In view of the 50th Catholic Social Week in Italy, SIR interviewed Vincenzo Varagona, national president of the Italian Catholic Press Union (Ucsi). The interview, in addition to describing Ucsi’s presence in Trieste, was an opportunity to also talk about the future of journalism, between AI and ethics.
President, the 50th Social Week of Catholics in Italy opens in Trieste. An appointment, as always, of significant importance for the Church and for associations involved in the cultural field. First of all, in what terms will UCSI be present at the five days?
We have our own delegation, but above all we are presenting ourselves, for the first time, with a specific event, which is also proposed as a training opportunity, with credits recognized by the Order of Journalists. The event is part of a process in which, in addition to the ODG, we have involved the Italian National Press Federation (Fnsi), therefore category institutions, but also movements that are growing, such as the Constructive Network, Slow News, Mezzopieno. A path towards a new professional style. Our contribution is summarized in a position paper that we delivered in preview to the president of the CEI, Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, and which we will officially present in Trieste.
In addition to the 5Ws, you have a further proposal to convey the 5Ms (“More”), to promote responsible journalism: between the right to information and respect for public opinion, how can this position paper be concretely implemented?
This work started a long time ago, precisely from the Ucsi School of Assisi: it was curated by a group of young colleagues who do not give up in the face of the crisis of trust and credibility that we are going through. Pope Francis asks us more and this is our first response. We interpret it as a challenge for the entire category, but also for public opinion, on whose help we count a lot.
And it is precisely the words of the Pontiff, pronounced at the very recent G7 in Puglia that have not gone unnoticed: “Science and technology are extraordinary products of the creative potential of us human beings”. As communication operators, what are the ways forward for a journalism that knows how to deal constructively with the potential of AI without suffering the ethical backlash?
The radio was given up for dead. Books were given up for dead. These media not only continue to exist, but in some ways they are experiencing a new ‘youth’, because they have been able to carve out an original role for themselves, compared to the dominant molasses. Here, man, woman, compared to Artificial Intelligence, are called to avoid some important risks: fear, first of all. We know that the most dangerous choices are made precisely on the wave of fear, for example, that our work will be supplanted by a machine. There are, however, styles, spheres of behavior, where AI will never be able to arrive. Of course, we need to very quickly address the problem of the human governance of algorithms, as defined by Father Paolo Benanti. The stakes are very high, but international decision-making levels need to deal with this.
We are talking about the Ucsi National School of Assisi, a training event that gathers, year after year, more and more consensus and participation from young people motivated to spend their communication and media talents in the ecclesial context…
It is one of the highest moments of our associative life, named after Giancarlo Zizola, with an open look on Europe and on the great international information themes. It is not for nothing that our reference, even after his death, is David Sassoli. The Training School is a strong experience, with the participation of young colleagues from all regions and it is our bet on the future. In each edition I notice a growing enthusiasm. The next one will take place from 18 to 20 October.
Looking ahead, what initiatives are planned for Jubilee 2025?
It is all connected: Synod, Social Week, Jubilee. We see it, not by chance, as an opportunity for change. Those who frequent Rome in these months are witnessing, not without discomfort, a logistical revolution. We ask our colleagues who are preparing for the Jubilee to live this season as an extraordinary opportunity for change. We will participate in the three days that are being prepared with the Dicastery of Communication, but also with the Italian Episcopal Conference. The heart of the Jubilee will be the meeting with the Holy Father on the morning of January 25. For three years as Ucsi we have been celebrating Saint Francis de Sales, Patron of journalists, with a national event: we would like, on this occasion, to share it together with the institutions of the category and the Movements with which we have begun a journey. We experienced a beautiful moment last June 12, with a very energetic contamination between constructive journalism and the world of counseling. We are in a work in progress, in which the Jubilee can be a unique opportunity for innovation and rebirth.
