World Day for Social Communications 2014

On the occasion of the World Day for Social Communications, which is being commemorated next Sunday, 1^st June 2014, the Secretariat for Social Communications has prepared a short TV spot which will be broadcast on PBS stations.  The underlying message questions whether the means of technology are serving as a bridge or as a barrier to social communications.  The spot features daily family life in a society dominated by technology. 

On this occasion, Archbishop Paul Cremona O.P., through the Secretariat for Communications, will be also organizing a Business Brunch for news editors and others who work in the field of the media.  This will be held on Monday 16^th June, at noon, at the Excelsior Hotel, Floriana.

The main speaker will be H.E. Professor Douglas Kmiec, whose lecture is entitled:  “If secularism becomes the means of secularization, is it the death or the resurrection of democracy? The relationship between the Church and the State”.

Professor Kmiec is the former Ambassador of the United States of America to Malta.  He is presently a candidate for the American Congress elections which will be held this year.  Professor Kmiec is an academic and an author.  He is presently working upon an Oxford University Press publication, related to secularisation, the theme which he will be talking about in Malta.

According to Professor Kmiec, this topic is very relevant not only for the Church and religious liberty, but also for society in general. Secularisation is a natural process which is evolving in our society.  Secularisation means that society is autonomous and therefore any consideration which it pays to the prevailing realities is not necessarily bound to any religious belief. This implies that both Church and State are free and autonomous.  Secularism refers to a situation whereby society tries to stifle any reference to religion, whether directly or indirectly, manifestedly or latently.  

For this occasion, Archbishop Paul Cremona has invited news editors and heads of media organizations.  Other guests include officials of the Broadcasting Authority, the Institute of Maltese Journalists and the Press Ethics Commission.

Fr Charles Tabone O.P., the Archbishop’s Delegate, will deliver the introductory address, followed by Professor Kmiec’s presentation.  After this, some time will be dedicated to discussion and comments from the audience.  Finally, the Archbishop will deliver his message on the occasion of the World Social Communications Day.