AP
By Agenzia Fides
Jul 22 2021
PORT MORESBY – “Media seminars offer our digital natives the opportunity to be supporters of the changes underway in society”, said Father Ambrose Pereira, SDB, Secretary of the Social Communications Commission (SOCOM) of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands.
The occasion was the presentation of a series of short films during the fourth Media Education Seminar (MES), ‘Hope Amidst COVID-19’, which was held from 16 to 18 July at the Emmaus Conference Center in Boroko led by Fr. Pereira. “It is – he explained – a platform where our young people can creatively express their inner feelings and desires. It is up to us to encourage and guide them to express their values and their faith”.
“You are young and Christian and our God is the word of life and truth, so I implore you to share credible and positive information on which society can count and build the future – Fr. Gregory Bicomong, SDB, Superior of the Salesian Province of Don Bosco. The media are used to distort information and truth in favor of those who control it. This is digital dictatorship”.
The Superior encouraged young people to use the new means of communication to “share the good news, especially in these moments when we are inundated with false news and disinformation”. The focus of MES 4 was mainly on the creation of short films and gave the 41 participants the opportunity to hone their skills in the art of cinematography.
SOCOM team members presented numerous sessions on different themes, from basic shooting to shooting techniques, Storyboard for film, a session focused on information discernment in the midst of the pandemic, Theology of Communication and the importance of social change in the community through policy change at a government level.
The short films, which well represented the importance of hope, faith and inspiration during COVID-19, were shot by students from eight Catholic schools in Port Moresby. The International Short Film Festival 2021 will be held soon, according to the note sent to Agenzia Fides, thanks to which young people will be able to continue doing short films on the theme ‘Hope amidst COVID-19. (AP) (Agenzia Fides, 20/7/2021)
