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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Rescue Mission 2002 - Global

2 comments
Rescue Mission 2002 is a programme initiated by Peace Child International to create a book produced for young people aged 13 and above. The book seeks to explain the major UN documents, conferences, and ideas since the Rio Earth Summit and Agenda 21. It was written, illustrated, and designed by young people from across the world.
Communication Strategies
Schools and youth groups from around the world participated in the preparation of the 96-page publication. First, young people aged 21 and under received a special edition of Earth Focus magazine in English, French, and Spanish telling them about the project, explaining the UN documents, and outlining key topics to be covered in the book. These groups then worked to translate the key points of the material into a format that would be interesting and understandable to their peers. Submissions included poems, case studies, artwork, and personal accounts. An editorial meeting then took place at which young editors, selected from contributing groups, put together a first draft. This draft was field-tested in schools and youth groups. After receiving comments on the first draft, more artwork and writings were considered. After a second editorial meeting involving more young people and students from the International School of Geneva, a final copy was prepared and printed. Those who registered on Rescue 2002 site have been able to receive regular email updates about the progress of the project.

In addition to the book, a CD-ROM containing texts and illustrations from Rescue Mission 2002, the original Rescue Mission, the original Agenda 21, Agenda for Change (by Michael Keating), the Rio Declaration, and related conventions and decisions will be produced. The CD-ROM will link automatically to a website where the reader will be updated on topics under review in the Agenda 21 process and related responses by interest groups. An accompanying teacher's guide is also planned.
Development Issues
Children, Youth, Environment.
Key Points
In 1993 Peace Child created Rescue Mission Planet Earth, a Children's Version of Agenda 21. This document translated a long-winded UN document into a clear, youth-oriented format. This book sold over 320,00 copies and was translated into 18 languages. Rescue 2002 is an outgrowth of that effort.
Partners

Government of the Netherlands, Government of Finland, United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Bellerive Foundation, International School of Geneva.

Sources

Rescue 2002 site; letter sent from Russell Parkinson to The Communication Initiative on November 11, 2002.

Comments

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

great idea and obviously successful. thanks for this infor

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Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 03/02/2008 - 03:56 Permalink

Thank you. I have linked this page from the KI Publishing Page and the "Water" Page of www.jacynthacrawley.com, my website on the complementary lifestyle.