By Christiana Gokyo, Jos
The SIGNIS World Congress has concluded its conference in Kigali, Rwanda, with the election of a new Executive Council to oversee the affairs of SIGNIS worldwide.
The newly elected Executive Council is led by Rev. Prof. Walter Chikwendu Ihejirika of Nigeria, a former SIGNIS President for Africa, who emerged as the new World President.
Other members elected are Pamela Aleman of SIGNIS USA-Canada and Magimai Pragasam of India as Vice-Presidents, while Adriana Racasan of SIGNIS Europe was elected Treasurer.
Prof. Ihejirika succeeds Helen Osman, who served two terms as World President of SIGNIS.
The SIGNIS World Congress in Kigali also reminded participants that communication in the digital age must be more than fast, innovative or influential. It must remain deeply human, ethically responsible and committed to the common good.
As artificial intelligence and emerging technologies increasingly influence culture, education, relationships and public life, Catholic communicators have an important responsibility to use technology to connect rather than divide, illuminate rather than manipulate, and protect human dignity rather than reduce people to data.
The Congress reaffirmed that the mission of SIGNIS across the world remains clear: to communicate truth with charity, innovate with conscience, listen with humility, and place the human person at the heart of the digital future.
