Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communication Management

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Alliance News > Message from the new Chair

January 2006

Message from Global Alliance Chair 2006-2008, Sejamothopo Motau

Dear Colleagues

This first message from me as chairman of the Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communication Management (GA), I trust, finds each one of you in fine fettle, raring to take on the myriad challenges of public relations and communication management. The “new year” is already somewhat old and I know that many of you have been at your workstations from day one. And so it should be, because we are in the relationship building business, which - like the communication infinity loop - has no beginning or end.

As I take my first steps into a two-year term as chairman of the GA, I do so with mixed feelings – excitement, humility and trepidation, among them. Humility because something deep down in my soul tells me there is no rational reason why a “darkie boy” from the townships of South Africa should occupy such an important position at such a crucial time for public relations and communication management. After all, aren’t there many knowledgeable people around the world in the profession who should be taking up this leadership role?

Sejamothopo Motau, GA Chair

Trepidation because one cannot but help wondering, despite the many years of experience in the profession, whether one will be up to this vital leadership task. However, I draw strength from the fact that those who have walked this path before me, Toni Falconi Muzi and Jean Valin, have laid very strong foundations on which we shall continue to build a strong GA. Furthermore, both Jean and Toni are very active leaders in the profession and our organization, and remain committed and dedicated to the GA’s long term survival and success. I intend to harness their support, wisdom and leadership skills as we embark on our journey to take the GA to a higher level of development.

Excitement because the “One Profession One Voice” call beckons me and all of you. I hear this clarion loud and clear and I can only give a positive response by taking the torch from Valin to lead the way forward. It is for this reason that I would like to thank you, my colleagues, for having placed this trust in me. I want to believe that you would not have done so if you did not believe that I would be up to the job.

We have done much - but much more needs to be done

In his Chairman’s report presented in New Delhi, India, last December, Valin highlighted some of the GA’s milestones achieved through our collective efforts since its inception. However, he rightly reminded us that, “we have accomplished much together, but we have only scratched the surface and much more needs to be done.” Indeed, we do have our work cut out for us in our endeavours to grow the GA. We currently have 62 national and non-national public relations associations representing more than 160 000 public relations practitioners on every continent of the world. Others have shown interest to become members. Ours is to stay in touch with these associations until we bring them into the GA fold. This we should do so that we can add another eight or so members to bring the number to 70 or more by the end of my term. I know this will not be easy but with each one of us putting shoulder to the wheel, we shall achieve our objectives.

As we work hard to bring as many new practitioners into the fold as possible, we must make sure that we retain the current members. May I, at this point, appeal to all our partner associations to ensure that their dues to the GA for the year are paid up in time to enable us to do the work that we must do. I know that many of our members are quite diligent in this regard and I would like to express the gratitude of the leadership for this support and commitment.

While a recruitment drive for new members is critical to our cause, there are various other issues that require our attention - some more pressing than others. These issues have been succinctly captured by our chair-elect, Colin Farrington, in his Corporate Governance Review tabled at our Executive Board meeting in New Delhi in December 2005. We shall be looking at these issues together during the course of my tenure and with your help and support, I have no doubt that we will find solutions conducive to the progress of the GA.

The GA is your organization

I hope that you have caught some of the excitement that I feel as we proceed on our journey to make the GA a viable and relevant organization for its partners and their members. Ours is an organization of volunteers and I know that your leadership can be assured of your ideas and other inputs. The GA is your organization. You, together with your leadership, have the power to make it what you would like it to be.

May I take this opportunity to thank each one of you for the work you do for your associations, our profession and the GA. I look forward to seeing as many of you as possible at the public relations festival in Brasilia in June and at the next one in South Africa in 2007.

Sejamothopo Motau, FPRISA
Chairman Global Alliance