Every four years the Assembly of Delegates of SIGNIS has to meet to elect or re-elect its President, Vice Presidents and Secretary General. This meeting is therefore a regular opportunity to bring together members of the Association from across the globe.
Organizing a Congress in conjunction with the Assembly is a chance to renew and reinvigorate the members of SIGNIS as they meet together face-to-face, explore common themes, share experiences and are challenged to respond to the changes in society and the media.
The predecessors of SIGNIS, OCIC and Unda, held their first Congresses in 1929 and from 1980, they held joint Congresses. The first SIGNIS Congress was held in Rome in 2001, to be followed by Lyon (2005), Chiang Mai (2009), Rome (2014) and Québec (2017).
The next one will be held in Kigali in 2026.