Tag archive for: Lomé 4

Togo: "Religious media have an important role to play in educating young people," according to a representative of the Ministry of Communication

"We have high expectations of religious media in the education of young people," said Franck Missité, chief of staff to Togo's Minister of Communication and Media. He was speaking on Monday, November 22, at the opening of the fourth edition of the Lomé meetings, organized by FOMECAF (Forum of Christian Media in French-speaking Africa).

Religious media reaching out to all citizens

"Religious media should reach out more to all citizens with topics that are not 100 percent religious," added the trained journalist. "It's important to vary the content. 75 percent prayer and preaching is enough. 25 percent culture and ethical and moral education would be good!"

This edition of the Lomé meetings will address the theme "Media & Generational Divide" with Abdoulaye Sangho, Director of Transworld Radio West and Central Africa (TWR), as the keynote speaker. Around fifty representatives of Christian media outlets from French-speaking Africa, Cameroon, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Ivory Coast, DRC, Rwanda, and elsewhere have traveled to attend the week-long training session. In addition, around a hundred people have registered to follow the event online.

"Media, make room for young people!"

"64 percent of the population of West Africa is under the age of 24," said Emmanuel Ziehli, president of Radio Réveil France, "and our media do not speak the language of young people. What's more, we don't cover topics that interest them. Let's be models of generational transition," he insisted. As a result, he asked radio executives to make room for younger people in their programming and among their journalists and presenters.

Emmanuel Ziehli also cited CICERI, the International Christian Center for Study, Research, and Information in Lomé, as an example of dynamism. Thanks to a team of young people between the ages of 18 and 30, CICERI organizes the Lomé seminars each year with complete transparency.

In addition to Abdoulaye Sangho, keynote speaker, Juliette Kpessou, host at Radio Hosanna in Benin, Olivia Adiko, editor-in-chief of Radio La voix de l'espérance in Abidjan, Etienne Kiemdé, director of Radio Evangile et développement in Burkina Faso, Illia Djadi, head of African relations at the NGO Portes Ouvertes, and Alphonse Teyabé, media consultant in Cameroon, will also speak.

Meetings launched by Radio Réveil

The "Lomé" meetings began in January 2019. They offer Christian media professionals from French-speaking Africa the opportunity to receive a week of training and to network in order to develop a dynamic of exchange between professionals from different countries.

In January 2019, Radio Réveil en Suisse, an association that produces radio programs for the entire French-speaking world, decided to mark its 70th anniversary by inviting its radio partners in Africa to a training session in Lomé. Around 100 people took part in the event and signed the Lomé Declaration of Lomé. The signatories pledged to renounce competition between evangelical and Protestant radio stations and to pool resources to improve the quality of their programs. (c)

The FOMECAF website with the Lomé 4 program.

https://medias.africa/lome4
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FOMECAF enters into partnership with AbR and launches news agency

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The fourth Lomé meeting was held in the Togolese capital from November 22 to 26. Due to pandemic restrictions, around 50 representatives of 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 full. Olivia Beugre from Côte d'Ivoire gave an update on FOMECAF's activities during the closing ceremony. Echoes.

"The sustainability of our forum is only possible with the support of each and every one of you!" With these words, Olivia Beugre concluded her review 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 presence of some 50 journalists, presenters, and radio directors from 13 French-speaking African countries. In addition, some 500 people connected via Zoom, YouTube, or Facebook to follow the discussions, which focused on the theme of "Media and the Generation Gap."

Develop a partnership with AbR

As spokesperson for the ten leaders responsible for the Forum of Christian Media in French-speaking Africa (FOMECAF), Olivia Beugre outlined some prospects for future joint activities. First, there will be a partnership with AbR Media, a mainly English-speaking media network that offers support to Christian radio stations across the African continent.

The woman from La Voix de l’espérance radio station also noted that Dodji Juliette Kpessou from Radio Hosanna in Porto-Novo (Benin) and Benjamin Holl from Radio Vie nouvelle in Douala (Cameroon) would take over the running of the press 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.

Promoting the satellite radio station "New Life"

FOMECAF officials have also decided to promote the French-language satellite radio station Nouvelle Vie within their organization, in order to enable the resumption of broadcasts by this partner. In addition, a web radio bank will be available online with a view to resuming certain programs that may be of interest to local radio stations, which sometimes lack original content.

From a structural point of view, Olivia Beugre also noted that a transitional body would be created 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 by his courage in continuing his Christian witness in a context particularly threatened by radical Islam. In 2012, after the radio station was looted, Abdoulaye's home was also ransacked. In 2017, three young people were murdered in front of Radio Tahanint, including two of the station's presenters. In addition to his radio and pastoral activities, Abdoulaye Cissé also broadcasts Christian programs on some 40 radio stations in northern Mali, for which he is paid. (c)

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The Lomé meetings in brief

The "Lomé" meetings began in January 2019. They offer Christian media professionals from French-speaking Africa the opportunity to receive a week of training and to network in order to develop a dynamic of exchange between professionals from different countries.

