[cma-l] Third World Radio Day on February 13, 2014: Reinforcing freedom of expression and cultural diversity

[Jaqui Devereux]

 *Third World Radio Day on February 13, 2014* *Reinforcing freedom of
expression and cultural diversity*

*Montreal, January 31st, 2014*. On the occasion of the 3rd World Radio Day,
on February 13th, 2014, AMARC is working to increase access to the airwaves
for local and community radios. In this perspective, AMARC calls on
community radios to use the platform of exchange offered by the
International Union of Public Radios and Televisions *www.wrd13.com
<http://www.wrd13.com>.*

On November 3rd, 2011, at its 36th General Conference, UNESCO recognized
the "*transformative power of radio*" by establishing the World Radio Day
every February 13. This date marks the launch in New York of the United
Nations Radio in 1946, which regurlarly give the floor to AMARC. "*UNESCO
is working to support radio as an instrument of peace: a free, independent
and pluralistic radio is a vital element for advancing human rights and
fundamental freedoms*", declared the Director- General of UNESCO, Mrs.
Irina Bokova.

Since the first programme, more than a century ago, radio remains a
powerful source of information and mobilization for education, economic
development and social change. In a world where illiteracy and
analphabetism affects a quarter of the world population, radio is the
medium that reaches the largest audience worldwide. For Patrice Berger,
engineer at the CNRS ( National Centre for Scientific Research) and
President of the Office of Radio Broadcasting and Electronic Communications
(ORCEL , France), "*half the world's population is permanently affected by
information-illiteracy and public, associative and community radio remains
the benchmark media for billions of people.*" On February 13 in Paris,
AMARC will recall that in this era of new technologies, radio remains the
most accessible in the world, with low cost of production and broadcasting.

Radio plays a pivotal role in emergency communications and disaster relief.
It is also one of the most important ways to increase access to knowledge.
World Radio Day aims to raise public awareness regarding the importance of
radio, to encourage states to provide access to information through radio
and to improve international cooperation between radio stations. In some
countries, public service broadcasting and community radio are at the
forefront of this cooperation.

*This year, Paris is the capital of the World Radio Day 2014!*

To celebrate this day, the World Radio Day International Committee (WRD),
which includes the main audiovisual and telecommunications organizations
among which AMARC, has certified three actions:

1 - Radios around the world are invited to promote the *official
interactive platform of the WRD International Committee* (www.wrd13.com),
inviting listeners to deposit small messages, in all languages, that they
can readily download for broadcast on February 13th.

2 - A *classical music concert* offered by Radio France to all radios
-associative, community, public or private- that can be broadcast freely on
February 13.

3 - The WRD International Committee, UNESCO and URTI organize the *official
party of the World Radio Day 2014* at the Théâtre du Châtelet at the heart
of Paris, on February 13. This evening will be held under the chairmanship
of Irina Bokova with representatives of the WRD International Committee,
including AMARC, and will be followed by a concert by the Orchestre
National de France.

4 - UNESCO also encourages broad networks and community radios to promote
through airwaves themes like access to information, freedom of expression
and gender equality. Radios can send now to the UNESCO website, a
meaningful programme or spot of their local action, royalty-free, which can
be exchanged and broadcast by all radios.



Contact: info at wrd13.com



http://www.worldradioday.org/index.html

http://www.wrd13.com/

*http://www.unesco.org/new/world-radio-day
<http://www.unesco.org/new/world-radio-day>*



*Through service to members, networking and project implementation, the
World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters (AMARC), brings together
a network of more than 4,000 community radios, Federations and community
media stakeholders in more than 150 countries. The main global impact of
AMARC since its creation in 1983, has been to accompany and support the
establishment of a worldwide community radio sector that has democratized
the media sector. AMARC advocates for the right to communicate at the
international, national, local and neighbourhood levels and defends and
promotes the interests of the community radio movement through solidarity,
networking and cooperation.*


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-- 
Jaqui Devereux
Director
Community Media Association

<http://goog_1822693262>http://www.commedia.org.uk/
http://twitter.com/community_media
https://www.facebook.com/CommunityMediaAssociation

t: +44 (0)114 279 5219

Canstream Internet Radio & Video
http://www.canstream.co.uk/
<https://www.facebook.com/CommunityMediaAssociation>
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