Kigali, Rwanda
The SIGNIS World Congress 2026 in Kigali, Rwanda, brought together Catholic communicators, media professionals and Church leaders from around the world to explore how communication can respond to some of the most pressing challenges facing our communities. The Congress provided an important opportunity to bring ecological justice, truth and care for our common home into the global Catholic communications conversation.
Held under the theme “Digital Communication for Cultural Harmony and Environmental Well-being,” the Congress explored the responsibility communicators have to use their platforms in service of human dignity, peace and creation.
LSM’s Director of Africa, Ashley Kitisya was invited to speak on the panel “Environmental Communication and the Care for Creation,” exploring the intersection of Laudato Si’ and Sustainable Development Goals 6, 12, 13, 14 and 15.
Moderated by Sr Mumbi Kigutha, the panel brought together voices from across the Laudato Si’ community to reflect on the role communication can play in advancing ecological justice. Ashley highlighted the critical responsibility communicators have to expose climate disinformation and greenwashing, particularly when communicating about industries and partnerships that affect people and the environment. At the heart of her message was a simple principle: communicators have a responsibility to tell the truth about the realities happening to our common home.
The panel was joined by Letícia Florêncio, Communications Manager for Laudato Si’ Movement Latin America, who reflected on communicating hope and our responsibility as communicators to showcase hope even when situations seems difficult and Tomás Insua, President of the Laudato Si’ Center in Assisi, who joined virtually and highlighted the Season of Creation as an important opportunity for Catholic communicators to amplify environmental conversations. Sr Juunza C. Mwangani grounded the discussion in grassroots ecological action, sharing how emerging farmers are transforming waste, building climate-resilient farming practices and empowering women and young people to tell their own stories.
The Panelist: Letícia Florêncio, Ashley Kitisya, Sr Juunza C. Mwangani
Tomás Insua from the President of the Laudato Si’ Center in Assisi joined the panel discussion virtually.
Together, the panel offered an important reminder that authentic environmental communication is both a spiritual and practical calling. In a world where communicators must navigate misinformation, greenwashing and competing narratives about our environmental future, telling the stories of creation with truth, courage and hope matters.
LSM Africa was also represented at the Congress by our Communications Officer,Mwenya Chitambala who participated in the gathering and connected with Catholic media professionals, Church representatives, and other key stakeholders from across the region and beyond.
Her participation provided an opportunity to strengthen relationships within the Catholic communications community, exchange experiences with fellow communicators, and explore opportunities for greater collaboration.
The Congress provided an important space not only to discuss the role of communication, but also to build the relationships needed to put those conversations into practice.
Letícia Florêncio, Ashley Kitisya, Mwenya Chitambala
The Congress reaffirmed that communication is more than sharing information. It can help people understand the ecological crisis, challenge harmful narratives, amplify communities whose experiences are too often overlooked, and inspire the ecological conversion at the heart of Laudato Si’.
Read the Vatican News coverage of the SIGNIS World Congress