SIGNIS India National Assembly 2026: Statement
“Whispers of Hope: Communicating Peace, Growing Together, Building Futures”
Responding to the call of Pope Francis on the occasion of World Communications Day, around 72 media professionals representing 12 regions of SIGNIS India – one of the member of the World Catholic Association for Communication gathered at Gianodaya, New Diocesan Pastoral Centre, Jalandhar, from 13 – 16 April 2026 to engage in reflection, dialogue, and discernment on the theme “Whispers of Hope: Communicating Peace, Growing Together, Building Futures,” and to formulate an action plan for the year ahead.
We express deep concern over the ongoing violence against marginalized communities in various parts of India. We are particularly distressed by repeated attacks on Christian minorities and the destruction of churches. Equally troubling is the misuse of media that negatively influences young people through the spread of fake news, violent and explicit content, and derogatory digital material that can mislead them into harmful behaviours.
While recognizing the immense potential of Artificial Intelligence, we emphasize the urgent need to accompany digitally immersed youth through media education and the development of ethical content creation skills. This will enable them to transform confusion into clarity, and challenges into a vision for a purposeful future.
We reaffirm our responsibility to counter hostility and misinformation in the media with truth, credibility, and a message of hope firmly grounded in social reality and personal integrity.
We underscore the importance of interreligious dialogue in fostering mutual respect and collaboration among all communities, thereby promoting peace, harmony, and unity.
We also acknowledge the vital role of women in peace building and in bearing witness to Christ. It is essential to provide them with greater opportunities to share their narratives of hope, resilience, and courage.
We commit ourselves to sharing stories meaningfully and listening attentively to others, as essential dimensions of communicating our faith.
We further affirm our commitment to engaging with AI and digital media responsibly, with caution, while amplifying the voices and needs of the marginalized sections of society.
Inspired by the insights and testimonies shared during our gathering, we resolve to deepen our understanding of our faith, actively involve the laity in dialogue, and develop digital safeguarding policies and toolkits within our organizations. We will strive to address the challenges of the digital age, promote authentic and reliable sources of information, and proclaim the Good News with courage and conviction thereby contributing to a culture of peace in society.
- 15 April 2026
Jalandhar, India
