The National Association of Non-Governmental Organisations (NANGO) joins the international community in celebrating World Radio Day on February 13th, 2023 under the theme, “Radio and Peace”. This day was established in 2011 by UNESCO to recognise the unique ability of radio to bring people together and promote peace.
Radio is a powerful tool in promoting peace throughout the country and worldwide, as it provides a platform for fostering understanding between diverse people and societies. Radio broadcasts have been used to broadcast programmes that are geared towards recognising different cultural differences and encouraging dialogue. Moreover, radio has been used to broadcast messages of tolerance, promote disarmament agreements, and report on the progress of implementing peace agreements.
Broadly, radio programming that focuses on community mobilisation and awareness-building on how to prevent and resolve conflicts can help foster cohesion and understanding among conflicting parties. Furthermore, radio dramas featuring fictional scenarios can teach conflict resolution skills, helping local communities to overcome divisive issues peacefully. Ultimately, radio is an effective way of using communication technology to spearhead positive change in regions afflicted by conflict and also, in conflict prevention in times where conflict is rife.
NANGO members leverage radio to promote peacebuilding initiatives and facilitate mediation, dispute settlement, negotiation, conflict resolution, and management within the communities they serve. They use radio to embrace diversity, foster inclusivity and strengthen cohesion and harmony by allowing people to self-represent and amplify their stories. Additionally, radio is used to amplify the voices of citizens in mainstream peacebuilding, policy, and development processes. Community radio enables inclusivity, adaptability, and resilience through targeted awareness-raising and sensitisation campaigns by CSOs with the aim of creating a more equitable and just society.
NANGO would like to recognise and appreciate the radio broadcasters and personalities including its members in the Media thematic cluster for their critical role in promoting peace and tackling some of society’s most pressing challenges. Their work in bringing radio to communities to amplify community issues has been invaluable, and we appreciate their dedication. Their work is more than needed in this period as the country head towards the 2023 general elections.
We are proud to be part of a global effort of civil society to use radio to promote peace, understanding, and tolerance. NANGO stands alongside other organisations committed to using radio to positively impact our world today and forever.
For this special occasion, NANGO challenges radio broadcasters and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) to commit to developing vibrant, local radio broadcasting that promotes coexistence, reconciliation, and peace-building in all corners of the country and beyond.
