• The Commonwealth Secretariat:
• Communications and Public Affairs

Communications and Public Affairs

The Communications and Public Affairs Division (CPAD) works to promote greater global awareness of the work and value of the Commonwealth and the Secretariat.

It works with the media and through direct advocacy, targeting governments, individuals, business, educational institutions and non-governmental organisations. It places special emphasis on reaching young people, since their perspective and energy is the key to the future of the association.

Press and media relations

CPAD maintains links with the media through press briefings, press conferences, interviews and informal contacts. It issues press releases, audio tapes and videos about Commonwealth activities, and produces radio and television programmes as well as films about the work of the Commonwealth Secretariat.

Publicity and public affairs

The division issues the Commonwealth News and Information Service (CNIS), the Secretariat’s free weekly e-mail news bulletin, and produces publicity materials and information brochures and leaflets on various aspects of the Commonwealth and its work. It also produces the Commonwealth Day poster, supplied each year to thousands of schools throughout the Commonwealth, and designed to stimulate lively educational projects on the Commonwealth.

CPAD publishes a range of booklets and leaflets about the work of the Secretariat, including the biennial Report of the Commonwealth Secretary-General and The Commonwealth Fund for Technical Cooperation: Advancing Development and Building Prosperity. The division also responds to general enquiries from the public, and mounts displays and exhibitions at public events. A new journal, Commonwealth Today, was launched under Commonwealth auspices by a private sector publisher in 2005.

Under CPAD’s Youth Outreach Programme, young journalists take up internships in the Commonwealth Youth Programme regional centres in Guyana, India, Solomon Islands and Zambia. The aim of this programme is to raise awareness of Commonwealth values and achievements among young people.

Website

The division maintains the Secretariat’s main website (http://www.thecommonwealth.org/) and offers web development services for all divisions and units.

Publications

CPAD’s Publications Section publishes a wide range of books and reports on various aspects of the Commonwealth’s work, and provides professional publishing services across the Secretariat. It also collaborates with other organisations to publish books about the Commonwealth, notably The Commonwealth Yearbook.

Media training

The division also administers the Commonwealth Media Development Fund, which supports training for journalists, broadcasters and other media staff in developing countries.

Library and Archives

The Library and Archives provides information for Secretariat staff and for members of the public who may use it by prior arrangement with the librarian. It houses a wide range of material relating to Commonwealth issues, including politics, economics, education, health, administration, science and technology. The gender collection is particularly strong, reflecting the Secretariat’s pivotal role in this area. It also includes an extensive collection of Secretariat publications. The library releases 30-year-old Secretariat archives into the public domain on an annual basis and details of files released to date are on the Secretariat website.