Catholic communicators challenged to listen to kids

Delegates at the recently concluded SIGNIS World Congress have been challenged to heed the voice of children in their communications work.

Students highlight some of their messages during the congress

“Listen to us,” “Believe in us,” “Trust us,” “Dream of us,” “Walk with us,” “Guide us.” These were the messages that 100 teenage participants at the congress had for more than 300 adult Catholic delegates of the worldwide Church communications organization.

On Oct. 21, the last day of the congress, the students aged 12-15 from three Catholic schools in Chiang Mai displayed their messages on large pieces of paper at the end of a 45-minute drama, dance and choral performance. During the show, they also repeatedly asked the adult delegates: “Do you hear us?”

The congress, which opened on Oct. 18, had the theme “Media for a Culture of Peace – Children’s Rights, Tomorrow’s Promise.”

The students delivered their messages after a two-day workshop that started with lectures and videos on how children’s principal rights to survival, protection, participation and development are being violated in various parts of the world.

They then expressed their views on these violations through arts and crafts such as paintings, show boards, clay work and posters. With the help of three coordinators and 10 school teachers, they then gave their responses to these violations through dance, drama and song.

Artwork by students on children’s rights made during workshops at the SIGNIS congress

In the congress’ last plenary session that took place just after the students’ performance, SIGNIS advocacy director Jim McDonnel pointed out that children are expressing their views on their own terms. “Do we listen?” he asked. He also raised the question of protecting today’s children, who are media savvy but not necessarily media literate, from forces that treat them as mere consumers.

Coadjutor Bishop Felix Femi Ajakaye of Ekiti, Nigeria, said during the same session that he will intensify his call for his priests to make children’s Masses a norm in the Church.

Father Romulo Ponte, social communications director of San Pablo diocese, Philippines, said on the sidelines that he now realizes the importance of children’s issues and children’s views when reporting news. He pledged to pay more attention to kids and their issues in his apostolate.

At the closing Mass, Bishop George Yod Phimphisan of Udon Thani again asked delegates, “Have we helped (children) become tomorrow’s promise?”

At a gala dinner to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the organization that is now known as SIGNIS, Archbishop Salvatore Pennacchio, apostolic nuncio to Thailand, praised the involvement of the teenage students saying it offered “a new perspective.” He said that children are not “objects” but are “actors” who can “voice themselves and express their sufferings and hopes.”

Some students shared their views with UCA News.

Juthaporn Jiajanpong

Juthaporn Jiajanpong, 17, considers heavy traffic and pollution as a violation of a child’s right to health and enjoyment in life. The student from Regina Coeli College also questions why there are beggars on the streets. She is determined to one day work for the United Nations to address the plight of the world’s migrants and beggars, she said on the sidelines of the congress.

Phathraphong Tansakul shared that he is saddened that there are child soldiers in some parts of the world and that many children are too poor to go to school. The student from Montfort College said he will help these children when he achieves his dream of becoming an engineer.

He has also promised to donate 1,000 baht (around US$ 30) worth of schoolbooks, pencils and footballs to an orphanage in Chiang Mai on Oct. 25, his 14th birthday.

SIGNIS was born in November 2001 through the merger of the International Catholic Organization for Cinema and Audiovisuals (OCIC, French acronym) and Unda (”wave” in Spanish), the International Catholic Association for Radio and Television. Both organizations were created in 1928.