WRITE ON: Celebrating the Day of the Journalist in Spain

TODAY, January 24, marks the Dia del Periodista – the Day of the Journalist – in Spain but, rest assured, we won’t be taking a break from our keyboards to celebrate it!

Internationally the day is generally celebrated on September 8 – although many other countries also celebrate it on various dates that tie in with historically significant events in their own countries.

And why on January 24 in Spain?

January 24 is the date that Pope Alexander VII canonised Saint Francisco de Sales in 1665.

Born in the Duchy of Savoy in 1567 he died at age 55 in 1622. He was famed for his communication skills through writing. He became a bishop of Geneva in 1599 and later he was a preacher in the pulpits of Paris between 1618 and 1619.

In 1923 Pope Pius XI designated Saint Francisco de Sales as the patron saint of journalists and writers.

Being a journalist today is very different from how it was just a few years ago. Now we are much more than writers.

Reporters must be all-rounders feeding copy to print publications and websites as well as being conversant with taking photographs, editing videos or managing social networks.

En este #DiaDelPeriodista ???? mandamos un saludo a los profesionales de la comunicación que concebís vuestro trabajo como una forma de espantar las tinieblas de la ignorancia para hacer un mundo mejor pic.twitter.com/oj0tCDqYUP

— Guardia Civil (@guardiacivil) January 24, 2018

Hoy #DiaDelPeriodista ???? renovamos nuestro compromiso con la información, con el servicio público a los compañeros. ¡Felicidades a todos los que hacéis grande esta profesión! pic.twitter.com/3hmsYArLAB

— Emergencias 112 (@E112Andalucia) January 24, 2018