South African Consulate General hosts luncheon to honor Children Radio Foundations on World Radio Day
“To be honored at next Wednesday’s event at the South African Consulate General in New York is a marvelous way to bring our work full circle. We are fortunate to have Louise Monyemangene, the wife of Consul General George Monyemangene, as a Trustee of CRF,” said Elizabeth Sachs – founder and president of Bedford, New York based Children Radio Foundations (CRF) during a brief telephone conversation from her office on Friday.
Ms Sachs was responding to questions about the significance of an upcoming luncheon to be hosted in honor of her organization CRF in observance of World Radio Day.
A Special Invitation from the South African Consulate General’s office in New York issued by Consul General Mr. Monyemangene indicates Wednesday’s luncheon will honor both CRF and UNESCO’s “Global Opportunities and Challenges in Empowering Youth Through Radio” program.
The luncheon will be held from 10 am – 3 pm on Wednesday, February 13 at the Consulate. A special welcoming ceremony has also been scheduled for South Africa’s favorite radio & TV personality Mr. Gareth Cliff and You Tube singing sensation Mr. Vicus Visser during the observance.
Preceding Lunch, UNESCO in partnership with the Children’s Radio Foundation will also host a special program in honor of “Global Opportunities and Challenges in Empowering Youth Through Radio” from 10 am – 12:30 pm at the United Nations Conference Room 6 at UN Headquarters.
Panel participants will include Philippe Kridelka – Director UNESCO Office New York; Stephane Dujarric – Director of News and Media in the UN’s Department of Public Information; Shelagh Gastrow – Executive Director of Inyathelo: The South African Institute for Advancement; John Dinges – Special correspondent for Time, the Washington Post and ABC Radio, Associate Professor and Director of Radio at Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism; Bill Siemering- founding member of NPR’s Board of Directors, creator of “All Things Considered” and Lesedi Mogoatlhe – Lead Youth Radio Trainer with the Children’s Radio Foundation.
In 2012, the UN General Assembly endorsed the resolution adopted during the 36th session of the UNESCO General Conference, proclaiming 13 February, the day United Nations Radio was established in 1946, as World Radio Day.
The day was created to celebrate radio as a conduit for education, freedom of expression and public debate as well as a source of vital information on breaking events such as natural disasters. A recent survey by International Telecommunication Union, shows over 75 percent of the world’s homes own a radio. “Radio is the mass medium that reaches the widest audience, especially the most marginalized parts of our societies,” said Irina Bokova, Director-General of UNESCO. “Free, independent and pluralistic radio is essential for healthy societies, it is vital for advancing human rights and fundamental freedoms,” she added.
Children Radio Foundation Youth reporters in Taung, South Africa
CRF started in South Africa in 2007 with the idea that radio is an important tool for youth empowerment in Africa. Currently, there are over 1000 CRF-trained youth radio reporters at 50 project sites in 5 countries who broadcast shows in for youth in their community on a weekly basis in 25 local languages.
Reflecting back when her organization first began investigating the possibility of training youth radio reporters in Africa, Ms Sachs said that they decided to locate in South Africa. She also recalled of how they were greeted “with warm welcomes by everyone from the University of Cape Town to the South African Department of Basic Education to UNICEF South Africa. Our first youth radio broadcasts aired on SABC’s radio stations and we felt embraced by the community,” she said.
Ms Sachs proudly reports CRF’s work continues to expand in urban South African environments including the Red Cross Children’s Hospital in Cape Town as well as projects in more rural settings in Kwazulu Natal. Last year, with the support of UNICEF and the Department of Basic Education, she said they we were able to start a Youth Reporter Network that connects CRF-trained radio reporters across the country.
“The South African Youth Reporter Network has been an enormous success. Young reporters have been so enthusiastic about sharing each other’s works and coordinating new ideas that the Youth Reporter Network is a model that we will now be rolling out in other African countries,” Ms Sachs added
She also said, in Liberia, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, CRF has been working with radio stations and youth organizations to create a nationwide Youth Radio Network in each country. The CRF-trained youth radio producers broadcast on local stations and share their radio programs digitally with other project sites via SoundCloud allowing them to share their work and learn from each other.
For more information contact Children Radio Foundations at 914-234-0134 or South African Consulate General’s office at (212) 213-4880
By Dennis Kabatto
Stay with Sierra Express Media, for your trusted place in news!
© 2013, https:. All rights reserved.
