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Namibia celebrates World Radio Day
Namibia joined the rest of the world in celebrating World Radio Day on 13th February 2015. The main event took place at the Polytechnic of Namibia with a live broadcasting–decentralized to all radio stations through the Namibia Broadcasting Corporation (NBC). The emphasis of the celebrations was the involvement of the youth in content production of radio programmes in line with this year’s theme, “Youth and Radio”.
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Information and Communication Technology Minister, Honourable.Joel Kaapanda who officiated the event said the involvement of young people in content creation would enhance public participation on youth related matters. Honourable Kaapanda said radio is a good platform to create public debate as it had the widest audience reaching more than 90 percent of the Namibian population.
Speaking at the event, Dr.Tharcisse Barihuta, UNESCO Windhoek Officer in Charge, said UNESCO is committed to promote youth participation in broadcasting.
“Through the funding of the Swedish Development Cooperation, UNESCO Windhoek office is implementing a four -year regional project on “Empowering Local Radios with ICTs”. The project started in March 2012 and covers seven Sub-Saharan African countries, including Namibia, Lesotho and South Africa. The project’s aim is to address the lack of quality programming of local radios, in particular inadequacy of reporting on development issues and limited space dedicated to debate relevant issues for the youth,” said Dr. Barihuta.
He highlighted that the project offers support on priority areas of public concern, and facilitates the active participation of youth in public debates thus, promoting their own development. He further said UNESCO was also assisting in the establishment of Khorixas Youth Radio in Kunene Region.
The Rector of the Polytechnic of Namibia, the institution that hosted the celebrations Prof. Tjama Tjivikua, called for sufficient representation of young people’s voices in radio and media in general which he said would then translate to wider social, economic and democratic inclusion of the youth in the society.
Six young people from different youth organizations participated in a panel discussion on the sub-theme “The relevance of radio to Namibian Youth.” They agreed that even though there are a number of youth-focused programmes in radio, the content is not dictated by youth. That makes it difficult for the youth to express their opinions and have them taken into account in any matter or procedure that affects them.
Prior to the main event, UNESCO Windhoek office, in partnership with Lifeline Childline Namibia, organized a 3 day workshop from 10-12 February 2015 for 20 radio practitioners on World Radio Day’s 2015 Theme: “Youth and Radio”. The workshop’s aim was to enable the practitioners to understand the nexus between Youth and Radio and how to increase the level of participation of young people in the radio broadcasting. Participants were awarded their certificates during the celebrations on 13th February 2015.
Radio stations in all the regions of Namibia also celebrated the day in various ways including outside broadcasting and open days for young people to access radio stations’ studios and co-produce and present specific programmes. In Windhoek, about 90 students from 5 schools were afforded the opportunity to visit radio stations and co-present programmes. They were selected through a short essay contest entitled, “What does radio mean to you?” The students said they felt privileged and would like radio stations to include them in youth programming.
The Namibia National Commission for UNESCO, UNESCO Windhoek Office and the Polytechnic of Namibia spearheaded the main celebrations that were attended by community, public and commercial radio stations.
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| Contact éditorial : |
Mwatile Ndinoshiho |
| - Email |
n.mwatile@unesco.org |
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| Date de publication |
16 Feb 2015 |
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| Mots-clés |
Namibia, World Radio Day, Youth , Participation |
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