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One of the most significant documentary collections dedicated to media development, communication, and international cooperation is now accessible to researchers, journalists, communication professionals, educators, and organizations worldwide through Commbox, a digital and physical library specializing in media and communication.
The platform brings together publications, research papers, training materials, manuals, and evaluation reports from Africa, Asia and the Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean, the Middle East, and Central, Eastern, and Southeast Europe. Its collection focuses particularly on open-access resources and practical materials designed to strengthen capacities in the fields of communication, media development, and social change.
One of Commbox’s greatest strengths lies in its origins. The database draws upon the extensive documentary archive compiled by the Catholic Media Council (CAMECO), based in Aachen, Germany, since its foundation in 1969. For more than five decades, CAMECO has collected publications, studies, and resources on media development, development communication, and international cooperation from across the globe.
As a result, Commbox offers a unique collection that documents the evolution of international media assistance and communication initiatives from the late 1960s to the present day. This rich repository provides valuable insights into the history, challenges, and achievements of media development efforts around the world.
Beyond training guides and practical resources, Commbox also provides access to evaluation reports, specialized studies, and academic publications relevant to media development cooperation and communication for social change. While some restricted-access and print-only publications cannot be downloaded, many can be located through international library networks such as WorldCat.
The initiative is supported by partnerships with leading academic institutions and international organizations, including the Centre for Freedom of the Media (CFOM) at the University of Sheffield, the Centre for Development Communication (C4DC) at Leipzig University, and the World Association for Christian Communication (WACC), each contributing curated special collections to the platform.
As part of its commitment to strengthening knowledge exchange within the Global South, Commbox is also working toward greater integration with regional libraries and documentation centers. Initial partnerships include a shared interface with the online library of the Latin American Centre for Advanced Communication Studies (CIESPAL) in Quito, Ecuador, and the Initiative for People with Disabilities at the Catholic University in La Paz, Bolivia.
With its global perspective and strong commitment to open access, Commbox has established itself as a strategic resource for anyone working in communication, media, social development, and international cooperation, providing access to more than half a century of specialized knowledge through a single platform.