Junichi Hibino, Treasurer of the Board of Directors of AMARC Asia-Pacific, was recently presented the 15th Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) President’s Award.

The World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters (AMARC) is a movement of international solidarity to defend and promote the values of community broadcasting and to build an alternative to the old media models.

Created in 1983, AMARC plays a leading role in the worldwide Community Radio (CR) movement for its perception of what community radios should be, for its accumulated expertise, and for the extension of its network of more than 5,000 members in 113 countries.

The award is a mark of recognition of Junichi’s contribution to disaster risk reduction through community radio outside of Japan since the Great Kobe Earthquake of 1995.

JICA annually presents the award to commend individuals and organizations with preeminent achievements of the socio-economic development in developing countries through JICA’s international cooperation activities.

Junichi is among 58 organizations and individuals honoured with the JICA President’s Award this year from 18 countries.

“This award is a recognition of community broadcasting and the value of the AMARC’s network,” he said.