Kathmandu, Nepal: The First World Radio Day has commemorated to mark the achievement of radio broadcast, once limited to Singha Durbar, the country's central secretariat. The then communications minister Jhala Nath Khanal, who had issued the first licence for radio broadcast to the group of journalists to protect the environment fourteen years ago.

Inaugurating the Radio Day, Jhala Nath Khanal, the then communications minister and former prime minister and currently chairperson of Nepal Communist Party (UML), lauding Nepal Radio for playing an supreme role in raising citizens' awareness, thanked, felicitated and wished the national and international organizations, United Nations, Government of Nepal and Nepalese community for contributing to the radio's successes.

Following a proclamation by UNESCO's thirty-sixth general assembly, in recognition of the development, impact and progress of the radio, which has become the most successful, easy and reliable broadcasting medium to reach the largest number of people in the world, the World Radio Day was celebrated on February 13, Monday.

Non-governmental organizations, communications media, universities and governments worldwide also commemorated the establishment of the United Nations Radio on February 13, sixty-six years ago.

On the occasion of the celebration of the First Radio Day in Nepal, recalling the contribution of radio stations to the protection and promotion of citizens' freedom of expression, Kul Chandra Gautam, former deputy secretary general of the UN, said that the radio had brought a popular wave in favour of the protection of human rights and democracy.

Dr Arjun Karki, international chair of the LDC Watch, lauding the role played by local radio stations for civic freedoms in the Americas, Europe and Africa, said that community radio stations should played the role of a watchdog in institutionalizing the changes brought about by information and in building a civilized and better Nepalese society by meeting the Millennium Development Goals targets.

The Association of Community Radio Broadcasters (ACORAB), the organization of more than 210 radio stations operating in Nepal, has been working for social transformation through community radio by running the Community Information Network (CIN), which is the largest social network of radio stations in the country.

ACORAB, which is leading the radio movement in Nepal, thanked UNESCO and International Telecommunication Union (ITU) for providing an opportunity to celebrate the First World Radio Day. ACORAB celebrated the First Radio Day to introduce the radio as an indispensable vehicle for social transformation and to highlight the importance of the radio in benefitting all.

ACORAB is proud to get an opportunity to organize a special programme on the topic of the radio's role in social transformation, human rights protection, civic freedom and gender identity in Nepal. The CIN is relaying live broadcast of the special programme of the First World Day through community radio stations.

Source: ACORAB