The fourth Lomé meeting was held in the Togolese capital from November 22 to 26. Due to pandemic-related restrictions, about 50 representatives from French-speaking Christian media outlets were able to attend the event in person. Some 500 people logged on to the Internet to follow the event either in part or in its entirety. Olivia Beugre of Côte d’Ivoire provided an update on FOMECAF’s activities during the closing ceremony. Echos.
“The continued success of our forum is only possible with the support of each and every one of you!” It was with these words that Olivia Beugre concluded her summary at the closing ceremony of the fourth edition of the Lomé Meetings, held from November 22 to 26. The editor-in-chief of Radio La Voix de l’Espérance in Abidjan welcomed the approximately 50 journalists, radio hosts, and station directors in attendance, representing 13 French-speaking African countries. In addition, some 500 people logged in via Zoom, YouTube, or Facebook to follow the presentations, which focused in particular on the theme: “Media and the Generational Divide.”
Develop a partnership with AbR
Speaking on behalf of the ten or so leaders of the Francophone African Christian Media Forum (FOMECAF), Olivia Beugre outlined some prospects for future joint activities. First, there will be a partnership with AbR Media, a primarily English-language media network that offers support to Christian radio stations across the African continent.
The radio host from La Voix de l’espérance also noted that Dodji Juliette Kpessou of Radio Hosanna in Porto-Novo (Benin) and Benjamin Holl of Radio Vie nouvelle in Douala (Cameroon) would be taking over the management of the news agency, which publishes various written and radio contributions on the FOMECAF website. They will be supported by Joseph Ykio Gnahoua and Franceline Sehi from Côte d’Ivoire.
Promote the “New Life” satellite radio station
FOMECAF officials have also decided to promote the French-language satellite radio station “Nouvelle vie” within their organization, in order to enable the rebroadcast of programs aired by this partner. In addition, a library of web radio stations will be made available online to facilitate the rebroadcast of certain programs that might be of interest to local radio stations, which sometimes lack original content.
From a structural standpoint, Olivia Beugre also noted that a transitional body would be established to better involve Africans in the organization of FOMECAF meetings and training programs.
An award presented to Abdoulaye Cissé, radio director in Timbuktu
At the end of the closing ceremony, Emmanuel Ziehli presented the François Sergy Award to Abdoulaye Cissé, director of Radio Tahanint (Mercy) in Timbuktu, Mali. A pastor in the Evangelical Baptist Church of Timbuktu, Abdoulaye has distinguished himself through his courage in continuing his work of Christian witness in an environment particularly threatened by radical Islam. In 2012, after the radio station was ransacked, Abdoulaye’s home was also ransacked. In 2017, three young people were murdered in front of Radio Tahanint, including two of the station’s hosts. In addition to his radio and pastoral activities, Abdoulaye Cissé also broadcasts Christian programs on some 40 radio stations in northern Mali, which he pays for. (c)
Sidebar
The Lomé Meetings at a Glance
The “Lomé” meetings were launched in January 2019. They offer Christian media professionals from French-speaking Africa the opportunity to participate in a week-long training program and to network in order to foster dialogue among professionals from different countries.
In January 2019, the organization Radio Réveil en Suisse, which produces radio programs for the entire French-speaking world, decided—on the occasion of its 70th anniversary—to invite its radio partners in Africa to a training session in Lomé. About 100 people took part in the event and signed the Lomé Declaration of Lomé. The signatories committed to ending competition between evangelical and Protestant radio stations and to pooling resources to improve the quality of their programs.
At the second edition of the Lomé Meetings, the approximately 170 participants engaged in a discussion on the theme “Let’s Invent Integral Radio!” They also decided to create the Forum of Christian Media in Francophone Africa (FOMECAF), with the following members on the founding committee: Olivia Adiko, journalist and editor-in-chief of *La Voix de l’espérance* (Ivory Coast); Dr. Alphonse Teyabe, communications consultant (Cameroon); Timothée Amegan, pastor and executive director of Médiafrique (Togo), and Emmanuel Ziehli, director of Radio Réveil (Switzerland).
In 2020, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, Lomé 3 invited about 50 in-person participants and about 100 online participants to explore the topic of “Media Convergence and Versatility in the Workplace.”
