The two-day event will take place at St. John’s Medical College in Bengaluru, India, on November 23 and 24, 2024. The conference, titled “ILLUMINAIRE: Nurturing Digital Stewardship in the Era of Artificial Intelligence,” is exclusively designed for priests, religious, and those in consecrated life.

Approximately 350 participants are expected to engage in ten sessions and six parallel workshops led by experts in the field. Special features of the conference include interactive media workshops, talks by international speakers, hands-on training, and opportunities for networking and collaboration.

In his remarks during the website's inauguration, Dr. Ruffini stated, “I am pleased to kickstart this exciting project in India, and I am confident that Illuminaire will greatly benefit all priests and religious of this country involved in the field of Communication.”

Fr. Pakkam Harris, a member of the Social Communication Sector in Rome and the conference coordinator, emphasized the main objective of the event: “Our goal is to explore the impact of social media and artificial intelligence on the lives of consecrated people while promoting the responsible and ethical use of these tools.”

Fr. Savio Silveira, the Salesian Provincial in charge of Social Communications for South Asia, expressed enthusiasm for the event: “There is great anticipation and eagerness for this conference, as it is the first of its kind in India targeting priests, religious, and those in consecrated life. The theme is particularly relevant and highly awaited.”

Fr. Ernest Rosario, the South Asia delegate for Social Communication, stressed the importance of courage and creativity among participants. He urged them to embrace the digital world's opportunities for their mission and to guide those they serve, notably Generation Alpha, in navigating this evolving landscape.

Registration for the National Catholic Media Conference has just begun and will be conducted on a first-come, first-served basis. Each participant will be able to attend all ten sessions and choose one of the six practical workshops each day to master essential skill sets.

In a symbolic gesture, Dr. Ruffini registered himself as the first participant on the newly launched website, followed by Dr. Natasa, the Director of the Theological Pastoral Department of the Vatican Dicastery for Communications.

For more information, please visit the website at www.illuminaire.in or contact info@illuminaire.in.