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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Professor Who Fights Against AIDS Film - Africa

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As part of its effort to fight AIDS in Africa, UNESCO has produced a documentary film entitled "The professor who fights against AIDS". The film will be broadcast nationally on African television stations and worldwide as a tool in various awareness-raising programmes set up by governments and local NGOs.
Communication Strategies
The documentary features professor Luc Montagnier, who has been studying HIV/AIDS in Africa for 22 years. In the film, Montagnier presents his research and talks about his recent discoveries regarding both preventive vaccines and vaccines that are designed to eradicate the AIDS virus in adults and children. The film looks at short-term treatments adapted to Africa, urging caution with respect to African pharmacopoeia and new treatments. Also explored in the film is the discovery of the HIV 1 and 2 viruses in Central and Western Africa.
Development Issues
HIV/AIDS, Youth, Immunisation and Vaccination.
Key Points
Luc Montagnier is also President of the World Foundation for AIDS Research and Prevention, whose objectives are to establish research, prevention, and treatment centres, especially in Africa. The film helped lead to the establishment of an integrated Bio-Clinical Research Centre in Abidjan (CIRBA). The second centre opened in November, 2002 in Cameroon. UNESCO produced the film for the opening of this centre to commemorate World AIDS Day on December 1, 2002.

Professor Montagnier's goal is to create similar centres across Africa and to set up a network of reference centres with mobile units in rural areas.

In Africa, 10 to 30% of the population is infected; young people are particularly at risk.

The tape is available free of charge by request (contact details are below).
Sources

Press release, dated 7/11/02, on UNESCO site; and letter from Jeanne Seck to The Communication Initiative on December 2, 2002.