The world is celebrating the 12th edition of the World Radio Day under the theme “Radio and Peace”.
The day was Proclaimed in 2011 by the Member States of UNESCO and adopted by the United Nations General Assembly (A/RES/67/124) in 2012 as an International Day.
WRD offers an opportunity for people to reflect on the role of radio in their lives and to recognize its importance as a tool for communication, education, and cultural exchange.
At the global level, radio remains the most widely consumed medium. This unique ability to reach out to the widest audience means radio can shape a society’s experience of diversity, and stand as an arena for all voices to speak out, be represented, and be heard.
Radio stations serve diverse communities, offering a wide variety of programs, viewpoints, and content, and reflect the diversity of audiences in their organizations and operations.
According to different international reports, Radio continues to be one of the most trusted and used media in the world.
Unlike many other communication modes, Radio is portable, can be used in cars, stores, and other places, which helps to reach the targeted audience.
In reporting and informing the general public, radio stations shape public opinion and frame a narrative that can influence domestic and international situations and decision-making processes.
Radio can indeed fuel conflict but in reality, professional radio moderates conflict and/or tensions, preventing their escalation or bringing about reconciliation and reconstruction talks.
In contexts of distant or immediate tension, relevant programmes and independent news reporting provide the foundation for sustainable democracy and good governance by gathering evidence about what is happening, informing citizens about it in impartial and fact-based terms, explaining what is at stake, and brokering dialogue among different groups in society.
“… since wars begin in the minds of men, it is in the minds of men that the defenses of peace must be constructed.”
That is the reason why support for independent radio has to be viewed as an integral part of peace and stability. On World Radio Day 2023, UNESCO highlights independent radio as a pillar for conflict prevention and peacebuilding.
BY YVONNE SALESIO