Community Broadcasters Meet In Ghana To Confront World Of Changes

More than 260 participants from nearly 50 different countries, from all

continents are meeting in Accra, Ghana on the occasion of the 11th International

Conference of the World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters (AMARC) since

Monday until August 14 at the invitation of the Ghana Community Radio Network (GCRN).

The opening ceremony gave way to traditional dances of Ghana and the

voices of the communities that highlighted the richness of culture and oral

tradition of the host country.

In her opening speech, the President of AMARC, Maria Pía Matta, recalled

the challenges that AMARC must confront in a world of changes:

modernization of the structure, effectiveness towards members and cohesion

among the regions to reach a stronger, more transparent organization.

Bukar Tijani, Regional Director for Africa of the United Nations Food

and Agriculture Organization (FAO) addressed the participants to strengthen

the ongoing partnership between FAO and AMARC their common struggles to

promote food security and sustainable development of societies, in which

the proximity and community radio stations play a key role. This

partnership should be based on closer relations so that policies and global

strategies are tailored to projects and needs encountered in the field.

Ato Sarpong, Deputy Minister of Communications of Ghana, addressed the

crucial issue of digitization of radio spectrum and of community radio in a

new digital environment. Communication rights are universal rights and

community radio stations must engage in the defense of this process.

The 11th International Conference of the World Association of Community

Radio Broadcasters (AMARC) continues until August 14.

Through service to members, networking and project implementation, the

World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters (AMARC) gathers more than

4,000 community radios, federations and community media stakeholders in

more than 150 countries.

Zimbabwe is still to licence Community radio stations and the government

has promised to do so by the middle of 2016.

The Zimbabwe Association of Community Radio Stations (ZACRAS)

chaired by Gift Mambipiri and coordinated by Vivienne Marara

groups together initiatives which intend to apply for community radio licences.

Some of the well known Zimbabwe community radio initiatives are Radio Dialogue

Community Radio Harare, Wezhira and Kwelaz.