Communications Fellowship
The Club of Rome Communications Fellowship is an annual mentoring programme aimed at increasing the diversity of voices covering sustainability issues and supporting early-career communications professionals from the majority of the world. While the fellowship itself lasts seven months, it is the starting point of a lasting connection. Fellows become part of an enduring and expanding global network of communications specialists who are passionate about The Club of Rome’s mission, sharing knowledge, insights and opportunities well beyond the formal fellowship period.
The fellowship programme is made possible thanks to the generous legacy of Keith Suter, former member of the Club of Rome and President of the Australian chapter.
2025
2024
2023
Stories
Martin Mbewe
“When I joined the Club of Rome, everything felt new, exciting and slightly overwhelming. I thought I understood communication, but the fellowship quickly humbled me. It was not about what I already knew; it was about unlearning, stretching my thinking and relearning to see the world through wider and wiser lenses. Systems thinking, sustainability and intergenerational equity stopped being concepts and slowly became a way of life.
The leaders I met welcomed me with warmth and respect, guided without controlling and created a space where I felt safe enough to speak, to fail and to grow. Some days, they walked ahead and set the pace; other days, they walked behind and trusted us to lead. That trust changed me. Interviewing global thought leaders and sustainability experts was humbling and I learned that even the greatest thinkers are still learning.
This fellowship gave me clarity, courage and purpose and shaped the way I approach every message and every story, showing me that communication is not noise, it is a bridge that connects knowledge to action and fear to courage.”
Yvonne Wambua
“As I reflect on my journey, I recognise a profound shift. My path in filmmaking no longer feels isolated from the world it seeks to represent. It now sits within a broader ecosystem. I progress from the fellowship with sharper editorial judgment, greater confidence in collaborative work and a deeper sense of purpose in media, communications and public relations.
More than anything, I’m aware that communication shapes how we understand the world and how we choose to act within it. That awareness, I have learned, is where meaningful work begins.“
Alifiandi Rahman Yusuf
“Completing my fellowship with the Club of Rome has been a deeply formative experience, both professionally and personally. Entering the programme as a communications professional from Indonesia, I was seeking ways to make complex issues such as climate change more meaningful and accessible. What I found was not a fixed set of answers, but a community that approaches systems change as a deeply human and relational process. Through digital communications work, collaborative writing projects and member interviews, I learned how ideas gain strength when they are shaped through dialogue, trust and shared ownership.
The fellowship’s global and remote culture challenged me to work across differences with patience and openness, reinforcing the value of listening as a core communications skill. Opportunities such as the communications workshop in Switzerland and close collaboration with fellows from around the globe strengthened my sense of responsibility and belonging. Above all, this fellowship showed me that effective communication is less about perfect messaging and more about creating conditions in which understanding, connection and collective action can grow.“
