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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Studio ADC - Georgia

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Studio ADC was founded by the NGO Disabled Child, Family, Society with financial support from the Japanese government. The programme, which emphasises media-related training, has been functioning since 1999 in an effort to support young people's general intellectual, creative, and cultural development.
Communication Strategies
The following subjects are taught at the Studio: shooting video footage and basics of drama; TV journalism; the culture of speech; the art of acting; and the history of art and computerisation. The art studio is equipped with updated video systems and computers, which allow for training in shooting video footage and editing. Participants create theatrical performances and video productions.

Recent projects include media support for the UNICEF campaign "Say Yes for Children" and the creation of the film "One day with Dolphins", which documents street children's visit to the Dolphin Pool. The Studio also won a UNICEF competition associated with The International Children's Day of Broadcasting. (A TV series shedding light on the problems of refugees as well as handicapped and street children was broadcast on the First State TV Channel).
Development Issues
Children, Youth, Rights.
Key Points
Studio ADC's organisers claim that the problem of socially unprotected children, and the development of youth media, are not a priority of the Georgian government.
Partners

Disabled Child, Family, Society, with funding from the Japanese Government.

Sources

Letters sent from Gulnara Bibileishvili to The Communication Initiative on November 22, 2002.