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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Impact Data - Nasha Ulitsa (Our Street) Radio Drama

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Date
Methodologies
InterMedia carried out 4 focus group discussions with 32 young (15-19 year-old men and women) in Simferopol and Sevastopol, Crimea. During the 2-hour discussions - one with young Ukrainians and Russians and one with young Crimean Tatars in each city - participants were asked how close they felt to other ethnic groups before and after they had listened to the entire radio drama series.
Attitudes
  • After listening to "Our Street", the participants' perceptions of distance (on a 6-point Bogardus scale) between the groups in question decreased, in some cases measurably. Mean changes in attitudes towards other ethnic groups (where 1 represents the closest possible relationship - kinship by way of marriage - and 6 represents the most distant relationship - living in the same city or region) were recorded. Groups 1 and 3 consisted of Russians and Ukrainians; Groups 2 and 4 consisted of Crimean Tartars only.
    • The results varied by group but, on average, the Ukrainian and Russians felt somewhat closer to Tatars after hearing the drama series. For example, in Group 1, the mean perceived distance was 2 before listening and 1.8 after. In Group 3, that number improved from 2.8 to 2.
    • The change in attitudes of the Crimean Tatars toward the Russians and Ukrainians was even more pronounced: the Tatars viewed the Russians and Ukrainians in a more favorable light. For example, prior to listening, Group 2 members on average rated Russians at 2.9 on the scale; afterward, they felt closer to this group (1.9). Among this same group, there was a similar change in perception of distance toward Ukrainians (from 2.8 to 1.9). In Group 4, the perceived distance toward Russians improved from 2.4 to 1.5; this number shifted from 1.9 to 1.6 with regard to Ukrainians. Evaluators explain that some of this change may be attributed to the way the radio drama plot unfolded, especially those moments where a few Russian-Ukrainian characters helped the Tatars in difficult situations.
  • After listening, some focus group participants took an interest in ethnic groups other than their own and expressed a desire to understand them better. One participant (Group 1) said, "I have never even thought about the Tatars having been deported...now I felt the situation from their side - how painful and hurtful it is. Now I understand them better."
  • Listeners seemed to recognise the importance of comprehending a situation before responding to it, and of trying to resolve a conflict peacefully rather than attempting to overcome the opponent. Many respondents said the serial gave them new methods and skills for resolving conflicts (although others did not discover any methods in the programmes), as follows:
    • "In principle, there is just one method here: Treat people well." (Group 1)
    • "One doesn't have to use fists to resolve something; one can do it peacefully." (Group 1)
    • "I would no longer get too excited if something was wrong. I'd stop and think." (Group 1)
    • "One shouldn't give way to emotions - this won't lead to anything good; this leads to aggression." (Group 1)
    • "When someone starts insulting you, be silent and count to 10." (Group 2)
    • "Problems shouldn't be resolved by determining who is the better drinker or the faster racer." (Group 3)