Archbishopric of Dakar: the general director of “Soleil” received by Mgr André Guèye
The general director of Le Soleil, Lamine Niang, at the head of a large delegation, was received yesterday by Mgr André Guèye, archbishop of Dakar. During this meeting, they reviewed various points relating to media coverage of Catholic religious events, as well as the need to revisit the Church’s archives with the help of the national daily.
It was in a relaxed and jovial atmosphere that the Archbishop of Dakar, Mgr André Guèye, received the “Soleil” delegation, led by its general director, Lamine Niang. During this meeting, the latter largely discussed the missions and directions of the newspaper. “We are here today to collect your advice and opinions in order to improve our public service mission. The head of state is very keen on fairness in the public service. We are therefore here to listen to you and collect your guidance in order to better serve the population,” Mr. Niang immediately emphasized. Addressing media coverage of Catholic religious events, he informed the Archbishop of Dakar of the innovations made in the treatment of events such as the pilgrimage to the holy places of Christianity and the Marian pilgrimage of Popenguine, among others. “In addition to the special correspondents for the coverage of the Popenguine pilgrimage, we have innovated by producing a magazine exclusively dedicated to this event, as we do for other religious centers. Every year, the general management of the Sun also grants a ticket for pilgrimage to the holy places of Christianity,” he said.
Continuing his remarks, he assured that he intends to continue these innovations by exploiting the archives of “Soleil” relating to the Senegalese Catholic Church. “We recently launched a publishing house and it would be very interesting to delve into the history of the Church through the archives of the “Sun”. We have photos and texts on the journey of religious figures. We will choose an opportune moment to organize an exhibition on these archives, because we hold real treasures, in particular on the visit of Pope John Paul II,” said Lamine Niang. After Mr. Niang’s presentation, Mgr André Guèye praised the remarkable work of the newspaper on a daily basis, and especially during religious events of the Catholic community in Senegal.
Furthermore, the archbishop appreciated the inclusive approach of the “Sun” in terms of information processing. According to him, “Le Soleil” is a hub of excellence with talented journalists who do remarkable work. “I am a subscriber to Le Soleil, I receive it every day. This is to say that I enjoy the work. We have had big names at Le Soleil and you are one of them,” he said, addressing the general director. “I pray that your passage will be indelible in the history of the Sun,” he added. He did not fail to welcome the different themes covered in the newspaper, in particular the “Wintering Leaves”. As a loyal reader, he pleaded for the return of sections like the “Thought of the day” or the “Quote of the day”.
“It is very important to revisit the archives, with photos and documentation that have marked the history of Senegal. We must expose this wealth; maybe there are photos concerning the Church that we don’t even know exist,” he argued. He believes that exhibiting these works in a museum would allow people to come visit and recharge their batteries, instead of remaining glued to screens. Returning to the content of the newspaper, Mgr Guèye advised ensuring that “Le Soleil” shines for everyone. “The Sun must be in the image of the country. Everyone must find their way without distinction or exclusion,” he insisted. Taking advantage of the opportunity, he urged workers to be more committed, efficient and loyal, while praying for the prosperity of the newspaper “so that the rays of the Sun still shine.”
Marie Bernadette SENE, Moussa SOW (photos)
