Chairman's Report 2005

Dear GA partner

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:

  • 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.
  • 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. Thanks to CIPR (UK) we will be sending you a questionnaire that was used in the UK to determine the scope of our profession. Members are asked to send the web based questionnaire to its 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.
  • 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.
  • Last year we launched an initiative to documents the role of public relations in 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.
  • 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.
  • 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)
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.

Jean Valin, A.P.R. Fellow CPRS
Chairman
Global Alliance