Switzerland: With the phenomenal growth of information and communication technologies (ICTs), young people find themselves overwhelmed by information. As a Christian organization committed to working with students worldwide, we (The World Student Christian Federation) find the need to make them aware of the huge potential provided by ICTs in our societies and the opportunities available for them to speak on behalf of their communities, especially on peace-building issues.
I am sure WACC's Congress will be a turning point for many Christian communicators, as they will learn alot from the great speakers and participants who will attend it. We are proud to send a journalist from Lesotho on behalf of WSCF and we hope this event will promote wide and solid networks between different organisations so we can all work together in a world where Communications and other Human Rights are continuously under threat.
Andrés López, Communications Intern, World Student Christian Federation, Geneva, Switzerland
Uganda: Church media have a special role in advocating for peace in Northern Uganda where war by the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) has lasted for over 20 years. Thousands of children abducted by the guerillas were forced into miserable lives as child soldiers and sexual slaves. Many are missing parents either because they were abducted or killed.
Church media should empower the war victims to tell their stories, traumas and experiences. Through churches, the media are able to reach far and wide where other journalists cannot reach. They are able to get into the spiritual depth of the conflict. I thank WACC for organising the Congress in Africa and I hope journalists will become more empowered to actively advocate for peace in the region.
Sr. Rosemary Nyirumbe is the Director of St. Monica Girls Tailoring Centre in Northern Uganda, a rescue centre for girls and children. She was awarded CNN’s heroes award 2007
Togo: Le Togo est entré depuis quelque temps dans un processus de réconciliation nationale après une période de conflits et de graves et massives violences à caractère sociopolitique. Pour un aboutissement effectif de ce processus, les populations ont besoin d’une bonne et vraie communication, une communication pacifique et non violente. Car parfois les médias versent dans le sensationnel et le parti pris, et les conséquences sont désastreuses. A cet effet, ceux qui sont appelés à communiquer doivent être imprégnés de la volonté de bâtir une société de paix dans laquelle les intérêts particuliers n’empiètent pas sur l’intérêt général pour une paix sociale durable.
Le thème du congrès de la WACC : "La communication c’est la paix : bâtir des communautés durables" permettra aux journalistes et communicateurs de partager des expériences qui feront d’eux des artisans de la paix en Afrique et partout ailleurs dans le monde où des communautés sont déchirées par des violences de toutes sortes. Car ce n’est que par la promotion de la paix que nous pourrions construire des communautés durables.
KPALLA Matomklawè, Chef Section Mass Média,
Eglise Evangélique Presbytérienne du Togo
Canada: When misunderstandings exist, or are even entrenched, true communication becomes increasingly difficult, yet increasingly important if peace is to be achieved. It is therefore critical to ensure that our communications for peace foster true understanding.
Audiovisual messages offer powerful ways to increase this understanding. The theme of WACC’s 2008 Congress is “Communication is Peace: Building Viable Communities.” If communication is peace, then information and communication technologies (ICTs) are valuable tools that enable communication.
In an effort to enable greater communications for peace, I have made my own small contribution, which was inspired by the Rwandan events. I just launched a multimedia storytelling website called www.cryrwanda.com. I invite you to share your own stories about peacebuilding there, from any region -- we all can learn from each other. Please visit the site again in the future to view what others have contributed.
USA: One of the important revelations of the tragic events related to the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon is how little the average citizen in the United States knew about Islam and the Muslims. Often, gaps created by lack of knowledge are readily filled by prejudices and assumptions, and the willingness to succumb to the fear of the unknown. Throughout history powerful groups in society exploit such ignorance to polarize communities and perpetuate violence and war. True knowledge is liberative; mutual understanding is at the heart of building communities that live in peace with justice.
The listening and learning process that goes on in communication and the way such communication impacts and transforms the affective and relational dimensions of life in community are central to building viable communities for peace. It is significant that WACC’s Congress 2008 in Cape Town has chosen ‘Communication is Peace: Building Viable Communities’ as the theme of its gathering. Read full article...
Rev. Dr. S. Wesley Ariarajah, Professor of Theology, at Drew University, School of Theology, Madison, N.J., U.S.A
Guatemala: Life in Guatemala has already taught me that there is no magic formula for peace. Peace building is hard work that often bears little fruit for generations. In Cape Town I expect to learn what has worked for colleagues in other parts of the world and how they have been able to incorporate the media into their peacebuilding strategies. I look forward to attending the Congress because my work as a Christian communicator and my involvement in Guatemalan civil society are inextricably tied to the need to find viable solutions to the complex web of violence that ensnares us. My colleagues in Africa are well equipped to guide our reflections. Read full article...
Dennis Smith, former president of WACC-Latin America, the coordinator for Communication Training and Publications with theCentral American Evangelical Center for Pastoral Studies (Cedepca), in Guatemala City.
World Association for Christian Communication officially opened its 2008 Congress in Cape Town, South Africa, 6 October, with dancing, drumming, and celebration. 300 delegates from over 70 countries gathered to celebrate communication with simultaneous translation into English, French, Spanish.
The World Association for Christian Communication is a UK
Registered Charity (number 296073) and a Company registered in
England and Wales (number 2082273) with its Registered Office
at 71 Lambeth Walk, London SE11 6DX. It is an incorporated
Charitable Organisation in Canada (number 83970 9524 RR0001)
with its head office at 308 Main Street, Toronto ON, M4C 4X7.
Switzerland: With the phenomenal growth of information and communication technologies (ICTs), young people find themselves overwhelmed by information. As a Christian organization committed to working with students worldwide, we (
Uganda: Church media have a special role in advocating for peace in Northern Uganda where war by the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) has lasted for over 20 years. Thousands of children abducted by the guerillas were forced into miserable lives as child soldiers and sexual slaves. Many are missing parents either because they were abducted or killed.
Togo: Le Togo est entré depuis quelque temps dans un processus de réconciliation nationale après une période de conflits et de graves et massives violences à caractère sociopolitique. Pour un aboutissement effectif de ce processus, les populations ont besoin d’une bonne et vraie communication, une communication pacifique et non violente. Car parfois les médias versent dans le sensationnel et le parti pris, et les conséquences sont désastreuses. A cet effet, ceux qui sont appelés à communiquer doivent être imprégnés de la volonté de bâtir une société de paix dans laquelle les intérêts particuliers n’empiètent pas sur l’intérêt général pour une paix sociale durable.
Canada: When misunderstandings exist, or are even entrenched, true communication becomes increasingly difficult, yet increasingly important if peace is to be achieved. It is therefore critical to ensure that our communications for peace foster true understanding.
USA: One of the important revelations of the tragic events related to the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon is how little the average citizen in the United States knew about Islam and the Muslims. Often, gaps created by lack of knowledge are readily filled by prejudices and assumptions, and the willingness to succumb to the fear of the unknown. Throughout history powerful groups in society exploit such ignorance to polarize communities and perpetuate violence and war. True knowledge is liberative; mutual understanding is at the heart of building communities that live in peace with justice. 
Guatemala: Life in Guatemala has already taught me that there is no magic formula for peace. Peace building is hard work that often bears little fruit for generations. In Cape Town I expect to learn what has worked for colleagues in other parts of the world and how they have been able to incorporate the media into their peacebuilding strategies. I look forward to attending the Congress because my work as a Christian communicator and my involvement in Guatemalan civil society are inextricably tied to the need to find viable solutions to the complex web of violence that ensnares us. My colleagues in Africa are well equipped to guide our reflections. 
