The Gambia Radio and Television Services (GRTS) has been declared winner of the West and Central African regional award for the International Children’s Day of Broadcasting (ICDB).  The ICDB winner is announced and co-presented by Unicef yearly, with the International Academy of Television Arts and Science, a news release from the Unicef stated.

According to the UNICEF report, the seven nominees and regional winners for the 2007  ICDB award, are The Gambia, Bangladesh, Brazil, Germany, Kenya, Syria and Thailand and each presented the best work produced for the 2006 ICDB and will be honoured at a special ceremony at the UNICEF House in New York.

The ICDB regional prizes, according to Unicef, went to the Gambia Radio and Television Services (for successfully featuring the ICDB 2007: Unite for children, Unite Against AIDS), followed by the ATN Bangla (Hope for Life) in Bangladesh, TV Culture (Big Doctors) in Brazil, ZDF (Stark Khombisile- dance and fly of joy) in Germany, Syrian Broadcast TV (Let’s Play) in Syria and NBT Thailand (From South to North, from East to West, Thailand ICDB-Unite for Children, Unite Against AIDS) in Thailand.

Furthermore, UNICEF stated that each of the seven nominees for the 2006 ICDB award won their respective regional competitions and the finals for the West and Central Regions was between the GRTS and NTA of Nigeria, in which GRTS was declared the winner.

The Gambia Radio and Television Services (GRTS) won the regional award, because of the First Lady, Madam Zainab Yahya Jammeh’s presence at the International Children’s Day of Broadcasting last December.

The management of GRTS further commended the First Lady, Madam Zainab Yahya Jammeh, through President Yahya Jammeh for honouring their invitation. The management also took the opportunity to thank the First Lady, Madam Zainab Yahya Jammeh, whose participation in the programme led to GRTS’ victory.

The GRTS management also thanked HE Dr Alhagie Yahya AJJ Jammeh for introducing the television services in the country without which this achievement would not have been possible.

Judgment on the regional prizes, according to report, took place between May and August this year and focused on the 2006 ICDB theme: “Unite for Children, Unite Against Unite for Children, Unite Against Aids” and entries were evaluated by teams of regional broadcasters and television experts, and the judges looked into the content, execution and year-round youth participation of all the nominees.

It could be recalled that the International Children’s Day of Broadcasting (ICDB) was launched in 1991, to encourage broadcasters worldwide to create awareness for children’s issues. Each December, these youths write, report, produce and present programmes that allow them to express their thoughts on issues affecting their lives.

In 1994, the International Academy of Television Arts & Science and Unicef, established the International Children’s Day of Broadcasting Award, to honour a broadcaster, who best embraces the spirit of the ICDB.  The ICDB is celebrated by hundreds of broadcasters around the world and the next ICDB will take place on 9th December 2007 on the theme “The world we want”.

Finally, International Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, founded in 1969, is the largest organisation of global broadcasters, with over 500 members from nearly 70 countries and over 400 companies.