World Radio Day is observed on February 13 to celebrate radio as a medium to promote and access information. After originally proposed by the Kingdom of Spain, UNESCO in its 36th General Conference proclaimed World Radio Day on November 3, 2011.

Last year, the UNESCO’s theme for World Radio Day is “Radio in Times of Emergency and Disaster”. The theme for the 2017 edition of World Radio Day is “Radio is You!”

As part of the 2017 celebrations, a signature event will also be held in Shanghai, China with the support of the Shanghai Media Group and the European Broadcasting Union. Events will include a full day of radio-related discussion with some of the leading figures in Chinese and global media. A special Chinese New Year concert dedicated to the Day will also be held.

World Radio Day was first celebrated in 2012 and was later adopted as an International Day by the United Nations General Assembly. Previous themes have included gender equality, youth participation, and radio in humanitarian and disaster situations. As a part of the celebrations held in 2016, more than 380 World Radio Day events were held in more than 80 different countries. In India, Outreach, an Indian social organisation, will organise a three-day ‘Radio Fair’ in Bhubaneswar between February 12 and 14. Real-time traffic updates through radio on NH soon: Gadkari

This year the radio community calls for greater participation of audiences and communities in the planning of radio broadcasting. On this day, radio stations can register for World Radio Day on their official website and promote World Radio Day events on the UNESCO map of activities.