The Lomé 1 Report
The Lomé 2 Report
The Lomé 3 Report
Current members of the FOMECAF committee
The following individuals are members of the FOMECAF core network or committee: Olivia Adiko Beugre (Radio la Voix de l’Espérance; Abidjan), Dodji Juliette Kpessou (Radio Hosanna, Porto-Novo), Dr. Augustin Ahoga (theologian and anthropologist, Benin), Timothée Amegan (Médiafrique, Lomé), Illia Djadi (Open Doors, London), Blaise Gaïtou, director of JEM Niger, Benjamin Holl (Radio Vie nouvelle, Douala), Etienne Kiemdé (Radio Évangile et développement, Ouagadougou), Koffi Ahonon (CICERI and Compassion, Lomé), Dr. Abdoulaye Sangho (TWR, Abidjan), Dr. Alphonse Teyabe (media consultant, Douala), and Emmanuel Ziehli (Radio Réveil France).
About:
Francophone African Christian Media Forum https://medias.africa/
Radio Réveil Switzerland and France https://radioreveil.ch/ | https://radio-reveil.org/
AbR Media South Africa: https://abrmedia.org/
Lomé 5: Two Secular Figures Honored with the 2023 François Sergy Prize
French-speaking AfricaThe Francophone African Christian Media Forum (FOMECAF) and the Radio Réveil Association are jointly awarding the 2023 François SERGY Prize to photographer Koudousse Moustapha of Benin and radio broadcaster Rabiou Hamadou of Niger.
On February 24, FOMECAF officials, in collaboration with the Franco-Swiss Association Radio Réveil, presented an encouragement award to media professionals for the fourth time on the final day of the Lomé 5 seminar. This year, Koudousse Moustapha of Benin and Rabiou Hamadou of Niger impressed the jury. The first’s focus on social impact and the second’s emphasis on promoting peace and “living together” align with the theme of the seminar that just concluded in Lomé, as well as with the teachings provided by FOMECAF since 2019.
The François Sergy Award honors participants in the Lomé seminars who have distinguished themselves through their application of the lessons learned during the five seminars held since 2019 in the Togolese capital.
A photographer from Benin is honored
Koudousse Moustapaha, a young photojournalist from Benin, runs “Kovart Digital School,” a photography school founded just one year ago in Porto-Novo, the capital of Benin. After earning his high school diploma, he enrolled in a photography program in 2017, pursuing a field in the media that was already his passion. He earned his Certificate of Professional Qualification (CQM) in 2020. His talent was quickly recognized. Among the assignments he has undertaken is one for the Office of the President of Benin, which has placed its trust in him. Koudousse Moustapaha participated in the Lomé 4 seminar and has since distinguished himself through the quality of his work. Building on what he learned, he launched “Kovart Digital School” a few weeks later, an initiative dedicated to social action. This school is located in a disadvantaged neighborhood.
A radio personality from Maradi
Rabiou Hamadou is the second recipient of the François Sergy Award. A citizen of Niger, he is the founder of “Radio Nagarta” in Maradi, Niger. The station’s editorial line gives a voice to the entire social, cultural, and religious mosaic that makes up this region in the eastern part of his country, which is plagued by instability caused by nearby jihadist armed groups. “I dedicate this award to all the victims of the Russian-Ukrainian war and their families,” he said upon receiving his award. It did not escape this media veteran’s notice that the award was presented to him exactly one year to the day after the outbreak of the war in Europe. (c)
About the François Sergy Prize
The François Sergy Award was established in 2019. In partnership with FOMECAF, it honors a particularly commendable media project in memory of the late journalist François Sergy, a contributor to Radio Réveil who was himself of African descent. In 2019, Dodji Juliette Kpessou received the award for her series of columns titled “O2Vie.” Jean-Luc Simbilyabo of the DRC was honored in 2020 for his contributions in Ituri (eastern Congo). In 2021, Abdoualye Cissé was honored for his work and perseverance in Timbuktu (Mali).
More information about the other recipients of the François Sergy Award:
About FOMECAF
Since 2019, the Forum of Christian Media in French-Speaking Africa (FOMECAF) has brought together the signatories of “ The Lomé Declaration ,” which brings together representatives of faith-based media in French-speaking Africa once a year.
More information about FOMECAF.
