South Sudan today joined the world in celebrating the World Radio Day.

Several Radio Stations gathered at the Rainbow Football ground, Juba, to mark the day under them; “Radio in times of peace and conflict”.

In her message on the international day, the Director General of UNESCO, Irina Bokova, said the power of radio relies on journalists.

She appealed to all UNESCO states to support and strength the capacity of the radio.

“We need to deepen all ties between humanitarian actors and radio professionals and we must always remember that freedom of information and the safety of journalist are essential in emergencies,” Ms Bokova said.

Meanwhile, the chairperson of the Association for Media Development in South Sudan, Alfred Taban, has called for the release of the journalists who are under detention.

Radio Journalist George Livio Bahara was arrested more than a year ago in Wau over an accusation that he was mobilizing members of the community to join the SPLM in Opposition.

And Journalist Afandy Joseph was detained in December last year after he wrote in Al-Thabeer newspaper an article criticizing the ruling SPLM. The paper was later closed down.

The event, which was emceed by Eye Radio’s Nichola Mandil, was attended by representatives from UN agencies, humanitarian groups, and media.