U.S. Supports Citizen Radio Program

September 21, 2009

With the aim of acknowledging the contributions made by community radios to democracy strengthening, the Ministry of Culture presented the National Community Radio Award at the Gabriel García Márquez Cultural Center, on September 22, at 9:00 a.m.  The 2009 version of this award includes Best Band Radio, Best Piece or Radio Program produced by other social sectors and Best Performance for a radio station before other processes produced by community radio. In addition to the awards, a tour through 12 radio stations will be conducted as an opportunity to listen to the radio productions made throughout the regions participating in the event.

Several Colombian entities and international cooperation agencies have supported this program, among them the United States through its Agency for International Development (USAID). Since 2004, USAID has provided COP$4,525 million to this initiative, favoring 48 community radio stations in an equal number of municipalities in 10 departments around the country.

This project promotes strengthening of democracy, citizen participation and peaceful co-existence from a cultural diversity perspective, by means of the segments of opinion in community radios. The segments are made up of local, regional and national programs covering topics such as human development, cultural diversity, displacement, democratic governance and peaceful co-existence.