The Lomé 5 Meetings: A Review with Illia Djadi and Emmanuel Ziehli
Ebène MediaThe goal of the Lomé meetings is to encourage journalists, hosts, and technicians at Christian radio stations in French-speaking Africa. From February 20 to 24, Emmanuel Ziehli, director of Radio R, traveled there to participate in the fifth edition of this seminar. The theme was: “Media: Tools for Peace in a World at War.” A recap of this event can be heard on “Un R d’Actu” on RADIO R.
On Tuesday, March 7, Emmanuel Ziehli, director of Radio R, and Illia Djadi, an analyst with the NGO Portes ouvertes, reviewed the fifth edition of the Lomé meetings organized by FOMECAF (Forum of Christian Media in Francophone Africa).
This year, these networking and professional development events—designed primarily for journalists, hosts, and directors of religious radio stations in French-speaking Africa—focused on the theme: “Media: Tools for Peace in a World at War.”
Illia Djadi was the keynote speaker. He encouraged the approximately 70 participants to use radio as a tool to promote social harmony and ensure that everyone has a voice on Christian radio stations, including representatives of the Muslim community. (c)
Listen to the show “Un R d’Actu” featuring Illia Djadi (Portes ouvertes), Emmanuel Ziehli (Radio Réveil), Abdoulaye Cissé (Mali), and Alphonse Teyabé (Cameroon).
LOME 5: THE MEDIA AS TOOLS FOR PEACE IN A WORLD AT WAR
Christian Media in French-Speaking Africa, Ebène MediaMore than 70 representatives of Christian media outlets from French-speaking Africa will gather at the OCDI in Lomé from February 20 to 24, 2023, with the goal of building their capacity and exchanging ideas as part of the Forum of Christian Media in French-Speaking Africa (FOMECAF). Illia Djadi, a journalist and human rights advocate, will be the keynote speaker at this fifth edition, which is themed “Media: Tools for Peace in a World in Conflict.” Held under the patronage of the Ministry of Communication and Media, the minister, Professor Akodah Ayewouadan, will be the guest of honor at the opening ceremony.
FOMECAF is meeting for the fifth time in the Togolese capital. More than 70 participants from nearly 15 countries are expected to attend this major gathering of Christian media from Francophone Africa. Furthermore, after two previous editions held despite the
COVID-19 pandemic, this edition marks the return of four hands-on workshops led by distinguished international guests: Joël Pelet, Director of “Canal Alpha” television in Switzerland; Christian Gaspoz, Director of “Radios Ébène Développement” in Paris; Denis Steffen, a radio consultant and member of the board of directors of Radio Réveil; and Pierre-Yves Mutrux, a program officer with the international organization “Galcom” in Canada. The Swiss association Radio Réveil is co-organizing the event for the last time and is represented by its president, Emmanuel Ziehli. This edition marks the end of a transition process, with the future now lying exclusively in the hands of African leaders.
Illia DJADI, keynote speaker for this year's event
In a world shaken by repeated conflicts that disrupt the economy and daily life in nations, Illia DJADI, drawing on his experience as an analyst, will provide his peers with insights into the issue of conflict on the continent and the tools needed to intervene in the pursuit of peace.
He will find the right words to help the journalists attending this meeting understand how to serve as “Tools of Peace” when peace is threatened in the areas they cover. Throughout his presentation, he will address the challenges posed by conflicts in Africa and around the world; the potential for radio and social media to become weapons of mass destruction; and the
role the media can play in conflict prevention…
Named the keynote speaker, Illia DJADI is in charge of issues related to religious freedom and belief in Sub-Saharan Africa on behalf of the international NGO “Open Doors.” Illia is an expert in this field and speaks in the media and at international forums to raise awareness about the rise of religious extremism in Africa and the dangers threatening “social cohesion” on the continent. Originally from Niger, he lives in London, where he has been actively involved in the development of FOMECAF for several years.
Lomé 5: Plenary Sessions and Workshops
Lomé will once again feature a combination of plenary sessions and workshops. The plenary sessions, which will be held every morning, will be deeply inspiring experiences led by experienced speakers who are well-versed in the subject matter. As regular attendees of the seminar and fully committed to fostering media convergence in Africa, the various leaders will take turns over the course of five days to explore topics designed to equip participants to become active agents in easing tensions across the continent.
