As public relations and communications professionals from around the world prepare for the second edition of World Public Relations Day on July 16, a day set aside to appreciate and celebrate the public relations profession and its impact on the world, we expect to see plenty of progressive conversations proffering solutions to some of the issues in PR and helping the world understand the industry better.
Building on the remarkable feat achieved in the first edition where over 3,500 PR professionals from 25 cities across 15 countries converged in Africa, Europe, America, and Asia to drive conversations about the PR and communications industry, this year’s celebration is gradually shaping up to be more of an inclusive event.
The 2022 edition is the second since WPRD was announced in 2020 as an annual celebration to be observed on July 16.
The July 16 date was chosen as a way of paying homage to Ivy Lee, regarded as one of the forefathers of the public relations profession. Lee, an American publicity expert, was born on July 16, 1877, and died on November 9, 1934.
The hope is that each year, the celebration will provide a huge platform to make the PR profession better understood and help it stake its claim to trustworthy communication, honesty, and reputation management.
Here’s a full glimpse of what we’re expecting to see at WPRD 2022.
Mega Career Opportunities for PR Enthusiasts & Professionals
Expect to see more opportunities for young people eyeing a career in PR and communications.
In 2021 as part of the initiatives inspired by the WPRD activities, Media Panache, one of Nigeria’s communication companies, rewarded prospective practitioners with three-month internship contracts during its PR Internship Hotspot. This year, we expect to see more organisations opening up internship hotspots to interested individuals.
Ethical PR Practices Discussions
For this year’s celebration, top PR executives from different parts of the world will ponder on the year’s theme – ‘Trust, Truth and Transparency’ during an engaging fireside chat on Twitter Spaces.
Some speakers that will be leading the conversation include, the Director-General, Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA) Francis Ingham, Founder, and Chief Architect, DNA Brand Architects, Sylvester Chauke, and World PR Day Committee Advisor and Managing Partner, Wadds Inc., Stephen Waddington.
Chief Executive, CIPR, Alastair McCapra, Editorial Director, PRWeek, Steve Barrett, and President, ICCO, Steve Barrett will also be speaking, while the virtual session will be moderated by Emma Wenani, the Chief Director of Global Media Alliance, Ghana’s leading Integrated Marketing Communications agency.
PR professionals from across the world will also share their unique experiences of their journey in the industry. Enthusiasts can join the conversations with #MyPRStory.
WPRD Conversations Conquering New Territories
The WPRD inaugural event featured over 3,500 agencies and practitioners from 25 cities across 15 countries, including India, Ukraine, Romania, Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, South Africa, UK, USA, Israel, and Saudi Arabia, sharing progressive ideas and leading conversation about prominent issues in PR. In its second edition on July 16, 2022, WPRD is expected to cover new grounds and break into new territories.
Instrumental PR Resources Product Launch
The PR Bible, a crowdsourced repository of PR resources from PR pros across the world, will be launched during the one-day event. It will include valuable PR resources such as books, articles, press releases, and podcasts required to excel in public relations.
Increased Understanding of PR
“PR is more than a terribly misunderstood practice, but a strategic aspect of business and governance, invaluable in building relationships, achieving business objectives, and preventing crises and the kind of confusion that could ruin a company or lead nations to war,” says Ayeni Adekunle, the CEO of BlackHouse Media (BHM) and Convener of WPRD.
One of the missions of the WPRDis presenting a global agenda to make the world understand and utilise PR better. As the annual celebration continues to gain global momentum, a more grounded understanding of Public Relations is also expected to proliferate through participating societies and bodies. This year, we expect to see more individuals joining the celebration with a better knowledge of the industry.
Visit the website to participate in celebrating the global impact of public relations and communications on July 16, 2022.