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We celebrate World Radio Day on February 13.
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WORLD RADIO DAY
Photo Credit, top to bottom: Marconi’s first radio transmitter, Donald Giannatti, Sebastian Kanczok.
Radio is still the mass media that reaches the widest audience in the world.
It is a powerful and low-cost medium even suited to reach remote communities. Serving as a platform for public debate, radio allows for equal participation and empowers some of the most marginalized groups in our societies.
The 13 February was specifically chosen for World Radio Day as United Nations Radio was established on this date in 1946. The Day aims to raise greater awareness among the public and the media on the importance of radio, to encourage decision-makers to establish and provide access to information through radio, and to enhance networking and international cooperation among broadcasters.
World Radio Day has continued to break visibility records for UN International Days. Around 500 events are registered in over 100 countries each year, with the official website receiving an average of more than 100,000 annual page views since 2014. The Day hashtag UNESCO diffuses is also consistent as one of the top ten global trending topics on Twitter for the past 4 years, reaching an excess of one million users in 2018. The event additionally holds the record for the highest number of UNESCO interviews delivered to the media, peaking at over 130 on World Radio Day 2015.
A WORD FROM THE DIRECTOR-GENERAL
“For this World Radio Day, we celebrate the unique, far-reaching power of radio to broaden our horizons and build more harmonious societies. Radio stations from major international networks to community broadcasters today remember the importance of radio in stimulating public debate, increasing civic engagement and inspiring mutual understanding, under the theme “Dialogue, Tolerance and Peace”
— Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO on the occasion of World Radio Day “Dialogue, Tolerance and Peace”
Home → What’s On → Events → International Days → February 13
International days are celebrations and calls to action. They are for everyone to participate in. This is how you can take part in an International Day in three simple steps.
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Why are International Days important? They provide unique opportunities to transmit UNESCO values to the world.
INTERNATIONAL DAYS
International days also provide a unique opportunity to engage citizens on global issues, to mobilise political will and resources to address these problems, but also to celebrate and reinforce the achievements of humanity as well as remember some of our darkest times as they guide us towards building a better world.
The United Nations International Days are for everyone, all around the globe. Because they are open, you can have an important role to play in them. NGOs, universities, schools, press and more will be putting together campaigns, events, and calls to action worldwide to provide further opportunities to engage, learn, and transmit the values and knowledge associated with each International Day. They serve as an important vehicle to connect the local to the international.
At their root, UN International Days contribute to the achievement of the purposes of the UN Charter and promote awareness of and action on important political, social, cultural, humanitarian or human rights issues. International days are at the heart of the United Nations Charter. They work to reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person, in the equal rights of men and women to practice tolerance and live together in peace with one another as neighbours, and to unite our strength to maintain international peace and security.
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