The return of practical workshops in the afternoons will also provide added value for participants. Four workshops are offered to participants, including “Studio Sound” by Pierre-Yves Mutrux, “Filmed Radio” by Joël Pelet, and “FM Transmitter” by Christian GASPOZ.
Internet Broadcasting and Leadership
The plenary sessions and workshops of Lomé 5 will be broadcast in their entirety, both live and on a delayed basis, on FOMECAF’s various channels, particularly Facebook and YouTube.
FOMECAF leaders, for their part, will focus on issues related to the organization’s new direction. These five meetings constitute one of the major activities of Lomé 5 (c).
About FOMECAF
FOMECAF was founded in Lomé in 2019 on the sidelines of media training seminars.
It brings together about 50 representatives of faith-based media organizations in French-speaking Africa.
Its leadership team consists of:
1. Dr. Abdoualye Sangho, Trans World Radio (TWR), Ivory Coast
2. Dr. Etienne Kiemdé, Radio Évangile et Développement, Burkina Faso
3. Illia Djadi, Open Doors London
4. Olivia Beugre, Radio La Voix de l’Espérance, Ivory Coast
5. Juliette Kpessou, Radio Hosanna, Benin
6. Rev. Timothée Amegan, Mediaafrique Media Training, Togo
7. Dr. Alphonse Teyabé, media consultant, Cameroon
8. Benjamin Holl, Radio Vie Nouvelle, Cameroon
9. Dr. Augustin Ahoga, theologian and sociologist, Benin
10. Blaise Gaïtou, National Director of JEM, Niger
11. Koffi Ahonon, National Director of Compassion, Togo
12. Mawuena Abotschi, Permanent Secretary in Lomé, Togo
The names in bold are members of the executive board. Two international figures are joining for one last time this year:
13. Emmanuel Ziehli, President of Radio Réveil, France
14. Henriette Saindon, Secretary of Africa by Radio, South Africa
Download the press release
FOMECAF is launching a partnership with AbR and establishing a news agency
French-speaking Africa, Médias EbèneThe fourth Lomé meeting was held in the Togolese capital from November 22 to 26. Due to pandemic-related restrictions, about 50 representatives from French-speaking Christian media outlets were able to attend the event in person. Some 500 people logged on to the Internet to follow the event either in part or in its entirety. Olivia Beugre of Côte d’Ivoire provided an update on FOMECAF’s activities during the closing ceremony. Echos.
“The continued success of our forum is only possible with the support of each and every one of you!” It was with these words that Olivia Beugre concluded her summary at the closing ceremony of the fourth edition of the Lomé Meetings, held from November 22 to 26. The editor-in-chief of Radio La Voix de l’Espérance in Abidjan welcomed the approximately 50 journalists, radio hosts, and station directors in attendance, representing 13 French-speaking African countries. In addition, some 500 people logged in via Zoom, YouTube, or Facebook to follow the presentations, which focused in particular on the theme: “Media and the Generational Divide.”
Develop a partnership with AbR
Speaking on behalf of the ten or so leaders of the Francophone African Christian Media Forum (FOMECAF), Olivia Beugre outlined some prospects for future joint activities. First, there will be a partnership with AbR Media, a primarily English-language media network that offers support to Christian radio stations across the African continent.
The radio host from La Voix de l’espérance also noted that Dodji Juliette Kpessou of Radio Hosanna in Porto-Novo (Benin) and Benjamin Holl of Radio Vie nouvelle in Douala (Cameroon) would be taking over the management of the news agency, which publishes various written and radio contributions on the FOMECAF website. They will be supported by Joseph Ykio Gnahoua and Franceline Sehi from Côte d’Ivoire.
Promote the “New Life” satellite radio station
FOMECAF officials have also decided to promote the French-language satellite radio station “Nouvelle vie” within their organization, in order to enable the rebroadcast of programs aired by this partner. In addition, a library of web radio stations will be made available online to facilitate the rebroadcast of certain programs that might be of interest to local radio stations, which sometimes lack original content.
From a structural standpoint, Olivia Beugre also noted that a transitional body would be established to better involve Africans in the organization of FOMECAF meetings and training programs.
