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 20 years ago
Last updated 1 year ago
Read so far

Only With Your Voice

0 comments
Only With Your Voice is a global media campaign designed to raise awareness of the world's commitment to end poverty by 2015, the deadline set for the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The United Nations' Millennium Campaign has produced celebrity clips that involve well-known musicians, actors and actresses, a Nobel Laureate, sports figures, an animal rights campaigner, and others ask the global public to sign an online pledge to hold world leaders to "do exactly what we say; to create a better world and a better future for all." Public service announcements (PSAs) - shared on television and through an interactive website - are a key advocacy tool for stimulating members of the global public to use their voices to demand action against poverty and the other ills addressed through the MDGs.
Communication Strategies
This initiative relies on the Millennium Campaign website to share a series of PSAs featuring celebrities such as Michael Douglas, Youssou N’Dour, Lenny Kravitz, Dr. Eli Wiesel, and many others. There, one may watch the various clips, and then choose one or more to share with friends, family, and colleagues. The e-card format includes a particular message from the selected celebrity spot, with a note that asks the recipient to demand that governments keep their Millennium promise (e.g., "I would like to share Youssou N'Dour's video clip with you. Please visit the Millennium Campaign website [which includes not only the Voices clips but also other information on related campaigns worldwide] and listen to what he has to say. You can join him and millions of people all over the world and become friend of the Campaign.") The idea here is that celebrity involvement can inspire citizens to get involved in asking others to join them in taking action, thereby hopefully raising awareness and effecting political change at a grassroots level.

Media also plays a crucial role in disseminating relevant information to audiences involved in Only With Your Voice. Broadcasters like MTV Italy, Nickelodeon, BBC, TV5, and Television Espanola have broadcast the PSAs.
Development Issues
Poverty, Hunger, Education, Gender Equality, Maternal and Child Health, HIV/AIDS and Malaria, Environment, and Partnership.
Sources

Press Release, April 12 2005; and Millennium Campaign website.