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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Getting the Message: Eastern Forests and Biodiversity

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Author

  • Robb Cowie
  • Jane Elder
  • Trish Stocking
The purpose of this message kit (out of print as of 2009) on forests of the eastern United States (US) is to help advocates and educators become more effective in communicating the value of Eastern forests, the threats these forests face, and the things to do to save them. As a tool for education, the kit is designed with recommendations, strategies, and resources to enable conservationists, activists, and citizen groups to broaden the base of active support for the protection of Eastern forests and their biodiversity.

The kit is comprised of the following sections:



  • Introduction
  • Fact sheets on the biodiversity of Eastern forests, the services and threats of the Eastern forest ecosystem, its history, a map and toolbox, strategies to "put it all together", and a statistical profile.
  • Communications sheets on crafting a communications strategy; channels to convey messages; tips on relating biodiversity issues to people; tips for public education and outreach; communicating the value of Eastern forests; focusing outreach; responding to myths, questions, and concerns; and opposition strategies - communication messages of the timber industry and its allies.
  • Resources

Publishers

Source

The Biodiversity Project website on September 11 2007 and on January 9 2009.