An award presented to Abdoulaye Cissé, radio director in Timbuktu
At the end of the closing ceremony, Emmanuel Ziehli presented the François Sergy Award to Abdoulaye Cissé, director of Radio Tahanint (Mercy) in Timbuktu, Mali. A pastor in the Evangelical Baptist Church of Timbuktu, Abdoulaye has distinguished himself through his courage in continuing his work of Christian witness in an environment particularly threatened by radical Islam. In 2012, after the radio station was ransacked, Abdoulaye’s home was also ransacked. In 2017, three young people were murdered in front of Radio Tahanint, including two of the station’s hosts. In addition to his radio and pastoral activities, Abdoulaye Cissé also broadcasts Christian programs on some 40 radio stations in northern Mali, which he pays for. (c)
Sidebar
The Lomé Meetings at a Glance
The “Lomé” meetings were launched in January 2019. They offer Christian media professionals from French-speaking Africa the opportunity to participate in a week-long training program and to network in order to foster dialogue among professionals from different countries.
In January 2019, the organization Radio Réveil en Suisse, which produces radio programs for the entire French-speaking world, decided—on the occasion of its 70th anniversary—to invite its radio partners in Africa to a training session in Lomé. About 100 people took part in the event and signed the Lomé Declaration of Lomé. The signatories committed to ending competition between evangelical and Protestant radio stations and to pooling resources to improve the quality of their programs.
At the second edition of the Lomé Meetings, the approximately 170 participants engaged in a discussion on the theme “Let’s Invent Integral Radio!” They also decided to create the Forum of Christian Media in Francophone Africa (FOMECAF), with the following members on the founding committee: Olivia Adiko, journalist and editor-in-chief of *La Voix de l’espérance* (Ivory Coast); Dr. Alphonse Teyabe, communications consultant (Cameroon); Timothée Amegan, pastor and executive director of Médiafrique (Togo), and Emmanuel Ziehli, director of Radio Réveil (Switzerland).
In 2020, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, Lomé 3 invited about 50 in-person participants and about 100 online participants to explore the topic of “Media Convergence and Versatility in the Workplace.”
The Lomé 1 Report
The Lomé 2 Report
The Lomé 3 Report
Current members of the FOMECAF committee
The following individuals are members of the FOMECAF core network or committee: Olivia Adiko Beugre (Radio la Voix de l’Espérance; Abidjan), Dodji Juliette Kpessou (Radio Hosanna, Porto-Novo), Dr. Augustin Ahoga (theologian and anthropologist, Benin), Timothée Amegan (Médiafrique, Lomé), Illia Djadi (Open Doors, London), Blaise Gaïtou, director of JEM Niger, Benjamin Holl (Radio Vie nouvelle, Douala), Etienne Kiemdé (Radio Évangile et développement, Ouagadougou), Koffi Ahonon (CICERI and Compassion, Lomé), Dr. Abdoulaye Sangho (TWR, Abidjan), Dr. Alphonse Teyabe (media consultant, Douala), and Emmanuel Ziehli (Radio Réveil France).
About:
Francophone African Christian Media Forum https://medias.africa/
Radio Réveil Switzerland and France https://radioreveil.ch/ | https://radio-reveil.org/
AbR Media South Africa: https://abrmedia.org/
This year's François Sergy Prize goes to Abdoulaye Cissé, a radio director in Timbuktu
Christian Media in French-Speaking Africa, Ebène Media“I dedicate this award to all those who have lost their lives because of their faith!” Abdoulaye Cissé is the director of Radio Tahanint in Timbuktu, Mali. A pastor and businessman at heart, he received the François Sergy Award on Friday, November 26, in Lomé, Togo, during the closing ceremony of the fourth training week for Christian media professionals in French-speaking Africa. Visibly moved, the 55-year-old man, dressed in a traditional yellow boubou, added that he was also dedicating this award to his mentor, Abdoulaye Sangho, Trans World Radio’s International Director for West and Central Africa, one of the main speakers at Lomé 4, who was present that day.
French-speaking Africa: From November 22 to 26, Lomé 4 will focus on the theme “Youth and the Media”
French-speaking Africa, Médias EbènePress Release
Despite the coronavirus pandemic, FOMECAF officials have decided to hold the fourth edition of the Lomé Meetings from November 22 to 26, 2021. The event will focus on the theme “Youth and the Media” and will feature Dr. Abdoulaye Sangho, director of TWR Africa, as the keynote speaker. The event will be streamed publicly online, though the number of in-person participants will be limited to about 50.
