Kigali, Rwanda, Tuesday, 4 August 2026 – The first-ever SIGNIS World Congress to be hosted in Kigali, Rwanda, officially opened today at the Hotel Sainte Famille, bringing together Catholic communicators, media professionals, clergy, religious, and lay faithful from around the world under the theme “Digital Communication for Cultural Harmony and Environmental Wellbeing.”
In a goodwill message, His Holiness Pope Leo XIV called on Catholic communicators to harness the power of digital communication platforms as instruments for advancing the common good of the human family. The Holy Father urged participants to work together in developing common strategies and communication tools that respect the truth, uphold human dignity, and foster unity in an increasingly digital world.
Bishop Bibi during the congress opening ceremony
Welcoming delegates to the congress, Ms. Helen Osman, President of SIGNIS, encouraged participants to embrace with courage both the opportunities and the challenges presented by artificial intelligence. She stressed that technological advancement should never diminish the human person but should instead inspire new forms of communication that promote peace, justice, dialogue, and the inherent dignity of every individual.
Some SIGNIS delegates from the Diocese of Buea
Speaking on behalf of the Government of Rwanda, the representative Dr. Félicien Usengumikiza , Governance Board (RGB), – Deputy Chief Executive Officer welcomed participants to the Land of a Thousand Hills and invited them to allow Rwanda’s story of resilience, reconciliation, and renewal to inspire their communication mission. He emphasized that technology and digital innovation must always serve humanity rather than exploit it, calling on communicators to ensure that emerging technologies contribute to social transformation, cultural harmony, and sustainable development.
The opening ceremony also featured welcome addresses from Cardinal Antoine Kambanda, President of the Episcopal Conference of Rwanda; Rev. Fr. Prof. Walter Ihejirika, President of SIGNIS Africa; goodwill messages from the Apostolic Nuncio to Rwanda and partner organizations.
