Congress 2008 News and Article

WACC Congress 2008 Opens with Ceremony

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.

Building bridges to reconciliation and peace

2007-11-22T00:00:00+00:00

By Philip Lee, Deputy Director of Programmes, WACC

‘One thing is clear: that between the life of the townsmen and that bridge, there existed a centuries-old bond. Their fates were so intertwined that they could not be imagined separately. Therefore the story of the foundation and destiny of the bridge is at the same time the story of the life of the town and its people, from generation to generation’ (Ivo Andri?).

Reality and peace

2007-12-06T19:00:00+00:00

By Frank Kürschner-Pelkmann, Freelance journalist, based in Germany

A distorted picture of reality is very often a decisive factor on the road from peace to conflict and war. For that reason propaganda has very often been used to distort the worldview of people in order to prepare the next war. The distinction between “us” and “them” is used as a foundation stone for a black and white description of life in a community, in a country or between countries.

Communication is Peace: A Shocking Theme

2007-12-14T22:00:00+00:00

By Keith Knight, President, WACC- North America

The theme for Congress 2008, Communication is Peace, seems almost shocking. After all, the logo of the sponsoring organization, the World Association for Christian Communication, proudly proclaims Taking Sides, a tagline that implies taking a stand in the face of conflict and being prepared to accept its consequences. Communication is peace, on the other hand, implies bridge-building, working for consensus, understanding and even validating the other person’s perspective.

Congress keynote speaker addresses Amnesty International council

2007-12-19T00:00:00+00:00

By Robyn Naylor, Communications Coordinator, Isis-WICCE

The head of a global women’s rights organization scheduled to be a keynote speaker at the upcoming communication rights conference, Congress 2008, recently challenged over 400 senior Amnesty International delegates from all over the world to make women’s human rights real, particularly in Africa, a region where Amnesty International’s initiatives tend to lag behind despite its strong human rights profile.

Ms. Ruth Ojiambo Ochieng, Executive Director of Isis-Women's International Cross Cultural Exchange (Isis-WICCE) based in Kampala, Uganda, was speaking on the theme “Thinking Ahead", as a key panelist at a recent Amnesty International (AI) Council Meeting in Morelos, Mexico.

Journalists can learn to make peace

2008-02-04T17:53:48+00:00

By Rebekah Chevalier, WACC-North America Regional Vice-Chair

When you watch or read a news story about a violent incident or a war, are you getting the complete picture? Is there additional background material that would help explain why the conflict is happening or other sources that would provide another dimension to the story? These questions will be the focus of a series of workshops for journalists and peace advocates on “peace journalism” that will be offered during Congress 2008.

New UNIFEM Executive Director to speak at Congress 2008

2008-02-06T00:00:00+00:00

Following the appointment of Noeleen Heyzer, former Executive Director of UNIFEM, to a new post in Bangkok, Thailand, WACC is delighted to announce that Joanne Sandler, ad interim Executive Director of the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), will replace her as keynote speaker at its upcoming global communications conference, Congress 2008, to be held in Cape Town, South Africa, October 6-10. She will be giving a presentation on 'Media and gender justice.'

Getting to the heart of peace-building

2008-02-06T17:51:51+00:00

Rev. Dr. S. Wesley Ariarajah, Professor of Theology, at Drew University, School of Theology

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. It is common to speak of ‘Communication for Peace’ or ‘for Peace-Building’. But the bold assertion, ‘Communication is Peace’ is a welcome emphasis that gets to the heart of some of the deepest issues that plague our efforts at seeking, building, maintaining, and fostering peace.

Arzobispo Desmond Tutu hablará sobre el rol de los medios en cobertura de conflictos

2008-02-19T16:26:15+00:00

Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu is set to address Congress 2008 focussing on the important role played by the world’s media in reporting on violence and reconciliation. WACC has confirmed that Tutu will speak October 6 at the Atlantic Conference Centre in Cape Town, South Africa during the opening ceremony of Congress 2008, a conference for communicators and peace advocates from faith-based and civil society organizations. The five-day event builds on the theme Communication is peace: Building viable communities.

Los disparos no silenciarán el llamado a la paz de comunicad

2008-02-29T19:44:26+00:00

By Dennis Smith, former president of WACC-Latin America

Gunfire awakened us at 1:35 this morning. 12 rounds? 15? I was too disoriented to keep track. No screams, no sirens, but we were left wondering who had fired those rounds and why. We live in a middle-middle class neighborhood in Guatemala City - one of the most violent cities in Latin America. Violence has many roots: the persistent legacy of 36 years of civil war; centuries of racism; a polarized economy controlled by a tiny, wealthy elite; endemic violence against women and children.