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s2smodern

Communicators, Webmasters, Content Producers and Community Managers from all over the world participated in another edition of JESWEBCOM. Due to the current circumstances, this year’s meeting was done in a special way: online.

Once a year we have an annual meeting of the network of communicators and webmasters of the Society of Jesus in Europe, the so-called JesWebCom. It all started 15 years ago with a small group of Jesuits and co-workers who wanted to have a platform to exchange information about new technical possibilities of their websites. In the meantime, JeswebCom is much more. JesWebCom has grown to a place for exchange, project development and global networking in all areas that affect the public relations of the Society of Jesus. The participants come mainly from Europe, but we also welcome colleagues from Australia, Kenya, the USA, Canada, and India.

This year’s meeting was planned to be in Vienna and its preparation went on for several months. Unfortunately and regretfully the meeting in person had to be cancelled due to COVID-19. But the event was not cancelled. Instead the program was adapted to an online concept, taking all the possible advantages of it.  This offered the chance to welcome more participants from all over the world who would have not been able to travel to Vienna for the meeting. After 15 years of JesWebCom we were able to welcome participants from Russia for the first time. About 40 people participated this year.

The program consisted of 3 sessions of around 1 hour each split among 3 days.

“How to Communicate in an Ignatian Way”

On the first day, Nikolaas Sintobin SJ from the ELC Region talked about: “How to Communicate in an Ignatian Way”. He approached several important aspects like the importance of always being aware that proclaiming the kingdom of God should always be the goal of our job as communicator. 

"Creating a communication structure - Apostolic body of communicators"

On the second day, we were awarded by Robert Ballecer SJ, member of the communication team of Fr. General Arturo Sosa SJ in Rome, with inputs related to "Creating a communication structure - Apostolic body of communicators".

The last day was very interactive. The participants were split into 4 groups, each group adapted to an area of communication: Social Media, Public Relations, Webmasters and Digital Content Producers. The groups had some time to get to know each other, share some common issues and possible ways to solve them. The response to COVID-19 was also approached, but the largest emphasis was given to the Ignatian Year, which will take place in 2021/2022. It commemorates two important moments in the life of this religious Order: 500 years of the conversion of Ignatius of Loyola and 400 years of his canonization. The meeting ended with an open discussion with all the participants present.

The feedback on this form of meeting was positive and we were very grateful that we were able to set up JesWebCom online. It was good to see colleagues again - even if only online - and to network and exchange new ideas.

All in all, we can look back on a successful JesWebCom 2020 despite the circumstances. New aspects for our meeting have opened up and in retrospect we have to think about which new ways we can go for future meetings. 

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s2smodern