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UNESCO Message on World Radio Day “New World, New Radio: Evolution, Innovation, Connection”
World Radio Day 2021 is being celebrated with the theme “New World, New Radio: Evolution, Innovation, and Connection.” In the present scenario, radio has proved more than ever its vital importance for delivering correct and timely information to widespread communities.
On this occasion, UNESCO Representative of Nepal Christian Manhart launched a book “Nepal: Community Radio, Conflict Resolution and Peace Building” published by the World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters (AMARC) – Asia Pacific.
Popular among listeners and enthusiasts world-wide, Nepali radio broadcasters continued their good work amid the adverse conditions posed by the pandemic throughout the year 2020, and they continue to do so every day.
UNESCO Kathmandu Office has stood by radio broadcasters and their community members. We joined hands with the Association of Community Radio Broadcasters Nepal (ACORAB) and the World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters (AMARC) – the Asia Pacific for the dissemination of life-saving messages for the community, reaching out to at least one million radio listeners. UNESCO supported the Federation of Nepali Journalists to develop safety guidelines for journalists in the time of conflict, disasters, and pandemic. Despite many challenges, we believe these efforts that we have made together with our partners have helped many journalists and community members to continue their services.
Through the initiative “Community Radios against #COVID19 Campaign”, UNESCO empowered 15 radio stations to expand their listenership over the Internet via podcasts. Likewise, as part of the campaign community radios are now able to embrace testimonials as an effective and powerful format of radio program production, especially in the context of the pandemic.
We have seen radios’ adaptability in the time of the pandemic, where community radios proved significant as learning platforms for millions of children and students, enabling them to maintain their right to education. UNESCO launched radio classes through 200 community radio stations, which benefitted 807,922 students between 28 June and 30 November 2020. A total of 374 lessons for grade 9 and 373 lessons for Grade 10 were broadcast in core subjects such as English, Nepali, Mathematics, Social Science and Environment, Population, and Health.
The pandemic has not ended, and there are many ongoing challenges such as financial crises in the media and loss of jobs in journalism. At the same time, this prolonged crisis also helped us to process our way of working and change its modalities. Broadcasting must evolve sustainably in order to continue to be relevant in a world of fast advancing technology, needs, and expectations.
However, the evolution of the radio and the entire media sphere is possible only when democratic practices are institutionalized as per the Constitution and international human rights standards.
UNESCO remains unshaken in its strong commitment towards strengthening community radios and the entire media sector through capacity building and advocacy. UNESCO will also continue its support for freedom of expression, press freedom, people’s access to information, the safety of journalists, and gender equality in the media
On this occasion, UNESCO Representative of Nepal Christian Manhart launched a book “Nepal: Community Radio, Conflict Resolution and Peace Building” published by the World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters (AMARC) – Asia Pacific.
Popular among listeners and enthusiasts world-wide, Nepali radio broadcasters continued their good work amid the adverse conditions posed by the pandemic throughout the year 2020, and they continue to do so every day.
UNESCO Kathmandu Office has stood by radio broadcasters and their community members. We joined hands with the Association of Community Radio Broadcasters Nepal (ACORAB) and the World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters (AMARC) – the Asia Pacific for the dissemination of life-saving messages for the community, reaching out to at least one million radio listeners. UNESCO supported the Federation of Nepali Journalists to develop safety guidelines for journalists in the time of conflict, disasters, and pandemic. Despite many challenges, we believe these efforts that we have made together with our partners have helped many journalists and community members to continue their services.
Through the initiative “Community Radios against #COVID19 Campaign”, UNESCO empowered 15 radio stations to expand their listenership over the Internet via podcasts. Likewise, as part of the campaign community radios are now able to embrace testimonials as an effective and powerful format of radio program production, especially in the context of the pandemic.
We have seen radios’ adaptability in the time of the pandemic, where community radios proved significant as learning platforms for millions of children and students, enabling them to maintain their right to education. UNESCO launched radio classes through 200 community radio stations, which benefitted 807,922 students between 28 June and 30 November 2020. A total of 374 lessons for grade 9 and 373 lessons for Grade 10 were broadcast in core subjects such as English, Nepali, Mathematics, Social Science and Environment, Population, and Health.
The pandemic has not ended, and there are many ongoing challenges such as financial crises in the media and loss of jobs in journalism. At the same time, this prolonged crisis also helped us to process our way of working and change its modalities. Broadcasting must evolve sustainably in order to continue to be relevant in a world of fast advancing technology, needs, and expectations.
However, the evolution of the radio and the entire media sphere is possible only when democratic practices are institutionalized as per the Constitution and international human rights standards.
UNESCO remains unshaken in its strong commitment towards strengthening community radios and the entire media sector through capacity building and advocacy. UNESCO will also continue its support for freedom of expression, press freedom, people’s access to information, the safety of journalists, and gender equality in the media
13 February 2021
Last update:20 April 2023
