On the occasion of World Radio Day, the National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) takes the opportunity to salute broadcast journalists in Somalia and the world at large, for sustaining a legacy that fundamentally changed the world which is now an effective tool that fosters peacebuilding and conflict resolution.
The theme for 2023 World Radio Day is “Radio and Peace” which focuses on the role of radio as an independent medium of peace making, thus fostering peace within communities and the wider Somali society.
Since its advent more than a century, radio remains the primary source of information for the majority of people in Somalia and around the world. Coming after the printing press, the radio democratized information and knowledge and has played a very important role towards building a more connected and informed society.
“While we take it for granted today, we reflect on the fundamental role radio continues to play in fostering peace, sustaining the information highway and uniting the human community. We salute our colleagues in radio journalism, who bring out news about the human condition from the most remote places, facilitating dialogue, eliciting a humanitarian response that could not have been imagined hundred years ago,” said NUSOJ Secretary General Omar Faruk Osman.
NUSOJ uses the occasion to call on the Federal Government and Federal Member States to embrace the information age and facilitate journalists and the media to operate in an environment that is secure and free of physical and legal harassment.
“Radio is a basic utility that facilitates peace, de-escalation of conflicts and the enjoyment of several of the fundamental human rights including the right to receive and impart opinion. Sadly, these rights cannot be taken for granted in Somalia. We use the occasion of World Radio Day to reiterate our call to authorities in Somalia to recognize and respect the public’s right to information and the role of journalists in facilitating the exchange of information and opinion,” Osman added.