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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Dance Against AIDS - Brazil

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AIDS education for Afro-Brazilian youth and traditional cultural groups is promoted through highly energetic and humorous street performances and live drama, motivating confrontation of STD and HIV/AIDS issues in a highly effective manner among youth and children.
Communication Strategies

José Marmo reaches some 40,000 people directly or indirectly through interaction with 6,000 Afro-Brazilian traditional religious communities, and a number of NGO's. Humour and entertainment are key to the effectiveness of this project, educating through street performances and dances. The three key elements of the project include: 1) publicity, 2) direct services through personal contact (including health booths, etc.) and 3) institutional help (ex. Conferences, etc.). A documentary film was also produced and distributed.
Development Issues

STD's and HIV/AIDS, children, youth, entertainment-education
Key Points

A very diverse range of people are affected by this project, including rural religious groups and leaders, afro-Brazilian youth and children, women and men, all without discrimination. This project began through partnerships with rural religious groups and were aimed at men, but now they reach women as well through multi-media activities.
Partners



José Marmo da Silva, Brazilian AIDS Association, Health Secretary of Rio, Afro-Reggae Cultural Arts Group

Sources

"The Dance Against AIDS in Brazil" by Shannon Walbran. The Changemakers Review June 1999, vol 1, no.1, pgs. 34-37