PURPOSE: On 13 February, the UNESCO and thousands of stations come together to celebrate World Radio Day. The objective of the Day is to raise public awareness of the importance of radio and to encourage decision makers to use it to provide access to information, and to improve international co-operation among broadcasters. In reporting and informing the general public, radio stations shape public opinion and frame a narrative that can influence domestic and international situations and decision-making processes. Increasing radio's journalistic standards and capacity should be considered as an investment in peace. UNESCO recognizes and understands the tremendous variety of business models and technological architecture in Radio around the world as well as the independent nature of its companies and organizations, large and small, plus the idiosyncrasies of its on-air personalities. Thus, broadcasters are encouraged to bring their own culture, style and sensibilities to their individual celebrations leading up to and during the February 13 event. World Radio Day is also an opportunity for radio stations to connect on-air with fellow broadcasters around the world. UNESCO invites radio stations to take the initiative for such broadcasts.
FORUM: “Radio and Climate Change” World Radio Day 2025. This year, we celebrate the many opportunities that radio broadcasting brings for giving prominence to climate change issues. 2025 marks a pivotal year for climate change. In accordance with the Paris Agreement, if humanity is to limit global warming to 1.5°C, the greenhouse gas emissions must peak by that year at the latest, before they begin to fall. While the Paris Agreement takes on capital importance, radio contributes to the achievement of its international objectives by supporting populations in the face of climate change through the dissemination of fact-based information, listeners’ voices, dedicated radio shows … Broadcasters must prioritize the quality and diversity of information sources, as they play a critical role in addressing climate-related issues. To all radio professionals and volunteers, everywhere in the world, UNESCO salutes your daily work and your commitment to the future of our planet, our future. Here are the ways to Celebrate this year celebration: 1. Put more emphasis on facts 2. Review your programming strategy 3. Present realities from elsewhere 4. Inform from an intersectional point of view 5. Start an "On the way to COP30" chronicle 6. Give the audience a say 7. Prepare for the storm 8. Raise the safety awareness of environmental journalists 9. Redouble your efforts to combat disinformation 10. Encourage your audience to listen to the radio critically 11. Strengthen staff competencies in relation to climate change issues 12. Set the tone 13. Green your radio; Follow the conversations with the hashtags: #13February, #WorldRadioDay.
EVENTS: On February 13th, World Radio Day 2025 will be dedicated to “Radio and Climate Change” to support radio stations in their journalistic coverage on this issue. Together, let's prepare the celebration the 14th edition of World Radio Day. panelists will address climate-related issues. This includes dismantling climate skeptics' arguments, investigating greenwashing, understanding ecological economics, and reporting on climate activism and barriers to solutions.The UNESCO and its partners invites the worldwide Radio industry in all its many forms - commercial, public, non-profit – to join in this global celebration of the medium at this special journey. Ahead of World Radio Day, we're celebrating projects where radio is empowering communities on the frontline of climate change.
OPPORTUNITIES: To benefit from the 2025 Opportunities and appear on the UNESCO map please click here. Your radio station will also have the chance to connect with a radio station in another locality or country. Thanks to these collaborations, you will be able to exchange programs, guests, sound archives, and even… consider a longer-term relationship beyond February 13, 2025. Take advantage of this opportunity! Regularly consult the map to discover new radio stations or partners that could match your search…
STATEMENTS: Read the statement of Ms Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO, on the occasion of World Radio Day 2025; February 13th.
PODCASTS: Let’s explore with the UN Environment, the best solutions and cutting-edge technologies for building resilience to climate change. For World Radio Day, UNESCO releases a number of historic audio files that can be used free of charge and without copyright restriction in planning World Radio Day broadcasts and events. You will be able to broadcast them along with your other programs on February 13th , and also share the audios on your social media platforms. The following audios are in their original language, and you are welcome to do a voice-over for your radio station's broadcasts. Listen to the audio-podcasts!
CAMPAIGN MATERIALS: “Radio and Climate Change”. The World Radio Day 2025 campaign focus on radio broadcasters’ efforts to equip citizens with the competencies they need to better understand and tackle the climate crisis. Radio programmers’ have adopted collaborative techniques which reinforce a culture of dialogue by means of participatory programmes and formats, such as calls-in, talk shows, listeners’ fora, etc., and so give opportunities to discuss - on air - latent issues, including disagreements. Adopt the 13 Ideas for the 13 February, explore the 2025 poster and get the campaign materials!
UNITED NATIONS RADIO
To mark World Radio Day, celebrated on 13 February, UN News has reached back into our audio archives to a classic collaboration between UN Radio and the UN Audio Library. The United Nations Radio was created on 13 February 1946. In 2017, United Nations Radio and the UN News Centre merged to form UN News, producing daily news and multimedia content in Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Swahili, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, and Hindi. We want you to help us improve and tailor our products to your needs. Complete the 2021 UN News User survey
INTERNATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATION ORGANIZATION
“Technology for Good”- is an ITU series that focuses on how technology is helping to shape the world around us. Listen now...and don't forget to subscribe to hear the next episode in our brand new series!
A series of short and snappy podcasts from ITU - the United Nations specialized agency for Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs). Packed with the latest facts and figures on ICTs, their use and their impact on the globe.
ITU Technologized - Listen to luminaries, influencers, experts, leading lights in government, industry and education as they share their personal perspective on information and communication technologies and their importance for our planet.
WHY WE CELEBRATE IT?
Because radio is a low-cost and popular medium, which can reach the remotest areas and the most marginalized people. It continues to broadcast when other media are out of action – for emergency communications or following a natural disaster. Finally, it is a medium that has been able to fully embrace technical developments, such as broadband and digital audio broadcasting (DAB), and to adapt to mobile devices.
ACTIONS
- Raise public awareness of the importance of radio
- Encourage decision makers to use it to provide access to information,
- Improve international co-operation among broadcasters.
PARTNERS
The World Radio Day is Co-organized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) , the UN Department of Public Information (DPI) and the he Union Européenne de Radio-Télévision (EBU·UER).