The fourth annual gathering of Christian media professionals from French-speaking Africa will take place November 22–26, 2021, in Lomé. The theme will be “Youth and the Media.” “We are seeing a generational divide in the French-speaking Christian world in Africa,” explains Pastor Etienne Kiemdé, director of Radio Évangile Développement in Burkina Faso. “The older generation no longer speaks the language, listens to the music, or uses the communication tools of young people—63% of whom are under 24 in West Africa!(1)” For many Christian leaders, the risk of failing to pass on the faith is now very high. “It’s time to reach out to young Africans, and it’s up to radio to lead by example,” adds Pastor Etienne Kiemdé.
Dr. Abdoulaye Sangho as the keynote speaker
Dr. Abdoulaye Sangho, director of TWR Africa and a recognized and leading figure in the African Christian radio landscape, was unanimously selected as the keynote speaker. Dr. Abdoulaye Sangho, originally from Mali, lives and works in Côte d’Ivoire. He is the author of several books. He has also been awarded the rank of Commander of the National Order for his contribution to the development of the Christian faith in Côte d’Ivoire.
Number of speakers recorded on video
Lomé 4 will be similar to Lomé 3. Fifty (50) carefully selected participants will be invited to attend in person for plenary sessions and workshops. These sessions will be broadcast live and on-demand on the various social media channels of FOMECAF (Forum of Christian Media in Francophone Africa), particularly Facebook and YouTube. For the record, about 100 people participated in these training sessions online in 2020.
The afternoons will provide an opportunity for FOMECAF leaders to continue laying the groundwork for the forum’s activities and to develop a program for 2022.
Most of the speakers will be recorded on video. In this way, they will continue to contribute to the radio and press training video library launched in 2020 by the previous edition of the Lomé meetings (2).
Despite the difficult health situation
The decision to hold Lomé 4 was made by FOMECAF leaders who met via videoconference on Friday, July 30. They assessed the health situation in West and Central Africa as well as in Europe. For the time being, travel remains very difficult and particularly expensive due to the pandemic. Despite this, the FOMECAF leadership confirmed that Lomé 4 will take place and has reasonably postponed the “FOMECAF Benin” national event until spring 2022. FOMECAF leaders have entrusted CICERI Lomé and Radio Réveil France—specifically Messrs. Koffi Ahonon and Emmanuel Ziehli—with the task of organizing the event. (c)
The FOMECAF (Forum of Christian Media in French-Speaking Africa) website: https://medias.africa/
More information:
Africa: Pastor Étienne Kiemdé, director of Radio Évangile Développement in Burkina Faso. Tel. +226 70 38 81 83. Email: ekiem1[at]gmail.com. Website: https://medias.africa/
Europe: ÉEmmanuel Ziehli, Director of Radio Réveil France. Phone: +33 06 52 02 89 42. Email: emmanuel.ziehli[at]radioreveil.ch. Website: https://radio-reveil.org/
Notes:
1 See: https://www.populationpyramid.net/sources
2 See: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkEVvei_tLkEfTaJn31DTsQ/playlists
Sidebar
The Lomé Meetings at a Glance
The “Lomé” meetings were launched in January 2019. They offer Christian media professionals from French-speaking Africa the opportunity to participate in a week-long training program and to “network” in order to foster dialogue among professionals from different countries.
In January 2019, the organization Radio Réveil en Suisse, which produces radio programs for the entire French-speaking world, decided—to mark its 70th anniversary—to invite its radio partners in Africa to a training session in Lomé. About 100 people took part in the event and signed the Declaration of Lomé. The signatories committed to ending competition between evangelical and Protestant radio stations and to pooling resources to improve the quality of their programs.
At the second edition of the Lomé Meetings, the approximately 170 participants engaged in a discussion on the theme “Let’s Invent Integral Radio!” They also decided to create the Forum of Christian Media in Francophone Africa (FOMECAF), with the following members on the founding committee: Olivia Adiko, journalist and editor-in-chief of La Voix de l’espérance (Ivory Coast); Dr. Alphonse Teyabe, communications consultant (Cameroon); Timothée Amegan, pastor and executive director of Médiafrique (Togo), and Emmanuel Ziehli, director of Radio Réveil (Switzerland).
