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

Time to read
less than
1 minute
Print
a- a+
Published 26 years ago
Last updated 1 year ago
Read so far

Children’s Participation - Lebanon

0 comments

Unicef Beirut networked among NGOs to integrate the concept of Participation in their summer activities for children.
Communication Strategies

Trainers worked with about two thousand three hundred children to reinforce children's participation. The children were chosen to represent all the Lebanese regions, the different age groups, and the different sectors: working children, children in conflict with the law, and children with special needs. Two workshops were specially organized for the physically handicapped and the blind children, as these two sectors were not represented in the chosen groups.
Development Issues

Youth, children, rights, political development, tolerance.
Key Points

The children participating in these activities had the chance to express their joy, fear, and problems. They then prioritized these problems, suggesting solutions, and electing members of their own groups to represent them in the presentation of these problems to the concerned officials or decision makers. "I am happy to discuss my problems with children from all the Lebanese regions, handicapped or not, and to participate in solving them," declared Siham Saleh, a 14 year old physically handicapped who for the first time had the chance to have her voice heard.
Partners



UNICEF and various NGO's in Lebanon.

Sources

Letter from Aida Jammal to The Communication Initiative.