Communication Initiative

09.02.2005 Departing from Luanda, this convoy of vehicles transports medicines, mosquito nets, insecticides, computers, communication equipment and advocacy materials in malaria affected areas of Angola. It aims to highlight the importance of malaria prevention and promote the use of impregnated mosquito nets. Traditional groups and drama performances entertain and inform crowds drawn by the caravan.

02.02.2005 Association for Progressive Communications and the Commons Group have published an online document that discusses the benefits of open source software for civil society and non-profit organisations. It provides an introduction to the topic, tackling questions like 'what is open source?' and 'how will it benefit my organisation?' It also includes practical, down to earth advice on how to review open source software packages and select the right ones for the job at hand.

02.11.2004 A research department in Canada’s Toronto University has developed a blog that will help employees of NGOs working outside home countries ashare their experiences and resources. Members of Civisphere will receive free one Gb of disk space and can upload pictures, videos and text files.

12.10.2004 This Digest assesses the human rights situation of poor and marginalised children in urban areas around the world. It considers the range of problems that these children and their families face; it draws attention to the need for actions based on a knowledge of urban areas and potential ‘urban advantages'; and examines the capacity of competent, accountable and transparent urban governance to promote the rights of children, enable communities and poor households to influence public policies and actions, and ensure tangible and significant progress in improving conditions in urban settlements.

06.10.2004 Will broadcasting survive convergence, and should it survive? The question is the groundwork for the book “Broadcasting & Convergence: New Articulations of the Public Service Remit”. The book is a culmination of two years of collaboration between media scholars and practitioners and focuses on the future of the public service media.