A message from your President re: coronavirus disease (COVID-19), the Global Alliance response and our profession’s contribution
03 March 2020
Dear Colleagues,
At the time of writing, a growing number of countries worldwide are dealing with cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
While keen to respond in a measured way, as a organisation with members worldwide, we at Global Alliance are obviously very conscious of this disease and the associated risks. Given that their country was where the first reports of coronavirus emerged late last year, particular mention must go to our counterparts in China for their resilience through this challenging time.
At a practical level and given the general advice to avoid unnecessary travel, Global Alliance is taking measures to ensure that our Annual General Meeting which is scheduled to take place in Lisbon, Portugal on 19 April 2020 will be fully accessible to all members who wish to participate remotely.
There will be a separate and more detailed communication in this regard but the intention is to make full use of member proxies, phone and online options for participation. Similarly, in these exceptional circumstances, I will also make an executive order waiving the requirement for board members to attend a certain number of meetings per term in person. This will allow members, board members and staff to make informed decisions on their travel plans based on the best information available in their countries and the destination countries.
You will be aware that the World Public Relations Forum (WPRF) takes place in Auckland, New Zealand from 12-15 October 2020. This far out, it is not yet possible to definitively say whether COVID-19 will have any implications for this important gathering but be assured that the situation is being monitored and the best advice from the New Zealand and global health authorities will be followed.
We continue to align closely with the World Health Organization (WHO) who have created a wide array of resources that I would encourage you to familiarise yourself with at https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019 if you have not already done so.
While this is first and foremost a public health issue with a significant economic impact, it is also an area where public relations and communications professionals are adding real value. We can take pride in the pragmatic and measured work being done to disseminate appropriate and credible information that is helping people protect themselves.
Whether, for example, working for government organisations with a public health remit or managing internal communications at large workplaces, we can all play our part in ensuring that misinformation and myths about COVID-19 aren’t allowed to spread unchecked.
Thank you for your continued support and leadership – please stay safe,
Justin Green,
President, Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communications Management