The Communication Initiative
Development action with informed and engaged societies
The Communication Initiative

After nearly 28 years, The Communication Initiative (The CI) Global is entering a new chapter. 

Following a period of transition, the global website has been transferred to the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) in South Africa, where it will be administered by the Social and Behaviour Change Communication Division. Wits' commitment to social change and justice makes it a trusted steward for The CI's legacy and future. 

On the transfer, co-founder Victoria Martin expressed her pleasure to see this work continue under Wits' leadership, knowing that co-founder Warren Feek (1953–2024) would have felt deep pride in The CI Global's Africa-led direction. 

As Wits, we honour the team and partners who sustained The CI for decades and look forward building from that strong base. This includes co-founders Warren Feek (1953-2024) and Victoria Martin as well as La Iniciativa de Comunicación (CILA), which continues independently at lainiciativadecomunicacion.com with links to The CI Global site. We are also eager to forge new partnerships and entertain new ideas as we consider how best to contribute to social and behaviour change in our rapidly evolving environment.

If you are joining the International Social and Behaviour Change Communication (SBCC) Summit in Panama, please join Wits and CILA on Monday, 22 June, to share your thoughts and suggestion for the relaunch of the Communication Initiative. We will be in Pacifica 5 from 12-1:25 for the Refuel, Reflect, and Renew Lunch Series: The Communication Initiative: celebrating a driving force for Communication for Social Change and the way forward. We will reflect on the legacy of Warren Feek and family in creating the Communication Initiative, consider the contributions of CI over the years and then turn our attention towards the future in this dynamic session. 

If you are unable to join us in Panama, we still want to hear from you. Please contribute your thoughts by following this link: https://redcap.link/CommunicationInitiative2026 or reaching out to ci_surveys@commint.com. 

You can also follow the QR Code:

 https://redcap.link/CommunicationInitiative2026

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Travelling Documentary - India

3 comments
A collaboration involving United Nations Volunteers, this programme involves taking the documentary format to the people of India by screening documentary films. The project works by collecting films made by independent filmmakers and organisations (both governmental and non-governmental) and showing them to school/college/university students, suburban groups (like those in Nangloi, Mangolpuri, Trilokpuri, etc), and industrial townships.
Communication Strategies
Films to be screened are assessed according to their content and the target group they address, while still chosen to broaden the perspective of a diverse group of viewers. Other criteria for films include clear language and evocative styles of production. Common areas of interest include issues of family or state, as well as national and international concerns. However, more controversial films, like those addressing questions about gender, justice, or water resources, are also shown to audiences consisting of different social groups.

Filmmakers and communication personnel are invited to present their films at the screening venues. This contact with audiences is meant to provide fresh insight into the anxieties and aspirations of particular social groups, possibly helping to shape the design of future communication projects.
Key Points
The impact of the screenings will be assessed and posted on a website (which is, as of this writing, still under construction). Click here to view the site.

Films screened in August, 2002, included Present Tense Future Imperfect - Raqs Media Collective, Bol - Drshti Media Collective for ICRW, and The Water Trail, Rajasthan- Sanket Productions for Zee Network.
Sources

Letter sent from Sanjay Maharishi to The Communication Initiative on August 21, 2002.

Comments

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Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 11/30/1999 - 00:00 Permalink

would like to see more such initiatives

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Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 11/30/1999 - 00:00 Permalink

would like to see more such initiatives

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Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 11/30/1999 - 00:00 Permalink

the site mentioned here should be launched soon. an initiative like this is hugely awaited.