SIGNIS Africa President Upbeat about First-Ever World Congress in Africa
The President of SIGNIS Africa and Chairperson of the African Organizing Committee for the SIGNIS World Congress has expressed readiness to welcome participants from across the globe to Kigali, Rwanda, for the first-ever SIGNIS World Congress to be held on the African continent.
Nairobi, 17 July, 2026 / 5:24 pm (ACI Africa). The President ofSIGNIS Africaand Chairperson of the African Organizing Committee for theSIGNIS World Congresshas expressed readiness to welcome participants from across the globe to Kigali, Rwanda, for the first-ever SIGNIS World Congress to be held on the African continent. In his July 16 interview with ACI Africa, Fr. Walter Chekwendu Ihejirikasaid preparations for the SIGNIS World Congress, scheduled to take place from August 3-8 at Saint Famille Hotel in Kigali, are in their final stages after nearly two years of planning. Describing the upcoming Congress as historic, the Nigerian Catholic Priest said the event marks the first time the SIGNIS World Congress is being hosted in Africa after being held in all other regions of the world. “This is the first time that this World Congress is coming to Africa. It has been held in all the other regions of the world. For the first time, it is coming to Africa. It is really a very big deal for us to host the whole world,” Fr. Walter said. Speaking about the level of preparedness for the global gathering of Catholic communicators, the Nigerian Catholic Priest said organizers are working to complete the remaining tasks ahead of the opening of the Congress. “We are really hyped for the preparation. The time is running so fast. We’re now trying to tidy up the last things. It's not been easy, but we're trying to do our best,” he said. He expressed joy at the overwhelming international responses, noting that participants have registered from all regions of the world and that, so far, around 250 delegates have confirmed their participation in the event. “We are happy to have registrations from all parts of the world, including Europe, Asia, Latin America, and North America. We are even expecting participants from the Oceania region. It’s going to be a real meeting of the whole world, so it's really a very big event, and we are seriously looking forward to hosting them,” he added. He explained that preparations for the global gathering began in late 2024 after theEpiscopal Conference of Rwanda(C. Ep. R. )accepted the proposal to host the Congress, describing the process as a nearly two-year project. “We have been working on this since late 2024. It has been a long process, almost two years. A lot of things have been put in place,” he said. According to Fr. Walter, the organizing committee has held numerous preparatory meetings at both local and international levels, including consultations with Catholic Bishops in Rwanda and government agencies responsible for organizing conferences in the country. “There have been a lot of meetings and preparatory meetings. We sped up. In terms of preparation, we have gone a long way,” he said. Among the milestones achieved so far, Fr. Walater highlighted the design and approval of the Congress logo by both the Bishops and the General Secretariat, as well as the establishment of the Congress website to facilitate registrations and provide participants with timely information. “We set up a congress website through which participants can learn about the congress and do their registration. That has really helped us to manage our registration very well,” he said. He further explained that, through the members of(C. Ep. R. ), organizers established a Congress bank account that has enabled participants from different parts of the world to make payments for registration, accommodation, and other transactions seamlessly. To ensure effective communication with participants, the organizing committee has also established communication channels through the website and a WhatsApp group where inquiries are addressed promptly. “We were able to set up a communication channel both on the website and a WhatsApp group where participants are captured, and discussions are made, inquiries are put forward and answered promptly,” he said. “We have been able to provide necessary communication to all the inquiries that are being made. I think this has really made it possible for participants to be at ease because they get all the necessary information they need on time, able to do any form of transaction on the website seamlessly,” he added. He noted that the Congress website includes a portal for participants wishing to present papers, allowing them to submit their abstracts online. “Even we have a portal on the website for those who want to present papers where they can submit their abstracts, and so I think you know in terms of organizations we have been doing well, and I think those who have so far registered are happy with how things are going on,” he said. (Story continues below)The SIGNIS World Congress is expected to bring together Catholic communicators, media practitioners, and communication scholars from across the globe to reflect on contemporary issues in communication and evangelization, while fostering collaboration among members of the worldwide Catholic media network. The Congress will be held under the theme, “Digital Communication for Cultural Harmony and Environmental Well-Being. ”Sabrine Amboka is a Kenyan journalist with a passion for Catholic church communication. She holds a bachelor’s degree in mass communication from St. Paul's University in Kenya.