‘Communication without borders’—World Public Relations Forum in Melbourne, 18–20 November 2012.

The 2012 World Public Relations Forum will open with an extraordinary panel discussion examining Afghanistan, the most dangerous place in the world, from a communication perspective.

Following his keynote address former Al-Jazeera Director General, Wadah Kanfar, will join a panel of ActionAid Australia’s Archie Law, Médecins Sans Frontières‘s Afghanistan Communication Officer, Jehan Bseiso, and Amnesty International’s Andrew Beswick. The panel will explore the forum’s theme, ‘communication without borders’ and the realities of communicating the complexities of Afghanistan.

Public Relations Institute of Australia (PRIA) Chief Executive, Jon Bisset, said “Delegates can look forward to a thorough analysis of Afghanistan’s communication challenges that reach beyond the two minute news story. The forum’s theme ‘communication without borders’ is most evident in the geographical, technological, and cultural barriers posed by Afghanistan.”

Panel members will explore this theme through their organisation’s communication perspective:

• Al Jazeera has played a significant role in providing an alternate media service focused on the Middle East and North Africa over the past ten years.
• ActionAid’s operational teams work closely with Afghans to find solutions to the major issues that hinder them. These programs specifically address violence towards women and children.
• Amnesty International is a global advocate for human rights in Afghanistan.
• Médecins Sans Frontières has hospitals and medical facilities operating across some of the most extremely dangerous areas in Afghanistan.

The panellists will participate in a 30 minute Q&A session moderated by respected Australian broadcaster and ABC News journalist Virginia Trioli. They will also answer questions from the floor and the forum’s social media feed.

The World Public Relations Forum is the signature program of the Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communication Management. Held every two years, it brings together thought leaders, practitioners, researchers and educators from around the world, who use this opportunity to discuss, debate and set directions for the profession.

“At the World Public Relations Forum, the Global Alliance and PRIA aim to assemble leading thinkers on how communication is changing our world, and how the world is changing communication,” said Daniel Tisch, Chair of the Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communication Management.

“Wadah Khanfar is among the world’s most insightful and influential voices on the evolution of journalism and its interplay with citizens through social media. This panel session will be one of the forum’s many ‘can’t miss’ moments,” concluded Daniel Tisch.

More information can be found at www.worldprforum.com or the World Public Relations Forum can be followed on Twitter and Facebook.

Text 100’s Global Consultancy Director, Ava Lawler, to examine public relations in the Asian context at the World Public Relations Forum.

With a 23 year global career in communications spanning the Australian, Chinese, Asia Pacific, UK and South African markets, Ava Lawler will examine the opportunities, pitfalls and implications for the public relations profession as the world’s economic, industrial and political center of gravity shifts towards Asia during the coming century. The session will be facilitated by Mark Sheehan from Deakin University and Editor of the Asia Pacific Public Relations Journal.

Ava has spent almost 20 years of her career with Text 100 where she is currently on the Global Executive Leadership Team serving as its Global Consultancy Director.

She is leading the firm’s transformation to become a leader in global digital communications and consults directly to the CEO on business strategy and talent management.

Ava is responsible for the development of Text 100’s methodology and direction for its digital and integrated communications services offerings. In addition she acts as a senior level consultant to key clients and helps her teams with business advice, new business pitching and team mentoring.

During her career Ava has spent more than 13 years establishing and managing businesses either locally or across Asia Pacific.

After successfully establishing Text 100 in Australia in the late 90s, Ava was responsible for launching a sister brand, August.One Communications, which grew quickly with blue-chip clients and in this role, she lead the communications programs that surrounded the visits of both Bill Gates and Richard Branson during the period of the Sydney Olympics.

Client campaigns during Ava’s career include the Australian Sugar Industry, Bayer, Commonwealth Bank, IBM, Microsoft, Nokia, Seppelt Wines, SABIC, Telstra and Virgin Mobile.

More information about the World Public Relations Forum 2012 can be found www.worldprforum.com and you can follow the forum news on Twitter and Facebook.

ActionAid Australia’s Executive Director, Archie Law, will share his remarkable experience in the non-profit sector when he presents at the World Public Relations Forum being held in Melbourne, 18–20 November 2012.

Archie Law is Executive Director of ActionAid Australia, an affiliate of ActionAid International, an anti-poverty agency active in over 40 countries and has worked in conflict affected environments throughout Asia, the Middle East and Africa.

Archie will join Wadah Kanfar and Jehan Bseiso (Médecins Sans Frontières) to kick start the forum by exploring  the forum’s theme, ‘communication without borders’, from some of the most challenging and complex international settings, particularly Afghanistan.

