The Faculty of Public Relations, Advertising and Marketing (FOPAM) at the University of Media, Arts and Communication’s Institute of Journalism (UniMAC -IJ) celebrated World Public Relations Day (WPRD) under the theme “Building Bridges and Navigating Polarisation.” The event took place on the 16th July, 2025, at the Auditorium of the South Legon campus.
In his opening address, the Dean of FOPAM, Rev. Odame Gyau, emphasised the crucial role Public Relations (PR) plays in fostering understanding and rebuilding connections in a polarised world. He remarked that, “every meaningful dialogue that reconciled misunderstanding and patiently restored reputation, does not happen by accident. They happen because someone, somewhere, cared enough to listen, interpret and mediate.” He encouraged students to use PR as a tool to build reputational bridges and heal any polarisation in the world.
The event was attended by officials of UniMAC with the Pro Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Winston Abroampa representing the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Eric Opoku Mensah. Other officials in attendance were the Rector of UniMAC-Institute of Journalism, Prof. Christiana Hammond; the Director of Public Affairs, Ms. Nana Efua Rockson; the Director of the Centre for Global Education and Collaborations, Dr. Lawrencia Agyepong; the Head of the Public Relations Department at UniMAC -IJ, Dr. Ike Tandoh; the Programmes Coordinator at UniMAC -IJ, Dr. Noel Nutsugah, the Lecturer for Public Relations and the main Coordinator for the World PR Day 2025; Mr. Edem Cudjoe, some faculty members, staff and student of FOPAM. Visiting faculty and students, from Emerson College, Boston, USA on an exchange programme at UniMAC, participated in the event. The event was moderated by Moses Desire Kuyou, a student of UniMAC -IJ.
The World PR Day is a day which falls of 16th July every year; a day set aside for PR Practitioners around the world to recognise and celebrate public relations and communications, and to build a unified global agenda towards making the world understand and utilise PR better. This year’s event celebrated at UNiMAC-IJ was student-led and faculty-driven. It aimed to honour World Public Relations Day and educate students on how Public Relations can be used to foster unity and address division in an increasingly polarised world. The Guest Speaker for the day was the Deputy Government Spokesperson and Founder of the Alliance for Women in Africa (AWMA) Ms. Shamima Muslim, who is also an alumna of UniMAC -IJ.
Before the Guest Speaker mounted the dais to speak to the audience, the Rector of UniMAC-IJ, Prof. Christiana Hammond, delivered the keynote address themed “Pedagogies of Peace: Educating Communicators for a Polarised World.” She noted that society is divided into political, ethnic, religious, digital areas, which leads to greater polarisation. “As public relations experts, communicators, bloggers, and storytellers, we have the ability to reshape narratives, build meaningful connections, and encourage collaboration in today’s polarised world,” she said.
Prof. Hammond further highlighted the transformative power of public relations education, stating that, “Public Relations influences public opinion. Our students have been empowered to influence corporate decisions and social narratives.” She also stressed the need for training on the ethics of PR in the remarks that, “a public relations professional should be trained to quickly identify ethical concerns, thoughtfully address them, and lead in a respectful way that promotes fairness and justice”.
The Guest Speaker, Ms. Shamima Muslim, in her address, stressed the importance of communication. “Communication is not about raising your voice, but about hearing what has not been said and uncovering untold stories,” she said. She emphasised that communication should go beyond just delivering information; it must foster understanding, empathy, and connection.
Ms. Muslim also addressed the evolving role of the government of Ghana’s Public Relations, stating that, “Governmental public relations in today’s era can be used as a tool to bridge polarisation by transcending the traditional role of reactive messaging. Governmental Public Relations should not be confined to the management of crisis, but must evolve to a strategic function of democratic governance which is proactive, responsive, and takes responsibility for the errors of their administration.”
She urged UniMAC students to practice public relations with integrity. “In the course of practicing Public Relations, you must choose truth over trend by being the custodian of verified information and evidence-based narratives, and choose ethics over expediency” she highlighted.
Students had an engaging question and answer session with Ms. Shamima Muslim to clarify their thoughts on key issues raised by the speaker, including ethical challenges, strategic communication, and navigating polarisation in the digital age.
The second part of the celebrations for the World PR Day at UniMAC was the Inter-university Public Relations Contest. This contest featured teams from UniMAC, the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA), and Wisconsin International University College.
After a fiercely contested three rounds, Wisconsin International University College placed third with thirty-nine (39) points. They were represented by Ms. Ines Akpa and Mr. Nathaniel Acher. The host, UniMAC, came second with forty-one (41) points, proudly represented by Ms. Clarissa Bandoh, Ms. Rosalinda Naa Kai Adjetey and Mr. Daniel Afari (who substituted Ms. Bandoh in the third round). The defending champions, UPSA emerged as the overall winner with forty-seven (47) points, confidently represented by Mr. Nicholas Nana Yaw Sarpong and Mr. Fritz Tortor. The event ended in an air of frenzy as students of UPSA jubilated for defending their honour.
In his closing remarks the Dean of FOPAM, Rev. Gyau, expressed gratitude to the organising team for their dedication and hard work in ensuring a successful and meaningful celebration. He wished UniMAC students, better luck next year in the contest.
Theory and Practice as the foundations of a UniMAC academic journey. By bringing professionals to interact with students, delivering on topical issues and sharing practical experiences, UniMAC hones in professionalism in its students. The World PR Day 2025, was one avenue to demonstrate this, and provided a platform for students to test their knowledge in PR theory, ethics and practice. The 21st century media and communication students from UniAMC are poised for professional excellence.