IPRA Okays UNESCO’s Declaration for Communicators to Promote Global Unity
A leading global network for Public Relations (PR) professionals, the International Public Relations Association, IPRA, has endorsed the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) declaration of communication professionals and researchers as agents for promoting activities that will guarantee a healthier, viable, and better world.
The declaration was made in the wake of the socio-economic havoc wrecked across the world by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Oumar Kane, Secretary General of the UNESCO network Orbicom, noted that ending the pandemic requires a broader global solidarity.
“We share the belief that organisations dedicated to communication have an important role to play in this current crisis,” he said.
Continuing, Kane added: “The declaration calls for certain commitments by communication professionals. They include, to work jointly and put our full energy into bringing people together to guarantee a healthier world, together with a viable, and better future.
“To shoulder our responsibility through information and communications. To call for equal protection for all, strongly affirming that everyone deserves the same protection regardless of race, origin, gender, group or status.
“To play our full part in accompanying our communities in a critical transition to a new way of life, one that respects nature and the resources she gives us, that nurtures biodiversity and protects and treasures the Earth, our only home.
“To honour the power of active listening. This is just as a lively and inclusive dialogue helps our communities and humanity build a healthier, viable, better world.”
IPRA President, Philippe Borremans, while supporting the declaration, noted that PR professionals have a clear responsibility to commit to transparent communication and support a better post-pandemic world.
“Communicators are by nature bridge builders, door openers and enablers of mutual understanding. That’s why we are embracing these commitments and salute the initiative of our UNESCO colleagues,” he pointed out, in a statement obtained by Spokesperson Digest.
According to him, IPRA encourages its members, Chapters, national association colleagues, and affiliated partners to also sign the declaration.
kabir Abdulsalam
