TUNIS, Sept 27: Kuwait Radio has been selected to represent the Arabian Gulf region in the 2026 World Radio Day celebrations, the Arab States Broadcasting Union (ASBU) Standing Committee for Radio announced on Friday.

The committee confirmed that the annual event, organized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), will carry the theme "Radio and Artificial Intelligence" in 2026. The Gulf representation by Kuwait Radio will be part of a broader regional participation that includes Iraqi Radio (International Broadcasting) for the Levant, Algerian Radio for North Africa, and Jordanian Radio for the Middle East.

The decision was made during the 35th meeting of the Standing Committee for Radio held at the ASBU headquarters in Tunis, where member broadcasters convened to review strategic initiatives and program developments across the Arab radio landscape.

During the session, the committee discussed several key proposals, including a plan to develop the Arab Music and Singing Competition, which the union organizes biennially and which reached its 15th edition this year. Another major item on the agenda was the proposal to establish a new Arab Group for Audiobooks, aimed at promoting audio literary content in the region.

The committee also reviewed categories for the 26th Arab Radio and Television Festival, specifically for the radio competitions. The main competition categories include cultural, motivational, economic, sports, documentary, children’s, and drama programs. The parallel competition categories encompass podcasts, programs for people of determination, scientific programming, "Awareness Flash" segments, and social programs targeted at expatriate communities.

Looking ahead to 2026, the committee introduced new themes for radio program competitions. These include the "Through Arab Eyes" competition under the theme "Cities Speak: Exploring the History of Ancient Arab Cities", and the "Arab Figures" competition themed "Arab Figures in the Field of Preserving the Arabic Language."

In a show of continued commitment to regional issues, the committee reaffirmed media support for the Palestinian cause. It emphasized the importance of organizing an open media day in support of Palestine and the steadfastness of Jerusalem, describing it as one of the union’s most vital initiatives, particularly in light of the ongoing humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip and the occupied territories. The union pledged to mobilize all its human and technical resources to ensure the success of the initiative at every level.

The committee also approved the topic for the 2026 annual radio workshop, held concurrently with the committee meeting, selecting "Security of Radio Content in the Digital Environment as Protection of Rights and Intellectual Property". Broadcasters from Kuwait, Tunisia, and Algeria will present their national experiences on this theme during the workshop.

The announcements mark Kuwait Radio’s continued prominence within the Arab media landscape and reinforce its leadership in representing Gulf voices on the global stage.