February 13th: World Radio Day

February 13th was set by UNESCO as the World Radio Day (WRD) to draw attention to the extraordinary importance of this means of communication without which many people would not have access to information.

World Radio Day has been running now for several years to mark the establishment of United Nations radio on 13 February 1946. The objectives of the Day are to raise greater awareness among the public and the media of the importance of radio; to encourage decision makers to establish and provide access to information through radio and to enhance networking and international cooperation among broadcasters.

2018 edition (the seventh) of World Radio Day will be held under the theme: “Radio and Sports”.

World Radio Day was first celebrated in 2012, following its declaration by the UNESCO General Conference. It was subsequently adopted as an International Day by the United Nations General Assembly. Previous annual themes have included gender equality, youth participation, radio in humanitarian and disaster situations, and "Radio is You!" In past years, World Radio Day has seen wide success, with over 500 events taking place wordwide in 2017 (UNESCO).

In Romania, on November 1st, 1928, at 17:00, the "National Radio Station" was being inaugurated with the call "This is Radio Bucharest, Romania".

Personalities from Romania and from abroad have sent congratulation messages to Radio Romania, on the occasion of 2018 World Radio Day.

Audrey Azoulay, UNESCO Director-General: "This year, World Radio Day celebrates radio and sports, because radio is a force that promotes sporting values: fair play, solidarity and respect. Radio brings people together in the spirit of friendship and it is in the first raw when it comes to combating racism, xenophobia and tolerance. Radio also promotes gender equality. UNESCO is making efforts across the world to ensure that radio becomes an independent and pluralist media that promotes cultural and gender diversity in sports broadcasting. Let’s work together, with the help of the radio, to harness sport as a force for inclusion, dialogue, development and peace". UNESCO insists on the need to ensure freedom of expression and to combat racism and intolerance.

Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU) Head of Radio Olya Booyar: „Despite technological evolution, the role of radio remains important. World Radio Day, the day we celebrate the achievements of all our forefathers in the field, and of those who have further carried their legacy, who bring radio to millions of people around the world, inside their homes, cars, schools or work places. The radio has gone through changes that have made it unrecognizable, starting with the first wireless transmitters and receivers, and it is as important today as it has always been. Radio is still evolving, along with the digital technology and the Internet, you can listen to the radio on mobile phones and personal devices. Its essential role, however, remains the same, to unite people”.

European Broadcasting Union (EBU) Head of Radio Graham Dixon: "It's really a great pleasure to celebrate World Radio Day 2018 together with Radio Romania. The radio is with us 365 days out of 365, brings us together, creates communities, gives us so important information, allows us to participate to debates, to hear opinions that are different from our own. We need to think that radio is the most accessible means of mass communication in the world. Radio must reflect the population in all its diversity. Congratulations to Radio Romania and its listeners!"

Permanent Conference of the Mediterranean Audiovisual Operators (COPEAM) Vice-Secretary General Paola Parri: “I think the World Radio Day promoted by UNESCO is a great achievement that contributes globally to promotion of the radio and its values. A major theme of Radio 2018 Day is the promotion of sport and emphasizes the importance of radio as a means to capture the largest audience, thus trying to fulfill a unifying role, so important in our times of deep divisions. All our thanks to Radio Romania, which manages to play such a role”.

Princess Elettra Marconi (age 88), daughter of Guglielmo Marconi, the inventor of radio; Rome, Italy: "It is a very important day, International Day of the Radio, invented by Guglielmo Marconi, my father. Let's say that today, radio is still fashionable, especially young people say this and I am very happy. Thank you, Radio Romania, for calling me and for offering me the opportunity to talk today, on World Radio Day, about my father, Guglielmo Marconi".

Romanian sports commentator Teoharie Coca Cosma, special guest on RRA’s “Apel Matinal” (Morning Call) show on Tuesday, February 13: “Radio - through its mobility, through its technical possibilities that now are even more developed – remains and I would say it has become indispensable for the modern individual, because you are at home, you are driving your car, you're on the plane, wherever you are, you have the opportunity to connect and be informed from the national radio station.

Romanian publicist, playwright and novelist Dinu Sararu, who started his journalist career at Radio Romania, talked about how he sees the future of the radio. "I have no worries about the destiny of the radio in the future and if I think about the public radio station, which inspires me so much confidence, because it still knows how to announce the exact time, I think that no internet will manage to equal the frankness and speed with which the radio can provide us the information that is not manipulative. At any mountain peak, the radio can provide the information we expect from it and announce what is most important to us, the exact time".

Romanian Minister of Defense, Mihai Fifor, special guest in the RRA’s “Serviciul de noapte” (“Night Watch”) show: “Radio remains my great love and I make this confession at dawn of February 13th, World Radio Day (…) I was attracted to working for a Radio Station when I was a student in my first year at the faculty, I’ve joined Radio Oltenia Craiova for a while, your colleagues ...As a Journalist, you have to be in a radio studio at least once in your life and try your luck. I think this is the most beautiful part of this journalist's job and I can only address a warm thought to all those working in the branch and especially to those who are radio correspondents in the theaters of operations, as Radio Romania has always had ...”

Head of Fundeni Gastroenterology Clinic, Dr.Mircea Diculescu: "I have lived in the communist censorship period, when the real information sources were rare and truncated, and can see today how we are invaded by the virtual environment with countless information, sometimes contradictory or even untrue. For me, Radio Romania represents a source of correct social, cultural, scientific information, passed through the filter of real professionals. Today, on the occasion of the World Radio Day, I would like to wish Radio Romania a Happy Anniversary. May you continue to guide us through the mists of a constantly changing world, sometimes with unsafe sources of information, may you remain a professional lighting the way!"

Source:RRA,UNESCO, Radio Romania Cultural, RADOR.Translated by Miruna Matei