Laudato Voices | Radios serving as a cutting-edge medium that blends modernity and tradition | Feb 12th, 2026
As World Radio Day approaches on February 13, we join others worldwide in honoring radio as a powerful medium that connects people locally and globally. Our experience with radio program broadcasting in Laudato has been that they provide an opportunity to document and use our indigenous languages to communicate ecological faith and ecological values to both youth in communities and grandparents, serving as a cutting-edge medium that blends modernity and tradition.
Radio remains the dominant communication medium in Uganda, with listenership consistently showing that between 56% and 80% of the population uses it as their primary source of information. Despite the rapid rise of digital media, radio still has a higher penetration rate than television, the internet, and newspapers. This makes it an important channel for promoting care for our common home in developing countries like Uganda.
The theme of this year’s world day of Radio: ” Radio and Artificial Intelligence: Ai is a tool, not a voice”.
This year, reflecting on the theme “Ai is a tool, not a voice,” in our view emphasizes the role and responsibility of communicators to ensure technology serves humanity without replacing genuine human interaction. As UNESCO (2024) notes, World Radio Day celebrates radio as an accessible, trusted, and adaptable medium in the digital age. Radio remains essential for promoting dialogue, peace, and sustainable development (UNESCO, 2023). Young people in Laudato have explored this opportunity to raise voices for climate action and strategic advocacy taking advantage of its wide reach, opportunities to broadcast in local languages, encourage community participation, promote behavior change, support local environmental action, build environmental sustainability and resilience knowledge, and stregthen accountability among community members. Our recent radio program was rasing voices for wetland conservation
In recent radio features, the Laudato Youth Voices have highlighted youth concerns about artificial intelligence (AI), drawing on the messages of Pope Francis and Pope Leo XIV regarding new technologies. Pope Francis (2024) reminds us that AI must prioritize human dignity and ethical responsibility to support the common good. Pope Leo XIV also stresses that while AI presents opportunities, it should never overshadow the human voice, conscience, or moral discernment in communication. with these in mind the thinking now is about the risks to youth and children could face because of disconnected realities. The document “Antiqua et Nova” highlights specific risks like Dependency on ready-made content leading to diminished critical thought, the potential erosion of relational and reflective capacities, deskilling of young learners when AI replaces rather than supports human effort (Vatican Dicasteries, 2025; Bishop Tighe, 2025). Pope Leo XIV echoed these concerns, warning of an unmooring of young minds from reality without proper guidance (Associated Press, 2025; Politico, 2025).
Today, February 12, thank God for the gift of the voice of Vatican Radio which has also given us a voice to speak to the world about the ministry of the Laudato Youth Initiative (Vatican News Feature 1, News Feature 2, News Feature 3 ) for Last years 10 years anniversary of the enyclical Laudato Si. We congratulate Vatican Radio for its vital role in raising awareness about God’s creation and the message of Laudato Si’. Its global reach continues to support faith-based dialogue on ecology, justice, peace and integral human development.
Radio remains especially important in grassroots communities. In Uganda, community radio stations advance sustainability by educating local audiences on environmental conservation, climate adaptation, and sustainable agriculture (Manyozo, 2012). These platforms empower young people, including the Laudato Youth Initiative, to share ecological messages in indigenous languages, reaching elders, grassroots communities, and marginalized groups. Broadcasting in local languages increases participation, preserves cultural identity, and strengthens community ownership of sustainability initiatives (Bosch, 2014).
On this World Radio Day, we affirm that while AI can improve efficiency, it cannot match the authenticity, depth, and honesty of the human voice. Radio remains a trusted companion for all generations, encouraging conversations about the future and preserving truth and human connection.
AI serves as a tool, but it is the human voice that breathes life into meaningful communication.
