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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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Buddhist Concept of Communication

10 comments
Theory Summary
In the Aristotelian [Western] notion of communication the idea of manipulation is central. In the Buddhist model, however, the notions of sharing and mutuality are important. The differences between the two models can be schematically represented as follows:

Aristotelian Model

1. Emphasis on communicator
2. Influence a key notion
3. Focus on control
4. Emphasis on outward process
5. Relationship between communicator and receiver asymmetrical.
6. Stress on intellect

Buddhist Model

1. Emphasis on receiver
2. Understanding a key notion
3. Focus on choice
4. Emphasis on both outward and inward processes
5. Relationship between communication and receiver symmetrical
6. Stress on empathy
Source

Communications Systems for Planning Change - from the Chapter entitled - "A Buddhist Approach to Development - A Sri Lankan Endeavour' pp 48/49.

Comments

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Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 04/13/2008 - 11:05 Permalink

buddhist communication

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

it is good but what is the concept of communication skill please discuss extensively and if possible e- mail mkmazadu@yahoo.com

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Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 12/14/2004 - 13:30 Permalink

emphasis on both outward and inward processes

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Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 01/27/2005 - 13:29 Permalink

This had no infoormation whatsoever. i am very disatisfied.

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Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 01/27/2005 - 13:30 Permalink

This page did not help me at all.

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Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 02/16/2005 - 11:12 Permalink

I found this comparison very useful. I wonder how close the Buddhist Model is to Marshal Rosenbergs Non Violent Communication. I would like to find the original source material. Can anyone help ?viramitra@tiscali.co.uk

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Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 03/11/2005 - 06:33 Permalink

Europe starts to be more receptive to approaches like this...

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Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 06/13/2005 - 13:28 Permalink

There is an interesting idea lurking, but this presentation is simplistic and unconvincing. lde June 2005

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Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 02/15/2007 - 01:10 Permalink

A key understanding to Buddhist/Western approaches to communication and teaching

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Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 07/25/2011 - 23:28 Permalink

Well, I did not find this article particularly enlightening, if you will pardon the pun.

When you say a Buddhist Communication, are you talking about communication dynamics between two lay people (not monks) who practice Buddhism? Or are you talking about the communication dynamics between a Buddhist monk giving a Dharma sermon (or even a Buddhist blessing) to a lay person?

Being a Buddhist woman from Thailand, there is as much emphasis on the person who is speaking as there is on the person who is listening. I think that if you are to read though a collection of Buddhism articles on this page at http://www.thebuddhagarden.com/buddhism-articles.htm then you will see many Dharma sermons by Thai Buddhist monks where the dynamics are NOT like the way you have them listed.