Photo: Kerstin Dominika Urban
The Conference of European Churches (CEC) participated in the 2026 European Christian Internet Conference (ECIC), held from 10 to 12 June in Rome under the theme “From prompts to prayers: AI and authentic spirituality”.
The conference brought together communication specialists from churches and ecumenical organisations across Europe to explore artificial intelligence and its impact on church.
CEC Communications Coordinator Naveen Qayyum presented CEC’s short film on just peace in Ukraine, produced as part of the Pathways to Peace initiative, which focuses on Ukraine and promotes dialogue on peace by engaging churches and related organisations across Europe.
The presentation highlighted how, in a rapidly changing media landscape, video production for social media can share churches’ contributions to peacebuilding and strengthen authentic storytelling.
“It is important than ever that reflections from churches in Ukraine and beyond are documented with authenticity, and that church efforts for peacebuilding are shared, especially in an online environment marred by propaganda, misinformation, and disinformation,” said Qayyum.
The presentation underlined that authentic and ethical communication in the age of AI is becoming increasingly significant for churches in Europe.
The European Christian Internet Conference connects Christian communication professionals working on digital media and supports dialogue on AI, digitalisation and emerging technologies.
The ECIC conference explored AI and spirituality, ethical communication, and Pope Leo XIV’s encyclical Magnifica Humanitas: On Safeguarding the Human Person in the Time of Artificial Intelligence, reflecting on human dignity and responsibility in the age of AI.
Participants also visited Vatican Media, where Msgr. Lucio Adrián Ruiz, Secretary of the Dicastery for Communication, shared insights on the Holy See’s approach to communication.
At the conference, CEC Communications Coordinator Naveen Qayyum was elected to the ECIC board, together with Henna Ahlfors from the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland as President, Markus Kartano from the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland, Rev. Lutz Neumeier from the Evangelical Church in Hesse and Nassau, Germany, and Rev. Toomas Nigola from the Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church.
CEC’s participation in ECIC highlights its commitment to cooperation among European church communicators and continued dialogue on ethical communication and AI.
Learn more about Pathways to Peace
Learn more about the European Christian Internet Conference (ECIC)