Pope Leo XIV Tells Communicators to Anchor their Platforms in 2 Pillars - Message for Historic 1st SIGNIS Conference in Africa

 KIGALI, Rwanda — In a historic first for African soil, over 300 Catholic media professionals from 100 countries gathered at the Sainte Famille Hotel in Kigali for the 2026 SIGNIS World Congress (August 3–8). Centered on the theme "Digital Communication for Cultural Harmony and Environmental Well-being," the event addresses the ethical boundaries of emerging media, digital connectivity, and artificial intelligence.

Papal Message: Truth, Dignity, and Environmental Stewardship

A message from Pope Leo XIV, signed by Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin, was delivered during the opening session by Archbishop Arnaldo Catalan, Apostolic Nuncio to Rwanda. Citing his encyclical Magnifica Humanitas, the Pontiff reminded delegates that online communication extends far beyond transmitting data—it shapes global culture and collective conscience.

Leo XIV urged communicators to anchor their platforms in two foundational pillars:

• Truth and Human Dignity: Developing strategies that resist digital distortion and uphold ethical standards.

• Evangelical Values: Fostering a global culture rooted in communion, peace, and active environmental protection.

Dicastery for Communication: "Humanize the Medium"

Following the papal address, Paolo Ruffini, Prefect of the Dicastery for Communication, delivered a video message urging media professionals to prioritize genuine human interaction over algorithmic convenience in an age marked by geopolitical strife and information decay.

Key highlights from Ruffini’s address include:

• Connection vs. Communion: Simple connectivity, digital "likes," and screen-based interactions cannot replace real human presence, shared trust, and authentic community.

• The Limits of AI: While recognizing AI's power to process information, Ruffini noted that technology cannot imitate true wisdom, personal responsibility, or love. "AI can calculate... but we must never allow algorithms to write our history. We are and must remain its authors."

• Mission Beyond Profit: SIGNIS must act not as a bureaucracy, but as a living network dedicated to truth, fraternity, and ethical economic models for media—rejecting profit maximization and simple consensus-seeking.

Ruffini concluded with a call to action for media engineers and entrepreneurs: the ultimate benchmark of progress is not creating a smarter machine, but cultivating a fundamentally more human way to communicate.