Interested in improving the communicative aspect within the group and its communities, young Cubans linked to the Association of Catholic Communicators (Signis) met on October 5 and 6 in Havana to participate in the first national meeting of Signis Cuba Joven.
Regardless of distances, 17 boys from six dioceses of the country arrived in the capital; and both the Padre Félix Varela Cultural Center, the Laical House, and the Archbishopric, hosted their discussions on dissimilar issues, but with the same objective: to strengthen the associate and to help the positive transformation of the environment from their areas of action.
During the first day, Gustavo Andújar, former President of Signis in the country and worldwide, discussed the Church’s presence in the world of communications, with an emphasis on the history of professional organization in the Caribbean nation.
On the same day, attendees had the opportunity to exchange online with Father Rolando Montes de Oca, a diploma in Social Communication and known, above all, for his accompaniment on Cuban television to Pope Francis’ visit to the island, in September 2015.
According to Daniel Estévez, a habanero, the first part of the event “enabled those present to include and feel like members of an organization that currently demands active work in Cuban society and church. Likes, dialogue with Father Rolando encouraged and exhorted communication from Christian faith and commitment.”
A panel dedicated to the creation of content for the web and good practices on social networks occupied the morning of Saturday 6, where representatives of recognized digital media such as Cubadebate (state website), El Toque (non-institutional digital magazine) and Palabra Nueva (print and digital magazine of the Archdiocese) shared their experiences.
Orlando Marquez, who was a spokesman for the Archdiocese of Havana and director for more than 20 years of the last publication mentioned, conducted a colloquium on prudence as a virtue of the communicator, which he stressed does not translate into cowardice or inactivity.
On the other hand, the results of last May’s meeting in Panama, as well as the screening of the “You Can Change Something” video campaign, also focused several sessions of the event. These spaces helped to perfect together a strategy that has been weaved for a few months, with the intention of dealing with the main problems of the new Cuban generations.
Giselle Gómez, of Pinar del Río, considers that this was “the time to evaluate some initiatives already developed and, above all, define work patterns for the coming months, including the implementation of the audiovisual campaign that will be complemented by specific actions in each territory”.
For the santiaguero journalist Yander Castillo, in addition to being an occasion to dialogue with other members of the associate, the meeting served to professionalize more and more the service that is performed, an aspect that he described as essential.
As a sign of support, Yarelis Rico and Jorge Villa, president and vice president of Signis Cuba respectively, accompanied the youth throughout the meeting, and stressed the importance of commitment and teamwork to achieve the proposed goals.
On behalf of the Directive of Signis Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) of which he is a part, Jorge shared a statement, urged the boys to strive and dream. The message also expressed confidence in the success of the project.
The program closed with a mass presided over by Father Jorge Luis Pérez Soto, adviser to Youth Pastoral in Havana.
Signis Cuba Joven began to be structured in November last year, in response to Signis LAC’s invitation to integrate a training project for leading communicators.
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