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
1 minute
Print
a- a+
Published 18 years ago
Last updated 1 year ago
Read so far

Mapping Communication Messages for Avian and Pandemic Influenza

0 comments
This 26-page resource document lists global and regional organisations working on messages for avian influenza (AI)/ bird flu and pandemic influenza. It then presents the organisations in charts, one global and one regional. One category on the chart presents the organisation name (e.g., European Commission: Health & Consumer Voice, Centro Latinoamericano y del Caribe de Información en Ciencias de la Salud, Academy for Educational Development, and CARE Vietnam). The other category presents its materials, sometimes with a brief summary (some appearing in English, some in Spanish), with a link to web-based or PDF format information for each. Some colour coding for organisations is included: aqua for the World Health Organization (WHO)/Organización Mundial de la Salud (OMS) and yellow for Organización Panamericana de la Salud (OPS)/Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).

Some sample listings showing the diversity of content organised here (including both English and Spanish listings) are:
  • Heifer International - What’s New with Avian Flu and You? [PDF]
  • Organización Panamericana de la Salud (OPS)Pandemic Influenza - This is the principle web site of the OPS for information and guidelines related to pandemic influenza. On this website, there are links to those sites within the OPS about avian and seasonal influenza.
    Website in English
    Website in Spanish
  • United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) Turkey
    1. Keep children away from poultry and other birds.
    2. Report sick or dead birds to your local authorities immediately.
    3. Seek immediate treatment if you fall sick after contact with dead or sick birds.
    4. Avian Flu treatment is FREE!
    5. Soap kills germs - Wash your hands with soap and water frequently.
    6. Cook eggs and chicken thoroughly at a high temperature.
     Click here for access to the poster "Six Steps to Avoid Bird Flu!"

Publishers

Languages
Mixed English and Spanish
Number of Pages
26
Source

Email from Bryna Brennan to The Communication Initiative on August 13 2007; and the
Pan American Health Organization Risk and Outbreak Communication website.