13.02.2016 – 13th February marks World Radio Day. The objectives of the Day are to raise greater awareness amongst the public and the media of the importance of radio.

This year, the UNESCO theme for World Radio Day is “Radio in Times of Emergency and Disaster”.  Radio still remains the medium that reaches the widest audience worldwide, in the quickest possible time.

Through World Radio Day celebrations around the world, UNESCO will promote radio in times of emergency and disaster, and put forward the following messages:

1. Freedom of expression and journalists’ safety should be disaster-proof.
2. Radio empowers survivors and vulnerable people, whose right to privacy is to be respected.
3. Radio has social impact and provides access to information. People’s right to information should be protected even in times of emergency and disaster.
4. Radio saves lives.
5. The immediate accessibility of radio frequencies is essential to saving lives. These frequencies should be protected so they are available in times of emergency.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon affirms that “in times of crisis and emergency, radio can be a lifeline. For people in shattered societies, or caught in catastrophe, or desperately seeking news, radio brings lifesaving information.”  Radio is vital for progress and is therefore valuable to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.

You can tune into a special broadcast on www.worldradioday.org at any time on 13th February and listen to stories about the importance of radio.

Follow the event on social media with the hashtag #WorldRadioDay 

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UNRICs Related Links

· World Radio Day

· UNESCO

· Sustainable Development Goals 


Photo Credits

UN Photos