Board of Directors Conseil d’administration Consejo Directivo President Secretary general SIGNIS Services Rome Director Mr. Augustine LOORTHUSAMY (Malaysia) Mr. Alvito DE SOUZA (Kenya) (Pending appointment) Vice-President Treasurer Representative of the Pontifical Council Mr. Gustavo ANDÚJAR (Cuba) Fr. Moses HAMUNGOLE (Zambia) for Social Communications Dr. Claudia DI GIOVANNI (Vatican City) Africa Dr. Lino José PUNGI ANA-U’MBERHA (Dem. Rep. Congo) Fr. Ralph MADU (Nigeria) Asia Mr. Lawrence John SINNIAH (Malaysia) Ms. Delia C. HERNANDEZ (Philippines) Europe Mr. Jos HOREMANS (Belgium) Mr. Joachim OPAHLE (Germany) Beyrouth Latin America 2012 Ms. Ana Bélgica GUICHARDO (Dominican Republic) Mr. José Marmol (Ecuador) North America Ms. Niquette DELAGE (Canada) Mr. Frank MOROCK (USA) Pacific Fr. Ambrose PEREIRA (Solomon Islands) Ms. Agatha Maria FEREI FURIVAI (Fiji) International organizations Ms. Marie-Thérèse KREIDY (Télé Lumière, Lebanon) Fr. Jude BOTELHO (ACN, India) SIGNIS is... Media for a Culture of Peace SIGNIS was founded in November 2001, with the merger of Unda (the International Catholic Association for Radio and Television) and OCIC (International Catholic Organization for Cinema and Audiovisual); organizations that trace their origins back to 1928. SIGNIS is the World Catholic Association for Communication: an international non- profit, non-governmental association that brings together communications and media professionals from across the globe. SIGNIS members are united in their faith and the belief in a culture of peace shaped by respect for human dignity, justice and reconciliation. The Association is based on the steadfast conviction that creative energy expressed in quality media and communications can transform violent conflict, build tolerance, celebrate diversity and construct a culture of peace in our world. Rooted in the Gospel, our inspiration is found in the daily triumphs and struggles of Our Vision: SIGNIS members across the Globe. They tackle a vast array of social issues: pastoral communications, development, health, HIV/AIDS, environment and water management, inter-faith and inter-cultural dialogue, media literacy, conflict management and SIGNIS aims to be a network reconciliation, poverty elimination, and the list goes on. that inspires, educates and SIGNIS members ask questions, challenge injustices, champion Gospel values and promote reconciliation through radio and television production, websites, media transforms our societies education, film appreciation, advocacy, reflection and representation. With members in more than 100 countries, SIGNIS is officially recognized by the building a global Vatican as a Catholic organization for communications. Its President is a member of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications and SIGNIS has consultative status at culture of peace. UNESCO and the Council of Europe. Inform, educate, entertain... Celebrate the marvel of cultural diversity... Nurture solidarity beyond racial, ethnic and religious differences.... Encounter the spiritual dimension of every human being... Transform cultures... Build peace... Media can do all this... CONTENTS Media for a culture of peace The Mission of SIGNIS is: Creating images with the new generation 3 To engage with media professionals Media pour une culture de paix and support Catholic Communicators Créer des images avec la nouvelle génération 13 to help transform our cultures in the light of the Gospel by promoting Human Dignity, Medios para una Cultura de Paz: Justice and Reconciliation. Creando Imágenes con la Nueva Generación 23 3 connect Our primary function as an international Association is to connect media professionals with diverse experiences and competencies from across the world. Each year, the SIGNIS Board of Directors, drawn from all quarters of the world, meets to plan the coming year. In June, because of the instability in the Middle East, the Board reluctantly decided to move the World Congress, from Beirut, Lebanon in October to Rome, February 25–March 1st, 2014. The Board meeting was postponed to take place in conjunction with the Congress and Assembly. SIGNIS members seek to find creative ways of using communications to transform societies and promote cultural development, building on their variety of professional experiences and rich cultural diversity. At national level, SIGNIS encourages communications professionals to form associations. In Latin America, national assemblies in Peru and the Dominican Republic installed new leadership teams and SIGNIS Brazil held its first national Assembly in November, after its founding in 2010. SIGNIS Brazil was also one of the organisers (with the Brazil Bishops’ Conference and the University of Rio Grande do Norte) of the 8th Mutirão