MARGAO
Around 70 priests from South Goa participated in the final session of the ongoing Cyber Awareness Campaign conducted by the Goa Cyber Cell at the John Paul Complex, Borda-Margao on Thursday, taking the total number of priests sensitised by the police on the issue to 176.
Under the banner of Cyber Surakshit Goem, Goa Cyber cell led by PI Deepak Pednekar, successfully conducted a comprehensive Cyber Awareness Campaign for Parish Priests across Goa, covering all Churches and religious institutions in the State.
The campaign was conducted in three phases to ensure maximum outreach and participation. The first session was held on February 13, at Milagris Church Hall, Mapusa, where 50 Parish Priests from North Goa participated. The second session took place on February 20, at Old Goa Church Hall, exclusively for Parish Priests of Tiswadi Taluka, with 56 priests in attendance. The final session was conducted on February 27, at John Paul Complex, Borda, Margao, where 70 Parish Priests from South Goa participated.
In total, 176 Parish Priests from across Goa attended these sessions, ensuring that all churches and religious institutions in the state were covered under this initiative. The sessions focused on creating awareness about various cyber threats, online scams, financial frauds, and safe online practices. Special emphasis was laid on the important role Parish Priests can play as community leaders in further spreading this awareness among the public through their respective churches, institutions, and local communities.
In addition to cyber awareness, participants were also briefed on the key provisions and salient features of the newly introduced criminal laws, equipping them with basic legal knowledge to guide their communities better.
Earlier during Ganesh festival, Goa police conducted extensive cyber awareness programs in Pandals. Similar approach to tap religious leaders and festivals will continue under Cyber Surakshit Goem campaign.
