A new communications center is arriving in the diocese of Belize City and Belmopan. Supplied with audio and video equipment for conferences and recording, computers, projectors, speakers and much more, the first communications center of the diocese will be a place of gathering for people from all ages and backgrounds that wish to get closer to technology, communications and the Church.
As technology, communications and the world evolve, it is important that all entities keep up with the new languages, formats and channels that can be used to reach a community, to train, educate and inform others. For this reason, the Antilles Episcopal Conference and the diocese of Belize City and Belmopan wish to implement a joint plan where every diocese is committed to using technology at the service of evangelization. The goal is to explore “new ways of being Church in the digital milieu” and “to understand what it means to evangelize through the use of technology”, says Mr. Ruben Wong, Director of Diocesan Communications of Belize. A very important thing to consider especially in current times where the covid-19 pandemic restrictions may prevent us from gathering with others, yet they do not prevent us from practicing our faith.
The “Belize City & Belmopan Diocesan Communication Center” is one of the winners of SIGNIS Services Rome’s 2019/2020 Call For Project Ideas and it will coordinate the communication work of the Antilles Episcopal Conference and focus on media education, training and technology, in a time where the Church needs to keep up with the rapid changes of technology. During an interview on our weekly Facebook Live program SIGNIS With You Live, Mr. Wong highlighted the importance of having centers like this that can work to contrast the negative consequences of the use of social media and the impact it has on the youth. He wishes for the communication center to “be a resource center for teachers, youth leaders and other active groups, who can use the center to plan and carry out their programs using technology”. In fact, the ultimate goal of the project is to have a fully equipped and functioning communications center to continue the mission of the Church in evangelization and for it to be able to train people in the best use of technology.
The center will promote different services and initiatives like:
- Media training sessions and workshops
- Webinars with international guests
- Networking with the Antilles Episcopal Conference and SIGNIS Latin America and Caribbean.
- Technical training
- Courses on WordPress, social media, fact checking, and storytelling
- Courses on how to create and upload podcasts on various themes
- Connecting families through workshops where teens teach their parents and elders the use of social media and technology
The diocese of Belize has been a member of the Antilles Episcopal Conference and SIGNIS ALC since their formation and because of the involvement of SIGNIS Caribbean in supporting the AEC’s mission and how it continuously serves the pastoral work of the Church in communication, they wanted to “work with an organization that was knowledgeable about the needs of the Church and what the Church is about”, which led them to consider SIGNIS Services Rome a good partner to approach. Mr. Wong also shared that “since SSR has helped many to acquire the technical equipment and training that many people around the world need, (we) look forward to keeping this collaboration active”.
To know more about this project head to our Facebook page to watch our interview with Mr. Ruben Wong and discover many other active projects and initiatives related to radio, television, and media development in areas where it is most needed.