributed by creating networks of practitioners and experts in the field. Fr. Peter Malone, President of SIGNIS presented the award to Fr. Roberto Gianatelli sdb, UPS, Rome, on 8 November at a simple ceremony in the presence of 150 delegates of SIGNIS, participants at the congress and guests connected to the communications field. A delighted Fr. Gianatelli expressed his thanks to SIGNIS-UCIP for their recognition of the initiative and work most relevant for the Church and the young today. Amongst the audience were other members of the Salesian Society – Fr. Cosimo Alvati, Madagascar; Fr. Tom Kunnel sdb, Nairobi; Fr. Peter Gonsalves sdb, Rome and Fr. Ambrose Pereira sdb, Solomon Islands. “Media Education needs to be relevant today”, stated Augustine Loorthusamy, Vice President, SIGNIS World, and Co-ordinator, Signis World Global Media Education Project at the opening of the four day International symposium on Media Education. He outlined three aspects: media located within a Global context (social, political, economic and cultural); Sustainability of Life and an Active global network. Earlier a Peace Conference concluded with the Lyon Declaration – ‘Media for a Culture of Peace’. The World Congress now has a two day Assembly of Delegates from the different Regions to outline strategies for the future.
(ANS – Rome: 1 November 2005) - Today, 1 November, The World Catholic Association for Communication (SIGNIS), in conjunction with the International Catholic Press Association (UCIP), gave notice, through its website, of the decision to grant the annual Media Education Award to the Salesian Congregation. The jointly conferred award will be made on the 8 November in Lyon, France, during the annual world congress, to be held between 4 - 11 November. We reproduce here the SIGNIS internet citation in reference to the said award: “Throughout the world, the Salesians have set up many diverse initiatives to promote media education in the context of their schools, institutions for young people, and the public at large. They have established curricula to teach media education in the classroom, published manuals and books to train groups of different ages. They have contributed to create networks of practitioners and experts in the field.”
