World Radio Day 2021: Know Why It Is Celebrated, Significance And Theme

World Radio Day is celebrated every year on February 13. Radio has remained the most resilient and far-reaching medium of communication even in the time of innumerable online platforms and WhatsApp. The history of radio goes back over 110 years. World Radio Day celebrates radio as "part of humanity's history" according to the United Nations. Radio has adapted itself over the decades and played a key role in disseminating information to people in remote corners of the world in times of crisis including the ongoing Covid pandemic. The popularity of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's  'Mann Ki Baat' proves the importance of radio as a medium of communication.

Theme of World Radio Day 2021

The UNESCO has called on radio stations to celebrate the 10th anniversary of World Radio Day through three sub-themes: evolition, innovation and connection.

• Evolution: "The world changes, radio evolves - radio is resilient and sustainable"
• Innovation: "The world changes, radio adapts and innovates- radio adapts to new technologies and remains the go-to medium of mobility, accessible everywhere and to everyone"
• Connection: "The world changes, radio connects - radio services our society during natural disasters, socio-economic crises, epidemics, etc."

"New World, New Radio" is an "ode to the resilience of radio", says the UN. World Radio Day was started in 2011 by the Member States of UNESCO and in 2012, the United Nations General Assembly adopted it as an International Day.

Five reasons why the radio is unique

1. Radio is a low-cost medium
2. Radio remains the most widely consumed medium
3. Radio can reach out to the widest audience
4. Radio stations offers a wide range programmes, which are suitable for local communities globally
5. Radio plays a key role in emergency communication when natural disasters strike

Happy World Radio Day!