A New Radio Drama Series: "Tremors of the Heart"

“Tremors of the Heart” is the second radio drama series produced, referring, this time to experiences related to earthquakes, landslides and volcanic eruptions. The three stories included in this series take place in different localities and highlight the importance of raising awareness of those situations in which natural hazards, traditional ways of co-existing with risks, particular interests and decision-making processes are interrelated. The radio program seeks to reinforce the notion of risk management in an organizational context, as well as broad-based social participation and political guidance towards sustainable development. Its purpose is to guarantee the safety of lives, goods, infrastructure and investments, as well as to achieve a better quality of life at local, regional and national levels.

This soap opera-type format has been chosen again because radio communicates with a heterogeneous audience from all socio-cultural strata. The broad range of radio reaches an audience with different educational levels, as well as those who do not have access to other means of communication.

Tremors of the Heart is a joint initiative of the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UN/ISDR), the Program on Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Relief Coordination of the Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO/WHO/PED), the Disaster Reduction Unit for Latin America and the Caribbean of the Bureau for Crisis Prevention and Recovery, United Nations Development Program (UNDP BCPR-DRU/LAC), and the Coordination Center for Natural Disaster Prevention in Central America (CEPREDENAC).

Tremors of the heart is a series that consists of three short radio soap operas. The main character of each story is deeply stirred by a natural event and feels the “tremors” of the heart. Somehow, the central characters are led by a number of situations to take action and, at the same time, to experience a process of change which enables them to contribute to the transformation of their environment as well.

Although both characters and places are fictitious, the audience may identify themselves with their situations given that these constitute love, self-improvement and solidarity stories that start from the personal perspective of each character, but which are inevitably related to the collective aspect of their lives.

These stories do not intend to be didactic, but rather invite reflection on the need to achieve both community commitment and organization, as well as to respect nature and be aware of the close link between personal and community development.

For further information please contact:
eird@eird.org