Sujan Ghale and Supriya Lama  from Nepal recently participated in an enriching and immersive program titled” FA MULAN SIGNIS media event, SIGNIS Communicator Conference 2024,” held from the 24th to 26th June  2024 at Bangkok, Thailand. It was an initial step towards organizing the FA MULAN CAMPAIGN. This session, organized by SIGNIS, focused on outlining the campaign’s objectives, planning its execution, and fostering collaboration among participants from different countries.

The attendees  representing diverse nations shared insights and strategies to engage a broader audience through digital evangelization and social media. The event emphasized themes such as Indigenous rights, climate justice, women’s empowerment, and inter-religious unity, laying the groundwork for a cohesive and impactful campaign aimed at promoting social justice and faith engagement across various digital platforms.

Their day first was started with Holy Mass at Nunciature Chapel by THE Archbishop Peter Wells. In his sermon, His Excellency Archbishop Wells warmly encouraged all of them  to embrace the trust and innocence of a child while using our intellect and resources wisely.

After that, the welcome address by the facilitator(Peter Monthienvichienchai) then  they representing different countries (the Philippines, Myanmar, Indonesia, Thailand, India, and Nepal), introduced themselves, shared their current situations, and described their  roles in their  respective countries, as well as their contributions and engagements in the media field and with the church during the interaction session with the Nuncio.Also after their  short interaction with Nuncio they presented our traditional Dhaka Topi to the Nuncio on behalf of the whole IMCS Nepal Family as a Souvenir. 

Then , they were engaged in various activities such as What is the Campaign and Synod About (knowledge, purpose, objective, measurement of success) at FABC, Q&A to Facilitator: Peter Monthienvichienchai, Skills Exchange – Social Media/Content/AI/Engagement Specialist at FABC and many more. They  presented about the church, its state in the country, and the youth engagement and participation.

Each of them  shared their work, engagement, and plans for the mission in the country, as well as their  vision for the future of the church. The session explained the need for and the situation of digital evangelization through the digital medium. They were engaged in a campaign planning session 1 where Topics for each month to focus engagement, Hashtags, What are the key points of the Synodal process we want to highlight at FABC. During this session , they were divided into groups and given the following themes relating to synod: Migrant laborers, Family issues, Women’s roles, Gender, Youth & the new era, The effects of digital technology, Promoting economic equality in globalization, Climate change and Inter-religious unity and peace. Each group also had to develop three hashtags connecting to the FA MULAN theme. Also, The Apostolic Nunciature of Thailand later used the hashtags in their official Facebook posts.

After this, in Campaign Planning Session 2 they discuss about How to run the Campaign, online teams (at FABC).During this , they  strategized to use the three FA MULAN hashtags on our National Catholic Organizational social media platforms. Their  aim is to engage a broader audience, including Catholics, non-Catholics, and people of other faiths, to become voices for the voiceless.

They also plan to advocate passionately for indigenous rights, climate justice, women’s empowerment, and other crucial issues through digital platforms. Now in Campaign Planning Session 3 and 4 Campaign Timeline, Promotion Plan, Outcome format at FACBC where each country was allocated a month to host an online program and a campaign, beginning with the Philippines. Our Nepal team proposed a hosting  program with the theme of Indigenous people in August, as World Indigenous Day also falls in the same month.

Then, Campaign Plan on Paper, Process at FABC and had reflection over all sessions also they were given certificates for their participation. During this all session, they got to learn and also represent our country on an international platform.

• IMCS CLAP WORKSHOP on Critical Leadership 2024:

A workshop on Critical Leadership was held on 7th, 8th, 14th, 15th June, 2024 for all the Asian countries under Pax Romana. It was the 2nd batch of IMCS clap workshop which was organized in virtual form. The session lasted around for 2 hours per day  where the facilitator talked about leadership and social problems affecting society.

After all topics were  introduced and explained at the end small groups were formed then four/ five questions were given. In small groups, all had to discuss the questions and prepare answers.Afterwards from one group one individual had to speak about their discussions and answers. By this way, a four day online session had been completed.

From this workshop, all participants got a chance to learn more about leadership and different social problems affecting society. To sum up, it was a fruitful and knowledgeable workshop.

• Thanksgiving Program:

On 21st June, 2024, IMCS had organized a small thanksgivings program held at  St.Xavier’s College, Maitighar,Kathmandu,Nepal. This program was organized for Br.Aashish and Br. Deepak along with for IMCS’s former executive members.

 It was a short program for appreciating their contribution, enormous guidance and support for growth of IMCS Nepal in which there was sharing and a token of love for them. At the beginning, Supriya Lama had shared her experience and learning about the conference in Thailand. After that token of love to former members and theirs sharing then again sharing of brothers and token of love to them. Then after, there was introduction of new executive members and the program was concluded by group photo.

• IMCS-Nepal participation in skill learning and media production course:

Supriya Lama from Nepal recently participated in an enriching and immersive program titled “Media Production Short Course and How Indigenous Peoples can enrich the Synodal Church,” held from the 10th to 20th March 2024 at the Don Bosco Technical School, Themy Village, Prey Thom Commune, Kep District, Kep Province, Kingdom of Cambodia.

This intensive course was designed to delve into various facets of media production, such as photography, video production, editing, and the effective use of social networks, with a special focus on the contribution of Indigenous Peoples (IPs) to the Synodal Church. The program was structured to provide participants like Lama with a comprehensive learning experience, combining theoretical knowledge with practical skills.Throughout the course, Supriya engaged in a variety of major activities that not only enhanced her understanding of media production but also allowed her to express her cultural identity. She recorded indigenous songs in her mother tongue, Tamang, showcasing the rich cultural heritage of her community.

In addition to this, she actively participated in performing a cultural song and dance, further highlighting the vibrant traditions of Nepal. The program also included creative sessions where Supriya, alongside her peers, made videos as demonstrations of their newfound skills in media production. These activities were not just assignments; they were opportunities for Supriya to tell stories through the lens of her indigenous background. One of the most memorable projects Supriya contributed to was the creation of a wall painting.

This artwork was designed to represent her country and indigenous identity, serving as a vivid reminder of the diversity and richness of cultures participating in the course. Through these hands-on projects, workshops, and practical exercises, Supriya was able to network with fellow participants, fostering lasting connections centered around the theme of dialogue and listening to how Indigenous Peoples can contribute to the Synodal Church. This program was not only a journey into the world of media production for Supriya but also an affirmation of her cultural heritage and its significant role in global narratives.

• IMCS-Nepal participation in Organic Intellectual (OI) Training of Trainers Event

Rejina Ghale from Nepal recently participated in an enriching and immersive program titled “ Organic Intellectual (OI) Training of Trainers Event”, held from 6nd – 8 th June, 2024 at Research and Training Center for Religio-Cultural Community (RTRC), Chiangmai, Thailand.

The objective of this program was to make an individual work as a part of the media team of LICAS News and to share the perspective as an indigenous youth in relation of church and indigenous peoples in the context of Nepal also highlighting how indigenous wisdom and faith have contributed to the sense of faith. Then, she visited the International Youth Training Center (IYTC), Chiangmai, Thailand.

She was engaged in the program titled training of trainers event where Rejina Ghale attended the event as a media representative for LICAS News. Additionally, she participated in sessions on Organic Intellect (OI), which focused on sharing the essence of Indigenous Knowledge practices and spirituality.

The training also included sessions on studying a community, addressing issues faced by youth, and understanding how indigenous faith has contributed to individual faith formation from the youth’s perspective. This session was really knowledgeable and fruitful to her also from this program she had gained a lot of valuable information and insights of organic intellect.