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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Civic Education

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This UNESCO project was initiated to educate the public for peace and good governance through the use of a radio team. The project aimed to contribute to the development of long-lasting, secure peace in Somalia through developing discussion among Somalis and agencies about culture of peace and good governance values, attitudes and practices. This volunteer based community education project targeted Somalis living in Somalia and in refugee camps in adjacent countries.
Communication Strategies

Two radio formats, a soap opera format (Geedka Nabadda, Tree of Peace) and a radio magazine format (Muuqaalka Nolosha, Visions of Life). The magazine included interviews, plays, discussions, and songs.A monthly print magazine (Haama-dhawr) supplementary is distributed by many volunteers.

Development Issues

Security (rape theft and banditry), education quality and quantity, women, youth, divorce, environment, governmental roles, grassroots communication

Key Points

The main focus for the campaign was peace building at the "grassroots" level by encouraging community group discussions about peace and peace activities based on people's current everyday life. The people involved in implementing the project had prior experience and commitment to working for peace and had a background in media and development. The project also performed training and monitoring activities, with workshops in participatory research and community radio, and also with the creation of databases of peace activities in Somalia and refugee camps and also for the feedback and input from the radio programmes.

Partners

Support provided by private donors and The Peace Development Fund, The Funding Exchange, The US/Mexico Fund for Culture, The Angeles Arrien Foundation for Cross-Cultural Education and Research, Downtown Community TV, Museum of Modern Art/NYC, Vanguard Public Foundation & the Virginia Wellington Cabot Foundation.

Sources

UNESCO website.