On 10 February we joined forces with SOAS Radio and the Centre of African Studies to co-host the ‘World Radio Day London 2017: Radio and Global Transitions’ event – an exciting event with stalls and interactive exhibitions representing community radio and communication & development organisations, speakers and a panel discussion. Attendees came from across the UK and those not able to make the event could join us ‘virtually’ through SOAS Radio’s live broadcast and interviews.

The event began with the trade fair, featuring stalls from Radio Active, Children’s Radio Foundation, Development Media International, SciDev.Net, Radio Souriat (Syrian Women’s Radio for Peace), InsightShare, London International Development Centre, Refugee Radio, and the Radio Garden .

Workshops led by Roundhouse Radio and Whistledown Productions also ran throughout the afternoon. David Prest led a session on the different forms of radio documentary, and Max Graef and Niccy Logan examined the more practical side of the production process and discussed their own experiences of working both in London and abroad.

The evening panel discussion included talks from Carlos Chirinos from New York University/SOAS, Dr. Caroline Mitchell from University of Sunderland/Transnational Radio Encounters, Stephen Silverwood from Refugee Radio, and James Deane from BBC Media Action. They spoke on the topic: How is radio representing global transitions? Discussions ranged from learning from the use of local music artists for behaviour change during the Ebola Crisis, to the Radio Garden project, the use and aims of participatory radio, and the changing role of radio over the past three decades.

Further listening and reading

Click here to read the keynote speech from James Deane, BBC Media Action in full.

World Radio Day 2017 Podcast Series: In the build up to the World Radio Day Event 2017 the SOAS Radio Team interviewed community radio, representatives of communication for development organisations, radio industry professionals and academics on this year’ theme of ‘Radio and Global Transitions’ in a series of podcasts available via: https://soasradio.org/speech/podcasts/world-radio-day

Listen in full via SOAS Radio to the World Radio Day 2017 London panel discussion ‘Radio and Global Transitions’ https://soasradio.org/…/world-radio-day-2017-panel-radio-an…

Photos of the event can be viewed via the SOAS Radio Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pg/soasradio/photos/?tab=album&album_id=1419229048129214.