In 2020, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, Lomé 3 offered a series of discussions on “Media Convergence and the Versatility of Professions” to about 50 in-person participants and about 100 online participants.
The Lomé 1 report: https://bit.ly/lome-1
The Lomé 2 report: https://bit.ly/lome-deux
The Lomé 3 report: https://bit.ly/Lome3
Sidebar
Members of the FOMECAF Committee
The following individuals are members of the FOMECAF core network or steering committee: Olivia Adiko Beugre(Radio la Voix de l’Espérance, Abidjan), Timothée Amegan(Médiafrique, Lomé), Etienne Kiemdé(Radio Évangile et Développement, Ouagadougou), Koffi Ahonon(CICERI and Compassion Togo, Lomé), Dr.Abdoulaye Sangho(TWR, Abidjan), Dr. Alphonse Teyabe(media consultant, Yaoundé), and Emmanuel Ziehli(Radio Réveil France).
Tribute to Alain Normand, 1939–2021
Ebène MediaRadio personality, pastor, evangelist, film producer, musician, writer…AlainNormandpassed away on June 29, 2021, at the age of 82.
Alainwas born on May 21, 1939, in the French city of Cannes, four years after his brother Guy and four months before the start of World War II. His father was called to arms. After being taken prisoner of war, he returned ill from a German camp and died a few months after the war ended.
Alainregularly accompanied his mother to an evangelical church, and at the age of twelve, he decided to become a follower of Jesus Christ. A year later, he moved to Geneva because his mother had remarried a Swiss man.
In Geneva,Alaindiscovers a new evangelical church. He earns a Federal Certificate of Competence (CFC) in administration, takes up the guitar, and wins a championship with a junior team at Servette Football Club.
In 1958,Alainbegan theological training in England at the International Bible Training Institute. Upon completing his training, he was summoned to the French Consulate in London to begin his military service in the French Army. Because he was a conscientious objector, he was enlisted as an unarmed paratrooper-medic. Trained in parachuting and nursing, he was deployed to war-torn Algeria, where he primarily cared for soldiers. This period gave him the opportunity to experience many human and spiritual adventures. He reflected deeply on this saying of Jesus: “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God” (Matthew 5:9).
After being discharged from the military,Alainleft for Frankfurt. He wanted to learn German there, but also to learn to love the Germans in the name of Christ. There, he worked at an American bank, attended an evangelical church, and continued studying the guitar. Upon his return to Geneva, he decided to commit himself more radically to serving God. A friend from his church told him, “Radio Réveil in Lugano is looking for a staff member. You’re really cut out for this!”
Read his complete biography, written by Claude-Alain Baehler and published on July 4, 2021, on lafree.info
Listen to these four short stories produced by Alain Normand, taken from the Service Cassettes archives.
FOMECAF to Host Two Online Meetings in May
French-speaking AfricaLomé, May 21, 2021,
With the aim of strengthening ties among members and continuing the training sessions that began in Lomé, FOMECAF is organizing two online meetings on Tuesday and Wednesday, May 25 and 26, 2021.
What's on the agenda:
Tuesday, May 25, 2:00 p.m. GMT:
The Principles of Effective Communication
Loosely based on Valérie Geller’s bestseller *Puissance radio*. Some of the topics that will be covered:
Speaker: Denis Stephen, Director of Stephanas Conseils in Lyon
Denis entered the world of radio as a co-founder of Radio Certitude in 1982 (now Phare FM Grenoble)—in other words, he’s no spring chicken.
After two years of audiovisual studies at the University of Grenoble, he moved to Paris and was elected secretary and then president of the FRTC (Federation of Christian Radio and Television Stations). He also served on the board of directors of the CNRA (National Confederation of Community Radio Stations). Currently, Denis Stephen advises radio stations on their applications to the CSA (Higher Audiovisual Council), a government regulatory body, and is developing a training course titled “Create and Manage a Christian Radio Station,” the first two lessons of which are available online.
The link to the training session will be shared in the FOMECAF WhatsApp group on Tuesday morning, May 25. If you are not a member of FOMECAF but would still like to participate in this training, please provide your contact information here https://medias.africa/contact/ A valid email address + a phone number = a guaranteed response.