In January 2019, Radio Réveil en Suisse, an association that produces radio programs for the entire French-speaking world, decided to mark its 70th anniversary by inviting its radio partners in Africa to a training session in Lomé. Around 100 people took part in the event and signed the Lomé Declaration of Lomé. The signatories pledged to renounce competition between evangelical and Protestant radio stations and to pool resources to improve the quality of their programs.

During the second edition of the Lomé meetings, the 170 or so participants engaged in a discussion on the theme "Let's invent integral radio! ." They also decided to create the Forum of Christian Media in French-speaking Africa (FOMECAF) with the following founding committee members: 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 CEO of Médiafrique (Togo), and Emmanuel Ziehli, director of Radio Réveil (Switzerland).

In 2020, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, Lomé 3 offered around 50 participants in person and 100 online the opportunity to reflect on "Media convergence and job versatility."

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 YWAM 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:

Forum of Christian Media in French-speaking Africa https://medias.africa/

Radio Réveil Suisse et France https://radioreveil.ch/ | https://radio-reveil.org/

AbR Medias South Africa: https://abrmedia.org/

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This year's François Sergy Prize goes to Abdoulaye Cissé, radio director in Timbuktu.

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"I dedicate this award to all those who 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. Deeply 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.

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French-speaking Africa: from November 22 to 26, Lomé 4 will focus on the theme "Youth and the Media."

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Press release

Despite the coronavirus pandemic, FOMECAF officials have decided to organize a fourth edition of the Lomé meetings from November 22 to 26, 2021. They will focus on the theme "Youth and Media" and will welcome Dr. Abdoulaye Sangho, Director of TWR Africa, as their main guest. The event will be broadcast publicly on the web, but the number of participants attending in person will be limited to around 50.

Registration open for the Lomé 4 seminar

The fourth annual meeting of Christian media professionals from French-speaking Africa will take place from November 22 to 26, 2021, in Lomé. The theme will be "Youth and Media." "We are seeing a generational divide in the French-speaking Christian world of Africa," explains Pastor Etienne Kiemdé, director of Radio Évangile Développement in Burkina Faso. An older generation no longer speaks the language, music, and means of communication 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 is time to reach out to young Africans, and it is up to radio to set an example," adds Pastor Etienne Kiemdé.

Etienne Kiemdé on the left (FOMECAF) and Abdoulaye Sangho (TWR speaker in Lomé 4) flank Emmanuel Ziehli (Radio Réveil France).

Dr. Abdoulaye Sangho as keynote speaker

The keynote speaker was unanimously chosen to be Dr. Abdoulaye Sangho, director of TWR Africa, a recognized and influential specialist in the African Christian radio landscape. Dr. Abdoulaye Sangho, originally from Mali, lives and works in Côte d'Ivoire. He is the author of several books. He is also a Commander of the National Order for his contribution to the development of faith in Côte d'Ivoire.

Number of speakers recorded on video

Lomé 4 will be similar to Lomé 3. Fifty (50) carefully selected individuals will be invited to attend plenary meetings and workshops in person. These meetings will be broadcast live and recorded on the various social media channels of FOMECAF (Forum des médias chrétiens d’Afrique francophone), particularly Facebook and YouTube. For the record, around 100 people took these training courses online in 2020.

The afternoons will provide an opportunity for FOMECAF leaders to continue laying the foundations for the forum's activities and to devise a program for 2022.

Most of the speakers will be recorded on video. They will thus continue to enrich the radio/press training video library launched in 2020 by the previous edition of the Lomé meetings (2).

Despite the difficult health situation

The decision to organize 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 complicated and particularly expensive due to the pandemic. Despite this, the FOMECAF leadership confirmed that Lomé 4 would go ahead and reasonably postponed the organization of the national event "FOMECAF Benin" until spring 2022. The leaders of FOMECAF have given CICERI Lomé and Radio Réveil France, specifically Mr. Koffi Ahonon and Mr. Emmanuel Ziehli, the mandate to organize the event. (c)

The FOMECAF website (Forum of Christian Media in French-speaking Africa): 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. Tel. +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

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The Lomé meetings in brief

The "Lomé" meetings began in January 2019. They offer Christian media professionals from French-speaking Africa the opportunity to receive a week of training and to network in order to develop a dynamic of exchange between professionals from different countries.

In January 2019, Radio Réveil en Suisse, an association that produces radio programs for the entire French-speaking world, decided to mark its 70th anniversary by inviting its radio partners in Africa to a training session in Lomé. Around 100 people took part in the event and signed the Declaration. of Lomé. The signatories pledged to renounce competition between evangelical and Protestant radio stations and to pool resources to improve the quality of their programs.

During the second edition of the Lomé meetings, the 170 or so participants engaged in a discussion on the theme "Let's invent integral radio!" ." They also decided to create the Forum of Christian Media in French-speaking Africa (FOMECAF) with the following founding committee members: 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 CEO of Médiafrique (Togo), and Emmanuel Ziehli, director of Radio Réveil (Switzerland).

In 2020, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, Lomé 3 offered around 50 participants in person and around 100 online the opportunity to reflect on "Media convergence and job versatility."

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 

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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).

Download the press release in PDF format
Registration open for the Lomé 4 seminar
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