“Animated by the Spirit, let us communicate hope”. Motivated by these words of Pope Francis, the III Meeting of Communicators of the Lasallian Region of Latin America (RELAL), which took place in Porto Alegre (Brazil) from 1 to 4 March 2024, brought together those responsible for communication in the Region with the aim to share a fraternal, formative and future-oriented experience.
“The aim of this meeting was to evaluate and update the Communication Plan, as well as to have training in strategic communication“, remarked Brother Vinicio González, Secretary General of RELAL, who also highlighted that “the great richness of this meeting was the participation of each of the members of the Network, in the eight Districts”: Antillas-México Sur; Argentina-Paraguay; Bolivia-Peru; Bogotá; Brazil-Chile; Central America-Panama; Norandino; and México Norte.
During the meeting, in addition to the sharing of some communication experiences in Latin America and the Caribbean, there were also various training sessions — in the form of a workshop — on strategic communication from a Lasallian perspective, with the participation of Mr. Óscar Elizalde Prada PhD, Director of the Institute’s Office of Information and Communication, while the issue of social networks at the service of evangelisation and the management of crises and negativity in social networks were addressed, with the guidance of Ms Albertina Navas PhD, Director of Communication and Institutional Marketing of the Pontifical Catholic University of Ecuador.
According to Graciela Dias de Oliveira, Manager of Communication and Marketing of the Brazil-Chile District, this meeting has been “an opportunity to get to know different realities and to share best practices in communication, and, above all, to live in fraternity and to learn together”.
Likewise, during the meeting the participants also shared their experience with the community of the Noviciado Interdistrital de la Santísima Trinidad (Inter-District Novitiate of the Most Holy Trinity), and visited the Colegio La Salle Santo Antônio, in Porto Alegre. “In this way we strengthen the Lasallian mission in Latin America”, concluded the Brazilian communicator.