Catholic communicators call for 'media for a culture of peace'
"A fundamental change in the way we communicate through the media", was called for by the members of SIGNIS, (the World Catholic Association for Communication) meeting at their world congress on Media for a Culture of Peace in Lyon, from 4-11 November. The 190 participants, media professionals from five continents, launched the appeal in their Declaration of Lyon. "Communication through the media", they affirmed, must be "centred anew in our capacity to live with each other as we contribute to a world of peace, respect and solidarity." In the Declaration, all the participants committed themselves to building a Culture of Peace. They agreed to help develop the capacity of the media to put individuals, groups and peoples in communication with each other, especially the poorest, and to support the independence of the media in conflict situations. They also gave priority to media education. They also stressed the importance of intercultural and inter-religious dialogue. In a keynote address, Oliver McTernan, director of the charity Forward Thinking, warned of the potential destructive power of religion. He asserted that in order to understand today's crises, and to bring about a culture of peace, we must dare to "dialogue with people we consider beyond diplomacy". Created in November 2001, SIGNIS is the inheritor of two international Catholic associations for communication, which date back to 1928. It brings together in more than 140 countries, professionals in the fields of radio, television, cinema, video, media education, Internet and new technologies. Source: Signis