Wednesday, May 26, 2:00 p.m. GMT:
Full Radio Broadcast: It's Your Turn to Speak!
In January 2019, about 100 radio stations and media outlets based in Lomé 1 took concrete steps to fulfill their desire to work together http://bit.ly/lome-1 without competing with one another. On that occasion, they signed the Lomé Declaration http://bit.ly/DeclarationLome arguing, in particular, that “The programs of Christian radio stations in French-speaking Africa should focus more on the concrete needs of the people.” The proclamation of the Gospel is carried out in a holistic manner, in the image of Jesus Christ, who touched the lives of his contemporaries by meeting the needs of the body, soul, and spirit.” That same year, these stakeholders came together around the concept of “holistic radio” http://bit.ly/lome-deux . It is now May 2021—so what’s new? During this online seminar, you will have the opportunity to share your experiences and testify to how you have put “integral radio” into practice.
Host: Etienne Kiemdé, CEO of Radio Évangile et Développement in Ouagadougou
Pastor Etienne Kiemdé, CEO of Radio Évangile et Développement—which operates eight stations based in Burkina Faso—was tasked with moderating this debate http://red-burkina.org . He is a driving force behind the Lomé seminars, a member of the FOMECAF working group, and—likely more than 20 years ago—the originator of the concept of development tailored to radio broadcasting. At 58, this family man is also a pastor, having been trained in Denmark, France, and England. Upon his return to the African continent, he embraced radio ministry as a matter of urgency. Before FOMECAF, he spearheaded several efforts to network French-speaking Christian radio stations in Africa.
For more information: https://radio-reveil.org
The link to the training session will be shared in the FOMECAF WhatsApp group on Tuesday morning, May 25. If you are not a member of FOMECAF but would still like to participate in this training, please provide your contact information here https://medias.africa/contact/ A valid email address + a phone number = a guaranteed response.
FREE COLLEGE and Radio R on August 21: “Developing Your Skills for Preaching on the Radio”
Christian Media in French-Speaking AfricaRadio R and FREE COLLEGE are offering a training day on Saturday, August 21, focused on radio preaching, led by radio professionals. Since the start of the partial lockdown in Switzerland in March 2020, Radio R, which broadcasts on DAB+, has opened its airwaves on Sundays to preachers, pastors, and church members so they can deliver sermons. This initiative has continued ever since and has found its audience.
Thinking About a Radio Communication Style
To explore how to speak on the radio and to help guests improve their performances, Radio R and FREE COLLEGE are offering a one-day training session to develop a communication style suited to radio, enhance the quality of guests’ delivery, and provide a supportive space for participants to listen to their own and others’ performances in order to refine their skills.
A day hosted by radio professionals
This event, which will feature radio professionals such as Christine Reymond, Daniele Zagara, and Serge Carrel, is open to anyone interested in preaching on Radio R or who would simply like to improve their preaching skills. (c)
Download the flyer
The Day's Schedule (Coming Soon)
“Developing Your Skills for Radio Preaching,” a one-day workshop co-organized by Radio R in Yverdon-les-Bains and the FREE COLLEGE on Saturday, August 21, 2021, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Location: Radio R, Galilée 15, Y-Parc, 1400 Yverdon-les-Bains. Cost: voluntary donation. Registration required: freecollege@lafree.ch or online at lafree.ch/free-college/journees
Religious Extremism in Africa: According to Augustin Ahoga, “We Must Evangelize Africans Once Again”
French-speaking AfricaThe issue of religious extremism is a pressing concern in an Africa heavily threatened by jihadism. This raises questions about the role of Christians in such a context. For Augustin Ahoga, a pastor and teacher in Benin, the rise of religious extremism stems in part from Christians’ abandonment of African cultural values. This has led them to develop a fear that prevents them from viewing jihadists with a different perspective. To reach these people, whose lives are generally stigmatized, Christians need training and must enter into authentic discipleship in the footsteps of Jesus of Nazareth.
Augustin Ahoga was one of the speakers at Lomé 3, a gathering of media professionals from French-speaking Africa organized by FOMECAF and Radio Réveil last November.
Read the rest of the interview on the lafree.info website