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To celebrate the spirit of radio—its resilience, evolution and innovation—UNESCO, in partnership with (SMART), and All India Radio, organized a two-day regional event on the theme of “New World, New Radio” on February 13-14, 2021 at India International Centre, New Delhi on the occasion of (WRD) 2021. 

The event was inaugurated by a panel including: Mr Eric Falt, Director, UNESCO New Delhi; Ms Neerja Shekhar, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting; Mr Shashi Shekhar Vempati, CEO, Ms Madhu Parhar, Director, (CEMCA); and Ms Archana Kapoor, Founder, The Radio Festival.

The various online/offline sessions, during the two-day event, addressed key challenges faced by radio during the global health crisis, learnings and the way forward. The panels discussed how radio adapted itself with the change in technology, in the form of Internet radio, and podcasts.

WRD—held every year on 13 February—commemorates radio as a medium of mass communication. It is a day to assess and strengthen international cooperation between broadcasters to promote access to information and a free and pluralistic media. This year’s theme for the celebration, New World, New Radio pays a tribute to the versatile medium that has grown stronger over the years. The celebration also marks 10th anniversary of World Radio Day and 110 years of radio. 

The festival also hosted an online session titled “Lessons from Across the Borders”—including an expert panel of radio practitioners from all over the world—to discuss how the world has coped with the COVID crises.

A publication entitled “Best Practices of Community Radio and Sustainable Development Goals: A Handbook”, that culminated as a result of UNESCO’s partnership with CEMCA, was also launched at the event. The handbook provides an overview of the operations and practices of community radio stations in Bangladesh, India and Nepal and how they are integrating the most important themes of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda into their everyday programming.