Uganda today joins the globe in marking the 12th World Radio Day under the theme “Radio and Peace”.
Proclaimed in 2011 by the Member States of UNESCO, and adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 2012 as an International Day, February 13 became World Radio Day (WRD).
The day seeks to raise public awareness on the importance of radio, encourage decision-makers to use it to ensure access to information, as well as improve international cooperation among broadcasters.
In a statement to commemorate the day, UNESCO has highlighted independent radio as a pillar for conflict prevention and peacebuilding.
According to UNESCO, Radio is an important player and an essential part of maintenance and transition to peace because it is part of its agenda-setting function and provision of essential services to bring forward issues of concern, feature matters that deem attention from authorities and citizens and give them salience.
It is from this that it underscored the need for professional radio noting that it addresses both the root causes and triggers of conflict before they potentially explode into violence through specific radio programming and editorial choices.
