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Alliance newsletter
December 2005
Dear Colleagues and
Friends
Read the Spanish
translation
Advancing
the profession can only be done together!
As I complete the second year of my two-year term as Chairman, I
have an opportunity to reflect on the progress we have made since
the GA was formally established. During the last few years we have
worked together to transform the dream of “one profession-one voice”
into a reality. Thanks to our collective efforts, we have
accomplished much together, but we have only scratched the surface
and much more needs to be done.
Currently, 62 national and
non-national public relations associations representing more than
160,000 public relations practitioners on every continent of the
world enjoy Global Alliance membership. Associations who are not yet
members continue to express interest in becoming part of the GA
effort. In the past year alone we have welcomed the following
members: Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Cuba, Moldavia, Norway, Venezuela,
PRIME, Komora (Czech), FAPRA and have had discussions with China and
Japan. Moreover, the GA was granted official status by the United
Nations as an interlocutor on Public Information issues facing all
nations.
The GA continues to make progress
on the milestones it established so far, including the
following:
Strategic plan
A
three year strategic plan was adopted. It is a blueprint to
guide our work for the next few years and beyond.
World standards
A first world standard - a protocol for codes of ethics - was
adopted and is being ratified by all members is with a deadline
of December 2006 for ratification. We are now actively exploring
standards in accreditation, curriculum standards and body of
knowledge.
Industry research
What is the average salary of a PR professional in your country?
How many men and women practice? What about the annual billings?
So many questions, so few answers until now. I am happy to
announce that we are undertaking research about the scope of
public relations activity in every member country of the GA. We
will be basing this research on a questionnaire used in the UK to determine the scope of our profession.
Members will be asked to send the questionnaire to your own members.
Results will be analyzed and shared with everyone. I urge you to
take advantage of this research opportunity which will reveal
much valuable information. More information to follow early in
2006.
Best practice
We have entered in a partnership agreement with DM management
for the dissemination of knowledge and best practices. The
ComPro software and related information database is being
offered to GA member organization as an added value of GA
membership and an opportunity to disseminate world-class
knowledge.
Website
The Global Alliance website was upgraded and re-launched:
www.globalpr.org.
Disaster communication
Last year we launched an initiative to document the role of
public relations in the aftermath of the Tsunami that destroyed
South Asia. A report was commissioned and posted by the GA with
great thanks to Michael Morley, Krisnamurthy Sriramesh and
Sandra MacLeod.
PR Landscapes
Our series of profiles on how PR is practiced around the world
has been launched with more than a dozen profiles completed and
more coming on stream shortly:
www.globalpr.org/knowledge/landscapes.asp
World Public Relations Festival
Following a very successful 2nd World Public Relations Festival
(WPRF) in Trieste last June, we have received an expression of
interest to collaborate with the World Bank to work
collaboratively on their “Communicating for Development” program
with a possibility of including WB speakers in future WPRF
events.
Newsletters
Newsletters are prepared and distributed to all GA members
quarterly and more often, if needed:
www.globalpr.org/news
Member benefits
Membership has its privilege! Member rates for seminars,
conferences, and documents are offered reciprocally to the
members of every GA association- a great benefit of the GA and
proof that we are all members of one profession regardless of
where we live (proof of membership to an affiliated national
body is required). We have also launched the
Global
Alliance Bookshop in association with Kogan Page, offering
GA members discounts on a wide range of PR and business
management titles.
GA executive board
All continents have representation on the GA executive board. We
are currently reviewing our governance structure with a view to
strengthen participation from all corners of the world. I want
to welcome Gigi de Mier from Puerto Rico who joins the board as
of next January.
Global Alliance meetings
Several invitations to host GA meetings have been received. We
have just completed our executive board in New Delhi in
connection with an International conference hosted by the PR
Society of India. Brazil will host the full council and AGM in
2006. Puerto Rico will host a fall meeting of the executive
board and South Africa will organize a World Public Relations
Festival in 2007.
The voice of the profession
And, perhaps most important, we are developing a mutual
understanding and building collaborative working relationships
for the good of the profession and the professional. For the
first time, our profession has a place where we can learn from
each other globally and have debates that can consolidate our
position as the voice of the profession.
It has been truly inspiring to see the
dedication of so many individuals who have contributed to the
realization of this ideal. My thanks to all volunteers and staff from
around the globe who have given life to the GA vision of “one
profession-one voice”.
I would like to offer my personal thanks
to members of the executive board who have supported me in my term as
Chairman. I can assure you that I will continue to be active as Past
Chairman not only on the executive board, but in any way I can to
continue our work. My good friend Sej Motau (South Africa) who will soon
take over as Chairman can count on my full support.
Your comments and participation in GA
activities are always welcome.
Jean Valin
Chair 2004/05, Global Alliance
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