This year, the UNESCO theme for the sixth edition of World Radio Day (WRD) on February 13 is ‘Radio is You!’.

WRD was proclaimed by UNESCO in 2011 to celebrate radio as a medium, improve cooperation between broadcasters and to encourage major networks and community radio alike to promote access to information, freedom of expression and gender equality over the airwaves.

Earlier annual themes have included gender equality, youth participation, and radio in humanitarian and disaster situations. Last year, more than 380 World Radio Day events were held in more than 80 different countries.
This year’s theme focuses on encouraging community, private or public radio stations around the world to ensure continued dialogue with the industry, its audience and the public in general.

In addition to entertainment and information stations must find creative ways to promote freedom of expression and address the key issues of today in local communities and across the globe.

Radio stations are encouraged to register for World Radio Day here and promote World Radio Day events or special broadcasts on the UNESCO map of activities.

Stations can also take the Radio Health Check-Up Challenge to see if listener groups or forums could become an integral part of programming to ensure audience engagement forms a strong connection to radio content.

To give the day a truly global feel, a signature event will also be held in Shanghai, China with the support of the Shanghai Media Group and European Broadcasting Union.

A full day of radio-related discussion involving some of the leading figures in Chinese and global media will be followed by a special Chinese New Year concert dedicated to the Day.