Cultural Diversity and the Role of the Radio in Iran

Culture has in its broad sense of the word both subjective and objective dimensions. It encompasses knowledge, ideas, art, ethics, language, customs, lifestyles and in sum, the totality of social life. We can, therefore, maintain that there is no such thing as uncultured human, and in proportion to natural and biological diversity, there exists cultural diversity among nations. Hence while the right to live is respected for all peoples, the same should be applied to their cultural diversity as a necessary component of today’s modern world. To this end, UNESCO’s universal declarations have also approved of this fact and have requested all states and nations to respect and accept this in order to maintain international peace and peaceful life. In this article, the issue of cultural diversity and the role of the radio in Iran is surveyed. There is an initial definition of culture and cultural diversity followed by a discussion about the mass media and cultural diversity, UNESCO’s universal declaration and cultural diversity, the radio and the local radio’s role in this regard, its role in reinforcing social integrity, special functions of local radios, and localradios in Iran.