“We don’t have problems but challenges” Dr. Joseph Calstas, the Secretary General UCIP

The International Catholic Union of the Press functions like a guardian angel for the journalists and media professional and promotes justice and peace for the humanity at large like the Archangel St. Michael.
The sharing of Dr. Joseph Calstas, the Secretary General of UCIP was a kind of eye opening and very much interesting for me personally, to know the involvement of the Christian and non Christian lay journalists and media professional in promoting justice and peace. As he was explaining the historical background, the birth and development of the UCIP all over the world was really very much surprising for me. In his dialogue I was able to understand the main emphasis of this union is to promote justice, peace and social development in all the parts of the world. At the same time this union gives an extraordinary importance to encourage and to give a world wide out look and experience for the young journalists especially from Africa, Asia and South American countries, by sending them to other countries to get involved in various exposure programme and field experience.
All through the dialogue one thing very much impressed me was at the end of the session Dr. Joseph Calstas said, “we don’t have problems but challenges”. The challenges to promote the liberty of expression; Justice and equal development in the socially and economically under developed countries; giving awareness to the commoners not to be trapped by sweet coated pills of neo-colonization techniques of the so called super powers of the world and above all giving importance and highlighting the ethical and moral values of human life.
UCIP has created a floor where journalists and media professionals both from the Church side and secular side can come together to share and discusses about these about challenges, thus they enrich and empower themselves with clear vision of the world situation with first hand information and get themselves involved in their media mission to proclaim the Good News of Justice, Peace and Love.