In his current role, Archie is responsible for overseeing ActionAid’s strategic direction and instituting good governance policies and processes.

Prior to joining ActionAid, Archie worked for the United Nations Department of Peacekeeping Operations in New York, as well as for the United Nations Development Program in South Africa working on conflict prevention and recovery across Africa. He has extensive experience working in development both with the UN in New York and in conflict affected areas, particularly in Africa.

Archie was a member of the UN team that developed the contingency plan for an emergency response to the conflict in Iraq in 2002-2003.

He also spent four years heading up the Mine Advisory Group in Cambodia working on its extensive landmine removal program.

In the late 90s, Archie worked for World Vision Australia, where he managed several emergency relief projects.

Archie has a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) and a Master of Arts in International Relations from Monash University. Before joining the non-profit sector, Archie was a drummer for the 1980s band Huxton Creepers. The group released three albums and gave over 500 live appearances throughout Australia.

The Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communication Management’s Secretary, Catherine Arrow, to present at this year’s World Public Relations Forum.

Global Alliance Board member and Chair of the Global Alliance Communication and Membership Committee, Catherine Arrow, will share her 30 years’ experience as a public relations practitioner, journalist and communicator at the World Public Relations Forum in less than two months.

Catherine is passionate about the need to create a greater understanding of the role of public relations in today’s society and is working with organisations outside the industry on projects designed to improve general knowledge and awareness of the benefits of good public relations practice.

Currently in New Zealand, she is working alongside the Public Relations Institute of New Zealand (PRINZ) on its continuing professional development program as well as other consulting and training projects. In May this year, Catherine was presented with the PRINZ President’s Award which recognises an individual member for exemplary contribution to PRINZ and the profession.

A Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (UK) and one of the first UK Accredited Practitioners, Catherine has been involved with writing in one form or another all her working life, starting her career in journalism before she moved into public relations.

She has worked in both the private and public sector and ran an award-winning independent consultancy for 13 years prior to arriving in New Zealand.

Catherine has a passion for digital engagement and specialises in the development and application of new communications channels, helping clients and organisations with on-line reputation management, e-comms and online public relations since the early 1990s, and social media since its inception.

More information about the World Public Relations Forum 2012 can be found www.worldprforum.com and you can follow the forum news on Twitter and Facebook.

CEO of the International Integrated Reporting Committee (IIRC), Paul Druckman, will share his significant knowledge around corporate and investor relations when he presents at the World Public Relations Forum being held in Melbourne, 18–20 November 2012.

Paul will specifically focus his discussion on strategy, governance and financial performance in social, environmental and economic contexts.

With a notable career spanning more than 35 years, Paul Druckman is well known and respected in the business and the accounting profession world‐wide, and has been a consistently fine ambassador for a number of companies and organisations.

Druckman’s mission as IIRC’s CEO is to create a globally accepted integrated reporting framework which brings together financial, environmental, social and governance information in a clear, concise, consistent and comparable format. He aims to help with the development of more comprehensive and comprehensible information about organisations, prospective as well as retrospective, to meet the needs of a more sustainable, global economy.

“He has tirelessly worked to bring together all stakeholders—including companies, reporting organizations, investors, policy‐makers, regulators, assurance providers, academics and others—which has resulted in creating a truly valuable global dialogue around integrated reporting”, said Christy Wood, Chairman of the Board of Governors of the International Corporate Governance Network and IIRC member.

Previously serving as Committee Chairman for The Prince’s Accounting for Sustainability Project, Druckman has played a leading role in integrated reporting since the inception of the IIRC in August 2010. He served as Co‐chairman of the IIRC Working Group and Chairman of the Content taskforce, and spearheaded engagement activities, leading to the recent launch of the Integrated Reporting Discussion Paper ‘Towards Integrated Reporting – Communicating Value in the 21st Century’.

Following a successful business career in the technology sector, Paul operated as a non‐executive Chairman and Director for a number of companies in a variety of sectors. Formerly, he was a Director of the Financial Reporting Council, a member of the City Takeover Panel and President of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW).

As Co-founder and Chairman of M Institute, Druckman applies his practical experience and thought leadership skills to the organisation based on a career in both the medium enterprises themselves and in the political arena.

Paul Druckman has a strong interest in sustainability matters resulting in other high profile work outside of the IIRC including chairing the FEE Sustainability Group, and with his substantial experience, he is sure to deliver some impressive insight at the forum in November.

More information can be found www.worldprforum.com or the World Public Relations Forum can be followed on Twitter and Facebook.