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The Board Chair of the Catholic News Agency for Africa (CANAA), Archbishop Charles Palmer-Buckle of Accra, Ghana has made a passionate appeal to Catholic African journalists, in particular, to be more proactive and at the forefront of telling African stories to the world. The Archbishop made the call in a speech read for him at a continental workshop on, ‘Online reporting.’

The nascent Catholic News Agency for Africa, CANAA, is a project of African Catholic Bishops under the auspices of the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM).

Archbishop Palmer-Buckle, who was not present at the workshop, had his opening remarks read for him Tuesday by the Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa (AMECEA) Communications Coordinator, Fr Chrisantus Ndaga. CANAA has brought together, for the workshop, Catholic journalists drawn from 10 African countries namely, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Seychelles, Malawi, Nigeria, Ghana and South Sudan. The workshop is currently taking place at the Don Bosco Youth and Educational Services Centre (DBYES) in Nairobi, Kenya. It started on 10 April and ends on 13 April.

In a candid speech, Archbishop Palmer-Buckle noted that the international media tends to focus more on the negatives about Africa. African Catholic media should balance this by reporting on the many, good and positive initiatives being achieved by the Church and other religious institutions on the continent.

 “Africa is often portrayed as a continent of gloom and doom and societal failures, as well as riddled with ethnocentrisms, violent conflicts, corruption, epidemics such as HIV/AIDs and Ebola,” Archbishop Palmer-Buckle, said. However, the Archbishops emphasises the fact that there is more to Africa than just the tragic stories. He has urged Africans to take an active role and engage Africans in speaking boldly about the vibrancy of the continent and about its successes without glossing over the challenges.

The Archbishop added, “There are many interventions and positive activities of the Church in Africa that go unreported. Over the years, there has been the desire to share news and other information among the local Churches of Africa. There has also been a longing to have the voice of Africa’s Church heard within and beyond its borders,” the Archbishop said in his speech.

The intensive one-week workshop has seen Catholic journalists from Africa deliberate and share ways of how best to tell African stories to the world.

Speaking at the same occasion, CANAA Director, Fr. Don Bosco Onyalla echoed Archbishop Palmer-Buckle’ sentiments saying that Africa does not enjoy a positive narrative globally.

“Many contexts of Africa are used as examples of negativity, with expressions such as: ‘Poverty-stricken country, government defined by corruption, a political system rooted in ethnic affiliations, a society divided by religion, disease –ridden community,’ and even more recently, a ‘hotbed of terror.’ This narrative is frequently told by non-Africans,” Fr. Onyalla observed.

SECAM, under which CANAA falls, is a continental association of Bishops that seeks to promote reconciliation, justice and peace. It also advocates for the respect of human rights and the dignity of the human person as well as fostering a servant-leadership style in those who share its vision and mission.  SECAM also wants to  enhance a true image and appreciation of the Church in Africa.

 (Rose Achiego in Nairobi)

Email:engafrica@vatiradio.va

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