New Delhi (Fides Service) – The Church in India is multiplying initiatives for the growth and development of its activity in the field of communications, adopted as a pastoral priority for the new millennium. After the Course in electronic journalism and mass communications organised by Notre Dame Communications Centre in Patna, Bihar state, it was the turn of Jhabua diocese in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh state, where the local Church has just concluded a successful course in communications and artistic expression organised mainly for disadvantaged youth in rural tribal areas.
About fifty students from various schools followed the formation programme led by poet-narrator Ramshankar Chancal and priest-author Father Mahialp Bhuriya of Jhabua diocese. The initiative was highly praised and appreciated by state institutions: Mr Ramsingh Parmar head of the Communications and Media department of Indore University said the course helped students from tribal areas to improve in various fields of artistic and intellectual expression.
Bishop Chacko Thottumarichal of Jhabua, underlined that the course was a success because it enabled the young people to discover their natural talents in the field of art, culture, literature, creative writing. “I hope that thanks to adequate formation these disadvantaged young people will acquire greater self confidence and express all their potential and the national and international level”. At the end of the course the organisers expressed satisfaction because the young people had discovered talents of which they were not aware and went away strengthened in self confidence and self esteem. PA (Fides Service 17/7/2003 EM lines 27 Words: 306)