World Radio Day 2021: Know its significance, this year’s theme and other interesting facts

This edition of World Radio Day is divided into three main sub-themes — Evolution, Innovation, and Connection. Radio has remained the most resilient and effective mode of communication, which is, till date, used by the majority for receiving information.

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Radio has remained the most resilient and effective mode of communication, which is, till date, used by the majority for receiving information. Even after 110 years, Radio still reaches difficult terrains to connect people. 

Radio, in its glory,  remained one of the main sources of entertainment and information for ages. To celebrate this, back in 2011 a Member State of UNESCO proclaimed February 13 as World Radio Day. 

This radio day, UNESCO is celebrating the 10th anniversary and more than 110 years of radio. As per UNESCO, the celebration of this World Radio Day edition is divided into three main sub-themes — Evolution, Innovation, and Connection.

Evolution: The world changes, radio evolves. This sub-theme refers to the resilience of the radio, to its sustainability.

Innovation: The world changes, radio adapts and innovates. Radio has had to adapt to new technologies to remain the go-to medium of mobility, accessible everywhere and to everyone.

Connection: The world changes, radio connects. This sub-theme highlights radio’s services to our society—natural disasters, socio-economic crises, epidemics, etc.

Even today, Radio is much sought after because of its cost efficiency, its reach to the widest audience and wide range of programs ranging from local to global. But the most important of all is radio’s usage in emergency communication when natural disasters strike. 

World Radio Day came into existence in  2011 but was adopted as an International Day in 2012 by the United Nations General Assembly. Every year, the day is celebrated with a different theme.

The first radio broadcasting started in the early 1920s in India. The first program was aired by the Radio Club of Bombay in 1923.