Creative Thinkers International

Creative Thinkers International (sometimes referred to as the CTI Initiative) is an online community of artists, musicians, writers, educators and interested individuals first established on the Ning Social Network (now Ning/Glam) platform by American author Aberjhani on September 10, 2007.
Community Objectives
The posted mission statement of Creative Thinkers International proposed that it was founded as a response to the terrorist attacks of 9/11. As such, its purpose has been to “inspire creative responses” to the challenges of social and political diplomacy and to increasing cross-cultural interaction spawned by globalization. Its logo was derived from an original image by artist Denise Elliot-Vernon.
Online Status
Site administrators announced in January 2014 that the central website would go offline February 5, 2014. However, site “outposts” had already been established on YouTube, Facebook, and , lending some credence to currently unconfirmed reports that the community is repositioning itself to function more effectively as a nonprofit organization.
Forums Hosted
The majority of CTI members have generally utilized blog posts featuring original poetry, photography, original artwork, or music videos as the dominant means of expression. However, many important more broadly-focused forums have been hosted or supported by the community. These have addressed such concerns as the following:
* Uses of Technology in War and Peace (November 2007)
* Counter-Balance Journalism and the Michael Jackson Story (August 2009)
* Western responses to the work of Sufi poet Jalalludin Rumi following 9/11 (September 2009)
* Launch of the 100 Thousand Poets for Change Movement (September 2011)
* Dialogue on Transpersonal Relational Poetics (September 2012)
* Environmental Sustainability (2011)
* The Human Liberties Around the World Symposium (February 2013)
* Proclamation of Support for The Charter for Compassion (December 2013)
In addition to regularly featuring a United Nations RSS feed, Creative Thinkers International annually supported such U.N.-sponsored observations as: Human Rights Day, World Poetry Day, International Day to End Racism, International Jazz Day, International Women’s Day, and World Day for Cultural Diversity. The community also observed other U.N.-designated annual themes such as the International Year for People of African Descent observed in 2011.
Prominent Affiliates
Membership at CTI by the end of 2013 had reached 548. True to its name, a number of distinguished individuals from different countries have been active participants in Creative Thinkers International. Among them are the following: Smoking Poet editor Zinta Aistars (Latvia/United States); poet Andrea Emmanuel Bendavi ben-YEHU (United States); musician Didier Euzet (France); editors Sara Russell, Amparo Arrospide and Robin Hislop of Poetry Life and Times (United Kingdom and Spain); artist and spiritual intuitive Christia Cummings-Slack (U.S.); musician and artist Don Dean (U.K.); author Phyllis Jean Green (U.S.); novelist J. Conrad Guest (U.S.); author Dr. Ian Irvine (Hobson) (Australia); poet and publisher Michael Rothenberg (U.S.); artist and essayist Danny Sillada (Philippines); author Marnes Kilates (Philippines); social media consultant Cendrine Marrouat (Canada/France); novelist Cheryl Kaye Tardif (Canada); author Williams Mavely (India): educator Dr. Baron J. Uphoff (U.S.); and artist Luther E. Vann (United States) among others.

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