World Listening Day 2024: Date, History, Facts about Listening

World Listening Day 2024: Quiet… do you hear that? World Listening Day takes place on July 18. World Listening Day is hosted annually by the World Listening Project, a non-profit organisation “devoted to understanding the world and its natural environment, societies, and cultures through the practise of listening and field recording.” They investigate acoustic ecology, the study of the relationship between humans and the natural environment as mediated by sound. So be quiet, open your senses, and prepare to examine soundscapes on World Listening Day.

The background of World Listening Day

Raymond Murray Schafer, a Canadian composer and environmentalist widely regarded as the originator of acoustic ecology, was born on July 18; therefore, World Listening Day is celebrated on that date. In the 1970s, he created the World Soundscape Project, which established the fundamental concepts and practises of acoustic ecology. World Listening Day was established in 2010, and each year a unique theme is associated with the celebration. Past topics have included ‘H20,’ ‘Sounds Lost & Found,’ and ‘Listen to You!’ The theme for 2017 was ‘Listening to the Ground,’ which celebrated the life and legacy of American composer Pauline Oliveros, who once said, ‘Sometimes we walk on the ground, sometimes on pavements or bitumen, or other surfaces. Can we locate ground to tread on and identify the ground’s sound or sounds? Are we falling behind? Can we discover new territory by listening?”

Thousands of people from around the globe have participated in the celebration of this holiday since its inception. The theme for World Listening Day 2021 is ‘The Unquiet Earth,’ which was devised by Raquel Castro, a filmmaker, curator, and event organiser based in Lisbon.

Listening is an art that requires a person’s undivided attention and fortitude, and it benefits a person in need. Listening is also advantageous for the recipient, as it sharpens their listening skills and awareness of their surroundings. As vital as our hearing is, we rarely utilise it effectively, filtering out the majority of sounds and voices and not truly listening to the message.

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5 FACTS ABOUT LISTENING

According to research, women use both lobes of their brains when listening, whereas males use only one lobe.

As an example, listening to music before surgery reduces cortisol levels, and it helps some students unwind and study more effectively before an exam.

Researchers discovered that consumers who listened to soothing music while dining in a restaurant consumed 175 fewer calories.

Less than 2% of individuals have formal training in how to listen effectively.

To become an effective listener, it is essential to avoid making assumptions, refrain from passing judgement, and suppress our thoughts in order to truly hear what the other person is attempting to say.

WORLD LISTENING DAY DATES