The Communication and Information Sector (CI) was established in its present form in 1990. Its programmes are rooted in UNESCO’s Constitution, which requires the Organization to promote the “free flow of ideas by word and image.” Besides its staff at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, the CI Sector is represented in 27 UNESCO field offices.
UNESCO’s Executive Board recommended the proclamation of World Radio Day, on the basis of a feasibility study undertaken by UNESCO, further to a proposal from Spain. The Director-General of UNESCO, Irina Bokova, suggested the date of 13 February, the day when the UN radio was established in 1946. The new World Day should raise awareness about the importance of radio, facilitate access to information through radio and enhance networking among broadcasters.