Presentation by GA Chairman, Sej Motau at the 3rd World Public Relations Festival, Public Relations: Voices in the World, June 2006

One Profession - One Voice

It is now common cause that we live in a global village, a world without borders that operates in a “zero time” environment. Looking at the theme of this festival - Public Relations: The Voice of the World - one cannot but help feeling that in the world I have just described, we would have had to invent the Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communication Management (GA) if it did not exist. Luckily the GA does exist and the organisation is seized with the challenge of getting the myriad “PR voices in the world” to speak as one, thus its vision: One Profession One Voice.

The Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communication Management (GA) is an association of national and non-national associations of public relations and communication management. The GA has more than 60 members or partners representing more than 160 000 public relations professionals around the world. Conferp, the Federal Council of Public Relations Professionals in this country, is one such partner and we are grateful that they have agreed to host the GA executive and council members at this festival.

As indicated earlier, the vision of the GA is “One Profession One Voice” and our mission is to:
 

	Unify the profession by linking together all national public relations and communication management associations in the world as well as regional, specialty and international associations Provide a framework for the discussion and consensus-based definition for professional standards and to share resources for the benefit of the professional community
	Leverage the work of associations and institutes for the benefit and growth of our member associations and institutes and their members
	Become the authoritative global voice on public relations matters and to work in the public interest for the benefit of the public relations profession

Guiding Principles

The GA is driven by the belief that there are universal values and behaviours such as ethics and honesty to be promoted for the good of our profession and practitioners. To this end, a global Protocol for Codes of Ethics has been adopted and December 2006 has been set as the deadline for ratification by member associations.

The GA also believes in flexible approaches to universal standards that reflect cultural differences in the interpretation, adaptation and implementation of our work. Thus, a series of profiles on how Public Relations is practiced around the world, known to us as PR Landscapes, has been launched. We have also undertaken a study to facilitate the formulation of a global public relations curriculum. This research is work in progress carried out by a doctoral student at Leeds Metropolitan University. We look forward to the outcome and we hope that once completed these projects will take us further on the journey to achieve our stated long-term objective of One Profession One Voice.

PR Festivals

In our quest to raise the quality and professionalism of public relations, the GA developed the concept of world public relations festivals. These festivals bring together some of the best minds in the profession to share and explore the latest trends in the public relations and communication management industry.

This global PR Indaba, the 3rd World PR Festival, follows two highly successful festivals that were held in Trieste in 2005 and Rome in 2003, both in Italy. The 4th World PR Festival will be hosted by the Institute for Public Relations and Communication management in Southern Africa (PRISA) in Cape Town, South Africa, from 13 – 15, 2007. The GA is proud of this brand and we plan to refine the product as we gain experience to be the best practice for the world in this kind of forum.

Challenges

The GA is currently engaged in a serious introspection regarding governance and its future role. This critical self-assessment comes just over five years since its launch. This is a necessary intervention as the organisation wants to remain relevant to the profession and its members. After all, self-definition is the beginning of self-actualisation. Whatever comes out of this exercise should further empower the GA and its partners and their members. It should also enhance its credibility. The organisation, as part of the global village, is also looking at issues external to itself to position itself appropriately to be an effective participant in the world of public relations and communication management.

It is generally accepted in many parts of the world that most public relations practitioners remain outside the ambit of any public relations professional body. This is a serious challenge for the GA and our partners in the various countries because while this trend persists, we cannot mobilize and leverage the profession’s resources to the best effect. While we must give primary attention to our members, we must also strive to bring these “outsider colleagues” into the extended public relations family. This can only strengthen all of us. How we achieve this goal, remains a vexed issue in its own right.

We must strive to raise the voice of the profession where it matters. I am happy to say that the GA is recognized by the United Nations as an interlocutor on public information issues facing all nations. For instance, in 2004 we launched an initiative to document the role of public relations in the Tsunami that devastated South Asia. A report was commissioned and posted by the GA. And today at this forum, GA speakers are sharing the platform with a representative of the World Bank.

We have also been invited by the Bank - and have accepted - to serve on the Advisory Board of the World Congress on Communication for Development which takes place in Rome, 25 – 27 October 2006. We cherish this relationship and collaboration and the GA is committed to its long-term sustainability. This can only augur well for our institutions and the world.

We must redouble our efforts to build sound relationships with other international public relations organisations like the International Public Relations Association, the International Association of Business Communicators, and continental associations like the Federation of African Public Relations Associations. This can only be good for the practitioners and our profession.

Clearly, the challenges facing a body like the GA are many and quite daunting in their magnitude. I am, however, encouraged by the quality of people and partner associations we have in the organisation. We have the commitment and the determination to succeed. And as such, I believe I’m right when I say: We must stay the course because we are on track to achieve our goal: One Profession One Voice.

Sejamothopo Motau, FPRISA
Chairman, Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communication Management.
Brasilia, Brazil; June 27, 2006.