280, Congress Special Edition - Issue 1

Congress Special Edition - Issue 1

	Congress opens in Cape Town, South Africa *By Teresia Mutuku, WACC* An address by Nobel peace laureate Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu is a highlight of the opening session of the World Association for Christian Communication (WACC) Congress on 6 October, 2008, in Cape Town, South Africa. Tutu, who delivers his opening speech at 9 a.m. local time, will be speaking about the role of media in reporting about violence and reconciliation, in keeping with the Congress theme “Communication is peace: Building viable communities.” Read more...
	Cape Town mayor to attend Congress The Mayor of Cape Town, Helen Zille, will attend the opening ceremony of Congress 2008. Zille worked for many years as a journalist on The Rand Daily Mail, the liberal newspaper that was eventually squeezed out of existence by the apartheid government and its commercial owners. She was subsequently Public Relations Officer for the University of Cape Town. Read more...
	Partners share successes, challenges Pre-congress consultation identifies best practices, recommendations *By Stella Etemesi* The rich experiences shared by project partners gathered for the Development Initiatives Programme (DIP) consultation affirms WACC General Secretary Randy Naylor’s assertion that DIP represents “the most exciting work that WACC has done.” Held two days ahead of the WACC Congress 2008, the consultation is the first opportunity for DIP partners from 36 countries to meet and share stories about their work. Read more...
	La paz no se logra con el silencio By Manuel Quintero, Switzerland En 1992, los Acuerdos de Paz pusieron fin a una guerra civil que se prolongó durante doce largos años y dejó un trágico saldo de ochenta personas asesinadas y un millón en el exilio.A raíz de esos acuerdos, la política oficial ha tratado de echar un manto de silencio y de olvido sobre una horrenda secuela de crímenes y violaciones, en aras de la reconciliación y el restablecimiento de la paz social en ese país centroamericano.Pero la paz, dice Carlos Conrado, no logra con el silencio. Conrado es director de Audiovisuales de la Universidad Centro América (AUCA), la organización que realiza un documental sobre la matanza de Ingenio Colima para romper el silencio y buscar la verdad —único camino para lograr una genuina reconciliación de la sociedad salvadoreña.Read more...
	Award-winning films to be screened at Congress Documentaries about media, civil war, human rights, and stereotypes will showcase the work of international film directors for Congress participants. Shock Waves, by InformAction Productions—winner of the best Canadian documentary on international development (2008) and of the WACC-SIGNIS human rights film award (2008)—will be screened on 7 October. The documentary presents realities of local radio reporting in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, a country torn by civil war where people are struggling to rebuild their communities. Read more...

WACC promotes communication for social change. It believes that communication is a basic human right that defines people's common humanity, strengthens cultures, enables participation, creates community and challenges tyranny and oppression.

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 36 Causton Street, London SW1P 4ST. It is an incorporated Charitable Organisation in Canada (number 83970 9524 RR0001) with its head office at 308 Main Street, Toronto ON, M4C 4X7.