Ecuador – "The care of digital identity within the Salesian charism"

16 May 2023

(ANS - Quito) - On Wednesday, May 10, 2023, about 180 people participated in the webinar "Curating Digital Identity within the Salesian Charism," organized to celebrate World Communications Day and to reflect on the role and influence of the media in the current context.

Organized by the Communication Sector of the Salesian Province of Ecuador, the webinar aimed to promote the responsible use of social networks among those who are part of the communities and works of the Province, taking into account the Congregation's guidelines on the matter. The event, not surprisingly, was also attended by Fr. Ricardo Campoli, SDB, Dicastery Liaison for Social Communication for the Inter-American and South Cone American Regions. 

Through the Zoom platform and Facebook Live, numerous Salesians, lay people, local social communication leaders, youth from the Salesian Youth Movement, pastoral workers from parishes and oratories, and members of different branches of the Salesian Family connected to participate. Several participants from the Salesian Provinces of Bolivia and Peru also connected.

The moderators were Marcelo Vizuete, from the "Don Bosco" Educational Unit in La Tola, and Valeria Narváez and Matías Rizzo, from the "Cardenal Spellman" Educational Unit. They are part of the network of young Salesian communicators and were the protagonists of the animation of this space that took place on the television set of "Audiovisuales Don Bosco."

Fr. Marcelo Farfán, Provincial, welcomed the participants. In his speech, he mentioned the importance of addressing this topic to delve into the challenges of communication in the digital sphere and what it means to live the Salesian charism in these contexts. "As a Province, we have great challenges in the area of social communication; I hope this will be a space to trigger reflection, draft proposals, think about how to be present in the initiatives in which the world of communication is evolving."

Father Campoli, making use of various authors, explained some of the aspects that make up the digital identity of people on the web. He referred to the concept of "mask," as on social networks users try to present themselves in the best way possible. "Social networks allow us to go one step further: we can present ourselves as we want to be seen, even by those we will never meet," he said.

"We have to consider the digital world as an anthropological and theological place, where not only published information is at stake, but where faith is also put at risk. We upload everything and more on our profiles, which requires that our behavior in real life be the same as our behavior in virtual life," added Fr. Campoli, stressing that everything experienced in the digital world can help generate bonds and connections. Of course, it all depends on each individual's digital use and responsibility.

Before the webinar ended, Tatiana Capelo, Delegate for Communication, recalled the following: "These spaces are important within the Provincial Organic Project, as the objective is to promote the critical use of media and social networks." In closing, she also invited all communities and works to participate in World Communications Day next Sunday, May 21, 2023.

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ANS - “Agenzia iNfo Salesiana” is a on-line almost daily publication, the communication agency of the Salesian Congregation enrolled in the Press Register of the Tibunal of Rome as n 153/2007.

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