of Communication on the theme of Communication and Citizen Participation, held in Natal, Brazil, from October 27th to November 1st. This event brought together hundreds of communicators, SIGNIS is its members. Through researchers and social activists from across the country. SIGNIS, communicators Also in 2013 some 100 members representing 13 SIGNIS regions in India attended the SIGNIS India National Assembly in February in Secunderabad, on the theme of “New become part of a global Media for a New Generation”. SIGNIS members, in different continents, hold regular regional assemblies which network of solidarity and bring together the creative wealth of these regions. In Europe, for example, members met in Madrid, Spain in June for the SIGNIS Europe Assembly. They participated in support, linking people in workshops, and met with Catholic Spanish TV and film producers. They also elected a new President and team of delegates. nearly 100 countries. In June, two Bishops and 22 communicators from 10 islands and Suriname in the SIGNIS Caribbean sub-region met in Dominica. Two months later, at the Latin American regional meeting in Quito, Ecuador, members formally adopted a new name: SIGNIS- América Latina y el Caribe, Asociación Católica Latinoamericana y Caribeña de Comunicación (SIGNIS-ALC) and elected delegates for the period 2013-2017. To reinforce solidarity between members and reach out to a wider public SIGNIS is present on the web through www.signis.net, www.catholictv.tv and its advocacy blog www.advocacynews.blogspot.com as well as on social media: Twitter (@ SIGNISBrussels), Facebook (World Catholic Association for Communication) and YouTube (signisworld). There is a regular electronic newsletter (SIGNIS Web-News). In addition, SIGNIS produces a quarterly tri-lingual magazine, SIGNIS Media, both in print and downloadable pdf format. SIGNIS Services Rome (SSR) has the task of connecting people at a grass-roots level in a very practical way. SSR provides technical assistance and equipment for communicators working under the most difficult of conditions, mainly in Africa. Since 2005 SSR has supplied equipment for low-cost Internet access via satellite to remote and isolated parts of Africa and some Middle East and Caribbean locations. These users, missions, hospitals, training centres, universities, dioceses, NGOs and radio stations, find that this service is a vital link with the rest of the world. 4 connect connect Networking through publications In an increasingly connected world, SIGNIS is using its publications to meet the networking needs of its members. The SIGNIS website, Newsletter, Facebook page, Twitter account, YouTube channel and SIGNIS Media magazine are all part of this global strategy which contributes to mobilize members and inform them on the latest Church and global communications trends. In 2013, a new website was designed specifically for the SIGNIS World Congress 2014 in Rome. SIGNIS Europe Assembly, Madrid, June 2013 SIGNIS Europe elected a new President and team of delegates for the next four years. At the Assembly, held for the first time in Spain, Magali Van Reeth, from SIGNIS France, was elected President. The new Board will take office formally at the next world Assembly of Delegates. Participants from Belgium, Czech Republic, England, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands and Spain attended the Assembly. SIGNIS India studies new media for a new generation SIGNIS India members, meeting in Secunderabad, in February, studied the theme of “New Media for a New Generation” and were challenged to engage with digital media to further in the communication mission of the Church. In addition, the Assembly was an opportunity for exchange among the 13 regions, and to learn about several national and regional projects such as the Hindi film about Christ, Khristayaan. 5 empower Enabling young people to express their hopes and develop the media skills to participate in today’s digital conversations is critical to cultivating a culture of peace. One way of recognizing and encouraging upcoming talents is through awards. In Kenya, during the Zanzibar International Film Festival, SIGNIS gave its East African Talent Award, recognizing emerging young directors, to Poupoune Sesonga from Rwanda for his film Kivuto. In December 2013, SIGNIS gave its Prize at the PLURAL+ (www.unaoc.org/pluralplus) festival to Dina Omar’s, The Egnever. Plural+ invites aspiring young film, TV and video makers around the world to submit short (less than 5 minutes) videos, on the themes of migration, diversity and social inclusion. In August a training session for SIGNIS Video Journalists (VJs) took place in Nairobi, Kenya, at Don Bosco Youth Educational Services where 12 young people from Kenya, Uganda and