World Radio Day 2020: Date, theme & significance of the day

World Radio
Day is celebrated annually on February 13. It celebrates radio as a way of
educating people, disseminating information and also promoting freedom of
expression across cultures. World Radio Day 2020 will be celebrated on Thursday
this year. The theme of this year’s World Radio Day is ‘Radio and Diversity’
and focusses on diversity and plurilingualism.

In the age
of smartphones, television and internet, radio has still not lost its
relevance. It continues to be one of the most powerful tools to reach out to a
huge audience at a fraction of a cost. It also plays a crucial role in
emergency communication and disaster relief.

World Radio
Day 2020 Theme:

The theme of
World Radio Day 2020 is “Radio and Diversity”. The theme focuses on diversity
and plurilingualism.  It is an important
medium to celebrate humanity in all its diversity and provides a platform for
democratic discourse.

 Radio is a low-cost medium affordable to
everyone and it offers everyone a platform to intervene in the public debate,
irrespective of people’s educational level. Last year the theme for World Radio
Day was “Dialogue, Tolerance and Peace”.

Significance
of World Radio Day:

The purpose
of celebrating World Radio Day is to raise the importance of radio and spread
awareness among people. It also encourages decision-makers to establish and
provide access to information through radio, also enhance networking and
generate international cooperation among the broadcasters.

According to
the United Nations, radio programming can also build tolerance and eliminate
differences that separate groups. The United Nation, therefore, celebrates the
day to remind the world of this powerful news disseminating tool and the role
it can play in building a brighter tomorrow.