JALUKBARI, June 4 - The Department of Communication and Journalism, Gauhati University organised a three-day workshop on community radio as a tool for empowerment of adolescents in Assam and the north-eastern states, in collaboration with the UNICEF from June 2 to 4, at the GU.
The workshop was aimed at understanding the power of community radio in strengthening the empowerment of adolescents in Assam and the north-eastern states and also at creating awareness on how community radio can help in improving the standard of living of a community.
Dr R Shreedhar, pioneer of community radio, spoke on community radio and its importance and role in developing a community. He encouraged the participants to start up community radio in their native places where community radio has not been started.
Dr Sunitha Seshadri, assistant director, National Institute of Public Cooperation and Child Development, Guwahati, addressed the common challenges faced by adolescents and how community radio can be used to treat those challenges.
Dr Abhijit Bora from Tezpur University, Aseem Kumar Kazi and Anusuya Barthakur from USTM and other experts from various institutes of Assam shared their views on community radio.
Dr Ankuran Dutta Head, Department of Communication and Journalism GU, said such workshops could get attention on alternative media like community radio.
Bharati Bharali, coordinator of the project on empowerment of adolescents in North East India, said that being participatory in nature, community radio can empower adolescents by giving voice to the voiceless.
A forum for community radio in North East India was also formed to advocate more community radios in this part of the country. Students from Mizoram University, Rajiv Gandhi University from Arunachal Pradesh, Asian Institute of Management and Technology, IDOL and Gauhati University attended the workshop.
