Pradip Chandra Kundu

Every year World Radio Day is an occasion to celebrate one of the most powerful mediums of communication that has stood the test of time – RADIO. From connecting remote communities to providing real-time information, radio is a vital tool for education, entertainment and awareness. This special day emphasizes the role of radio in fostering dialogue, sharing stories and creating a bridge between diverse cultures.

World Radio Day was proclaimed in 2011 by the UNESCO General Assembly and was first celebrated in 2012.  February 13 marks the anniversary of the establishment of United Nations Radio in 1946. So, the day was designated by UNESCO on the 3rd of November 2011 during its 36th conference. This year it is going to be the 14th World Radio Day.

Since its inception, each year UNESCO selects a special theme to celebrate this occasion. This theme focuses on a specific aspect of radio’s importance and role in society. We have already got many such important themes in different years. For example,- Radio and Peace (2023), Radio and Trust (2022), New World, New Radio (2021), Radio and Sports (2018) and so on.

In 2025, World Radio Day will carry the theme “Radio and Climate Change”. This highlights radio’s crucial role in raising awareness, promoting sustainable practices and engaging communities in climate-related dialogue. This theme also underscores radio’s ability to disseminate critical information about climate change, promote green practices, and amplify voices advocating for environmental sustainability. Radio serves as a very essential platform for awareness campaigns, scientific discussions and grassroots movements addressing the climate crisis.

Climate change is a burning global issue of the present time that affects people and the environment in many ways. Humans, as well as wild animals, are facing new challenges for survival because of climate change. More frequent and intense droughts, floods, storms, heatwaves, rising sea levels etc. can directly harm animals, destroy the places they live and inflict on people’s livelihoods and communities. The WHO has already identified climate change as one of the biggest threats to global health in the 21st century. In such a situation, UNESCO has rightly chosen an important theme for this year’s World Radio Day.

Radio can function very effectively as a major key player in climate action and disaster management if it is equipped with the proper resources, tools and capacities. During disasters when electricity and connectivity fail, satellite and terrestrial broadcast networks can still work and reach large audiences simultaneously. You can’t ignore the necessity of HAM radio (amateur radio) for maintaining a communication system in such situations. In remote areas, especially, where internet access or literacy rate is very low, radio is often the primary source of news and information for the population.  By choosing this year’s World Radio Day theme, UNESCO urges all radio broadcasters worldwide to report on action or inaction of government agencies or social actors by investigating public records, municipal decisions, official declarations, parliamentary votings etc. 

As 2025 is a crucial year under the Paris Agreement – when greenhouse gas emissions must peak to restrict global warming to 1.5 degrees C, the context of the WRD theme ” Radio and Climate change” has become more significant. UNESCO Chief of Media Development has rightly stated ” Radio possesses a distinct ability to shape listener’s perceptions of climate change. …. By providing verified independent information, radio can influence public understanding and motivate action, all while preserving editorial independence.”

(Pradip Chandra Kundu, VU3IOP from Agartala, Tripura is a well-known Radio DXer of India. He is a 66-year-old retired teacher, now fully dedicated to DXing Hobby.  He is the India Book of Records record holder for collecting QSLs from most countries around the world. Also, he was adjudged Rank #1 in Asia in the annual World Top 10 DX contest organised in Budapest, Hungary from 2020 to 2023, four years in a row.)

Promotional | Silchar HAM Radio Club