World Radio 2018 in Ivory Coast
The seventh edition of World Radio Day will be held on 13 February 2018 under the theme: Radio and Sports, with all radio stations, regulatory bodies and related organisations invited to celebrate radio and its contribution to democratic debate through information, entertainment and audience interaction.
African broadcasters will join their counterparts worldwide to commemorate Unesco’s World Radio Day (WRD) next February 13, 2018. This year’s celebration is placed under the theme: “Radio and Sport”. Prior to this event, the African Union of Broadcasting is living no stone unturned to make the Day a successful one. Peace Radio, a new radio station directed by the Félix Houphouet-Boigny Foundation in search of peace which is based in Yamoussoukro in Ivory Coast would have the privilege to welcome broadcasters across the continent as well as special guests from Unesco and related Organizations. https://onuci.unmissions.org/onuci-fm-devient-la-radio-de-la-paix
Within the framework of this commemoration which brings together Radio Professionals every year, Unesco organized a preparatory meeting on 16 June 2017, at its headquarters in Paris.
Invited by Unesco, the Chief Executive Officer of the African Union of Broadcasting (AUB), Mr. Grégoire Ndjaka, took part to the works with experts from the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and other Broadcasting Unions Members. On the occasion, AUB’s CEO pledged for Africa to host the activities marking the upcoming World Radio Day. The 2017 edition was organized in China. The works of Paris were chaired by Mrs. Mirta Lourenço, Head of the Media Development and Section and Unesco Communication and Information Society.
In the same vein, AUB's Staff Member, Margaret Komol Sipora carried out a mission in Paris from 04th to 05th October 2017. According to the AUB's Representative, four major points were highlighted during the Meeting:
Cultural Diversity and Sports to create awareness and see how sports could be merged with culture, to create diversity and cultural interbreeding in sports broadcasting.
Gender Equality and Sport Broadcasting to continue improving the fight that begun years ago on gender equalities. Concrete examples were still shared basically on the inequalities faced female sports journalists and female athletes.
Radio Equality and Sport broadcasting to emphasize on the radio contents, the type of information and emotions shared through this medium.
Broadcasting Rights Access to raise awareness between partners. As a sample, Academia Espagnola from Spain shared its experience of an incidence that happened in Spain, in 2011 where there was a controversy on the side of broadcasters that led to strike due to broadcasting rights that were very high. Other countries like France also shared its experience mentionning that there is no legal document enabling radios to cover sporting events.
World Radio Day was first celebrated in 2012, following its declaration by the UNESCO General Conference. It was subsequently adopted as an International Day by the United Nations General Assembly.
Previous annual themes have included gender equality, youth participation, radio in humanitarian and disaster situations, and radio is you. In past years, World Radio Day has seen wide success, with over 500 events taking place wordwide.https://en.unesco.org/news/get-ready-world-radio-day-2018?language=fr
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