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.
 
Co-founder Victoria Martin is pleased to see this work continue under Wits' leadership. Victoria knows that co-founder Warren Feek (1953–2024) would have felt deep pride in The CI Global's Africa-led direction.
 
We honour the team and partners who sustained The CI for decades. Meanwhile, La Iniciativa de Comunicación (CILA) continues independently at cila.comminitcila.com and is linked with The CI Global site.
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Seeds of Peace International Camp - Middle East & USA

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Located in the state of Maine in the United States, this is a conflict-intervention and community building summer camp programme for Arab and Israeli youth.
Communication Strategies

Traditional summer camp activities, including sports, art, drama, music, etc., are structured with Arab and Israeli youth working and living together. Israelis, Palestinians, Jordanians, Egyptians, Moroccans, Tunisians and Qataris play together on one team in the same uniform. The youth meet every day, under the supervision of professional Arab, Israeli and American facilitator, for 2-hour "Coexistence Sessions" in which they demystify and discuss differences and build trust to communicate openly and honestly with each other. In addition to learning how to use the internet and acquiring basic web design skills, youth use the web site as a forum for discussion about regional political issues and as a way of continuing coexistence sessions online. Participants programme and operate their own radio station during the summer. Broadcasting live from the radio shack, the participants host talk shows, comedy shows and music shows.
Development Issues

Conflict resolution, political development, peace, education, youth
Key Points

Seeds of Peace operates and supports a year-round regional programme for alumni of the summer camp. By leading school workshops, publishing The Olive Branch (a bi-monthly newspaper written and published by Seeds of Peace alumni and distributed in schools throughout the Middle East), maintaining an online peace network, participating in retreats, homestays and joint activities, Seeds of Peace alumni are giving the region a living example of the possibility of cooperation and coexistence.
Sources

Seeds of Peace web site.