SA PR takes to the global stage

It is the first time the annual Fapra conference is taking place in South Africa, as hosted by the Public Relations Institute of Southern Africa (PRISA).

The Global Alliance was formed in 2000 and represents 62 of the world's public relations associations on a national and continental basis, including institutes and academic institutions, not individuals. The driving force, Motau said, was to unite the public relations profession globally as 'One Profession, One Voice'.

"All of us sitting here today, will know the trouble we have to get people to join our own national public relations organisations. In most countries, the threshold into the public relations profession is very low - anyone who can speak or write thinks they can become a public relations practitioner!" he told the Fapra conference.

Apart from the global curriculum, which is on the agenda of the next meeting of the Global Alliance in Brazil in June 2006, the global code of ethics for all public relations practitioners worldwide has to be signed by all member organisations by December 2006.

The 2007 Global Alliance conference is being held in Cape Town, South Africa. Look out for Prisa's marketing of this event on Bizcommunity.com from August 2006 with all details.

'Kingmakers'

"As the world shrinks and zero time inflicts its pain upon us, we need to speak with one voice. Public relations is given little recognition - we are the kingmakers, never the kings. The profession deserves more."

Motau said globally, there was still much work to be done to attract members to the national associations. "Some of the national associations who are members of the Global Alliance have very few members, particularly in parts of Eastern Europe."

Prisa in fact has one of the highest percentage country memberships for PR organizations in the world. "But if business is to take us seriously as a profession, we must first take ourselves seriously."

Motau explained that the basic mission of the Global Alliance was to:

1. Unify the profession by connecting all global PR bodies, institutes, specialist and associated bodies.
2. Provide a framework for consensus for decisions for the profession, and share resources.
3. Leverage the work of the various member associations and institutes for the benefit of all.
4. Become the authoritative voice for the PR professional globally.
5. Form a global public relations curriculum standard to transcend global borders.

"On this continent, Fapra is the bedrock of the industry in Africa and needs to make sure our profession gets the status it deserves and that the people who come into our profession are those that we are proud to be associated with."

For more on the Global Alliance, go to: www.globalpr.org.