World Listening Day 2023: 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.
WHEN IS WORLD LISTENING DAY 2023?
On July 18, observe World Listening Day by engaging in less conversation and more listening.
HISTORY 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 undivided attention and forbearance from the listener and benefits the person being listened to. 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.
5 FACTS ABOUT LISTENING
Women are superior listeners
According to research, women use both lobes of their brains when listening, whereas males use only one lobe.
Music listening is beneficial.
As an example, listening to music before surgery reduces cortisol levels, and it helps some students unwind and study more effectively before an exam.
Listening can aid in weight loss!
Researchers discovered that consumers who listened to soothing music while dining in a restaurant consumed 175 fewer calories.
Listening is a talent
Less than 2% of individuals have formal training in how to listen effectively.
Prerequisites for hearing
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.
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WHY WORLD LISTENING DAY IS IMPORTANT
Have you considered how much of your day is comprised of words? If you are speaking them, you are either reading, hearing, or even thinking them. World Listening Day offers us a reason to step back from words and focus on the sounds that surround and in between them.
Consider this: depending on where they reside and how they move throughout the day, each individual has a completely unique soundtrack that plays in the background of their daily routine. Automobile noise, wind in the ears, cutlery striking a plate, keyboard sounds, papers rustling… You probably don’t even consider the fact that you’re hearing these noises because you’re so accustomed to them. But we’re sure you will now, right?
Whether you live in a bustling metropolis, a quiet suburb, or a remote farm, you can apply the principles of acoustic ecology to your everyday life. Therefore, you need not go out of your way to observe World Listening Day.
