The United Nation Information Centre (UNIC) and Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation (PBC) organized a two-hour live event on the theme of ‘Radio and Sustainable Development Goals’ at the PBC headquarters in Islamabad on World Radio Day.

World Radio Day, celebrated each year on Feb 13 since 2013, marks the establishment of the United Nations Radio on February 13, 1946, just a year after the creation of the United Nations Organization. This year’s theme of World Radio Day is “Radio is You.”

Expressing her view in the event that was broadcast live on several channels of Radio Pakistan, Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Maryam Aurangzeb paid rich tributes to Pakistan’s radio legends and appreciated Radio Pakistan’s collaboration with the UN in creating awareness about the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). She said the government will introduce an internship program at Radio Pakistan to engage young people on SDGs and Pakistan’s Vision2030.

Jeannete Seppen, Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Anne Marchal, Deputy Head of Delegation of the European Union, Vibeke Jensen, Country Director UNESCO and Niel Buhne, Resident Coordinator UN also spoke at the event.

“Radio touches the most remote parts of the community, leaves no one behind and that is what sustainable development goals are about,” Niel Buhne, Resident Coordinator UN added.

Vittorio Cammarota, Director of UN Information Centre, said that development is a joint effort and the media plays an instrumental role with helping the UN to inform Pakistani people on how they can contribute to achieve the SDGs.

Meanwhile, Ignacio Artaza from UNDP and Daniel Timme from UNICEF also appeared in a live program which focused on “Radio and Sustainable Development Goals.”

A number of veteran broadcasters, UN officials and students attended the event.