The 5th AMARC Asia-Pacific Regional Conference in Bangkok united over 150 participants from 18 countries to celebrate the power of community radio. During the four-day conference, participants shared experiences and lessons culminating in the Bangkok Declaration, which urges collaboration among community radio, regional bodies, and the UN, highlighting the role of community radio in achieving democracy and realizing Indigenous rights.

By Shubhranshu Choudhary, Editor, Valasa Bultoo Radio (Bluetooth Radio for Displaced Indigenous People)

In the heart of Karbi Anglong in the state of Assam, northeast India, nestled amidst emerald hills and vibrant Indigenous communities, thrives KAT News TV, a beacon of hope and information. More than just a media outlet, this dedicated channel has become a lifeline for the region, playing a crucial role in the aftermath of the pandemic.

With financial support from Cultural Survival's Indigenous Community Media Fund, KAT News TV, a channel started in 2016 for the Karbi people in India, began filming how the Karbi people were recovering from the pandemic.

Por: Gabriela Jojoa Lasso

By Satej Chakma (Chakma), sub-editor, IPNEWS BD

In Bangladesh, a country with a long history and deep traditions, the stories of its Indigenous Peoples are often missing from the news and other media platforms and don’t always get heard. A newsgroup called IPNEWS is trying to change this narrative.

By Gwendolyn Gay L. Gaongen

Sagada Community Media Network's radio station, Radyo Sagada 104.7 FM, has seen a boost thanks to a year-long project called "Iyebkas mo, Ibikas ko." Funded by Cultural Survival's Indigenous Media Fund, the initiative ran from July 2023 to April 2024 and focused on enhancing radio communication skills and creating content specifically for Indigenous communities.

Omar Esparza

Hoy el mundo se debate en una crisis económica y ambiental por el calentamiento global. La nueva realidad social post pandemia, ha modificado nuestras prácticas sociales, culturales y cotidianas; las guerras por el agua y los recursos estratégicos son algunos temas actuales que se vuelven desafíos. La realidad actual requiere de una posición política clara, y de crear proyectos alternativos y transcribir la narrativa que dé certeza al poder salvar nuestra casa común y las muchas especies, entre ellas la nuestra. 

By Community Radio Nasa Stereo

The Nasa community is located in the ancestral territory of Toribio, Cauca, Colombia, comprised of three Indigenous reservations Tacueyo, San Francisco, and Toribio. 96% of its population is from the Nasa Indigenous People and the remaining 4% is recognized as mestizo or as part of other Indigenous Peoples, mainly Guambianos. The Nasa Indigenous People carry out resistance actions articulated from communication for the defense of the territory, the care of life, and the strengthening of cultural identity.

By Marizol Huarachi Colomi 

Imagine traveling 150 kilometers from Cochabamba, Bolivia for approximately 5 hours and with great caution to reach the municipality of Independencia on a dirt access road that is narrow and winding. This journey is an opportunity to see dazzling desert, tropical, and valley landscapes and to experience their respective climates.

By Sani Musa Gamaliya, Program Producer, Progress Radio, Nigeria

By Rayyan Musa Lere, Station Manager, Radio Liberty Kaduna, Nigeria

Radio has long been a powerful tool for informing and connecting communities and promoting community resilience during periods of health crisis, which has become even more evident in recent years. One example of radio’s effectiveness in this regard is the year-long campaign launched by Liberty Radio 91.3 FM in Kaduna, Nigeria, with financial support from Cultural Survival.

By Manickam A.