By Francis Ngahu Ndatha
KIGALI, Rwanda, August 4, 2026 (CISA) – Catholic media professionals from across the globe have gathered in Kigali, Rwanda, for the first SIGNIS World Congress ever to be held on the African continent, marking a significant milestone in the Church’s commitment to communication, evangelisation and ethical engagement in the digital age.
The Congress, taking place from August 3 to 8 at the Sainte Famille Hotel, has brought together more than 300 delegates from over 100 countries, including journalists, broadcasters, filmmakers, educators and digital communicators under the theme, “Digital Communication for Cultural Harmony and Environmental Wellbeing.”
Organised by SIGNIS, the World Catholic Association for Communication, the Congress is examining how emerging technologies, particularly artificial intelligence, are reshaping communication while challenging the Church to promote truth, dialogue, justice and care for creation.
Fr Walter Chikwendu Ihejirika, President of SIGNIS Africa and chair of the Congress’s organising committee, described the choice of Kigali as a defining moment for Catholic communicators worldwide. He said the theme was chosen deliberately to speak to realities facing both the Church and wider society, and linked it to Pope Leo XIV’s recent encyclical Magnifica Humanitas, on safeguarding the human person in the age of artificial intelligence.
The programme includes plenary sessions, panel discussions and workshops on synodality, digital discipleship, media literacy, child protection in digital spaces, gender equality, environmental communication and the responsible use of artificial intelligence.
Participants are also reflecting on the Church’s teaching on communication, drawing from documents such as Aetatis Novae, alongside recent papal teaching on artificial intelligence and digital ethics. Discussions are exploring how digital media can strengthen communion within the Church while addressing misinformation, disinformation and the growing influence of AI in society.
The Congress opened with the celebration of Holy Mass at St Michael’s Cathedral in Kigali, presided over by Cardinal Antoine Kambanda, Archbishop of Kigali, together with bishops and priests from different parts of the world. Cardinal Kambanda, elevated as Rwanda’s first-ever cardinal in 2020, lost seven members of his immediate family in the 1994 genocide while studying in Rome and later returned to lead Caritas Rwanda’s reconstruction work.
Delegates are also expected to visit the Kigali Genocide Memorial and the Marian Shrine of Our Lady of Kibeho, offering opportunities for reflection on reconciliation, peace and Rwanda’s faith journey.
During the SIGNIS Africa General Assembly held alongside the Congress, members elected a new continental board that will guide the association over the coming term.
The newly elected leadership comprises:
- President, Fr Fidele Mutabazi of Rwanda
- Vice President, Virginia Kabugu of Kenya
- Secretary-Treasurer, Fr Abbé K. Alexis of Burkina Faso
- Board Member, Sr Anastancia of Mozambique
- Board Member, Martin Matambo of Zimbabwe
- Board Member, Mwami Daka of Zambia
The election reflects the growing role of African Catholic communicators in shaping the future of the global communication network.
SIGNIS promotes professional excellence in Catholic communication while supporting media initiatives that uphold human dignity, peace, justice and dialogue across cultures.
The Kigali Congress is expected to conclude with recommendations aimed at strengthening Catholic media’s response to the opportunities and ethical challenges presented by rapidly evolving digital technologies.
