2009

Languages

through

Microphones

Languages through
Microphones
Contents
Background Welcome Messages from Leonard Orban and Raina Konstantinova Partners Participants Storytelling Programmes of the Radio Day of European Cultures 2009 History of Radio Day 3 9 10 11 12 14 24

Background
The European Broadcasting Union, PRIX EUROPA and the European Commission joined forces for the Radio Day of European Cultures 2009, this time dedicated to the richness of languages in Europe. Languages are the basis of our cultures and of our daily lives. However, they rarely travel; they stay at home, within their regions or countries. Languages seldom cross borders; sometimes they are considered borders themselves. Neighbours who know and understand each other are at the heart of a Europe united in diversity. Radio is the ideal medium to contribute to this goal: unique with its capacity for many-to-many-communication, being borderless, fast and direct. The fourth Radio Day of European Cultures was launched on 17 October 2009 at the PRIX EUROPA opening ceremony. The French band Babylon Circus opened the Radio Day to a sold out hall. In the Grand Hall of the rbb Radio Building the fast paced concert brought the audience from across Europe into the right mood for an interesting PRIX EUROPA competition week. The concert was broadcast throughout Europe by live stream and EBU satellite. Under the motto Languages through Microphones the Radio Day on 18 October 2009 invited the radio stations of Europe to dedicate this day of their programming to languages and to bringing people on our multilingual and multicultural continent closer to each other. It was a completely virtual event, taking place across Europe, on air. Simply the knowledge that the theme Languages through Microphones was discussed throughout Europe connected the audience across language borders. Each participating broadcasting organisation was encouraged to develop its own concept for the Radio Day according to its schedule of programmes: interviews, concerts, hearings, discussions, cross-border transmissions, vox pops, readings, quiz-shows, competitions, chats or features. The wide variety of programmes for the Radio Day of European Cultures was impressive. The Opening Concert of the PRIX EUROPA was broadcast by several stations. The largest-scale programme offer of the Radio Day was the concert from Oslo for the Let the Peoples Sing choir competition.

Patronage
Leonard Orban, European Commissioner for Multilingualism, the patron for the Radio Day of European Cultures 2009, launched this pan-European event under the motto Languages through Microphones at the PRIX EUROPA Opening Concert on 17 October. We are not only trying to draw a media-friendly picture of Europe. What we are trying to establish is a dynamic society in which ideas, people and products can move freely with our languages as important ingredients for a successful mixture, said Commissioner Orban during a press conference to journalists from around Europe.

Babylon Circus Opening Concert PRIX EUROPA, 17 October 2009

BACKGROUND

Production Grants
For the first time, the Radio Day Partners allocated production grants for productions dealing with multilingualism broadcast on 18 October 2009. Almost 40 applications from 18 countries were received for the production grants. Because of the high quality and immense creativity in the proposals submitted by programme makers, it was decided to award seven production grants, two more than originally planned. All radio formats were considered for these grants: live magazines, radio plays, quiz shows, documentaries, song-, literature- or language-contests, reportages, phone-ins, discussions, satires, sketches, comedies, radio essays, music-based programmes of all kinds as well as mixtures of all of the above. Cross-border, cross-language coproductions were especially welcome! The production grants were awarded to seven programmes on the basis of the descriptions submitted (see excerpts below):

By addressing the device of the language tape, this programme would aim to explore how multiple languages sound through microphones, especially when combined with music, as they often are on the conventional language tape, which often uses soothing, soft bedding music intended to help us relax and learn. The programme would explore how we respond to unrecognisable words when they are amplified through a microphone, as we often do to the lyrics of an operatic aria, guessing the meaning from the timbre and the pitch. In between language tape vignettes, we would hear commentary how multilingualism affects our lives. Some people have their own internal language tapes for instance, Laura Hochadel, a three year old girl living in Barcelona, born to Irish and German parents, who keeps her German in her tummy when shes not using it. Listening to language through microphones in this way, this programme would aim to capture that feeling that we are all at our best, most sensitive and most imaginative when we reach out to understand a new language or to explain the workings of our own language to another friend from Europe.

Ireland RT Language Tape Disco

This programme would take the form of an alternative language tape, varying the design a little from those beloved Inlingua cassettes packed at the last minute into our travel luggage. It would weave specially devised language lessons together with a varied soundtrack in order to create a linguistic radio disco. The language tape disco would, for example, move through all the stages of a social night out, inviting the participant bilingual guests and broadcasters to explain the best phrases to use in their native tongue from making arrangements on the phone in Polish, to chatting somebody up in Irish, to showing your sensitive side in French, to canoodling in Latvian, to breaking up in German, to taking a philosophical view in Danish. At the end of each lesson, we would hear a recap with the key phrases read out, just as on a language tape. In this way, voices from across Europe would call out to new audiences, speaking in their native tongue.

Austria Radio AGORA Universal Kisses

The first kiss. People from different backgrounds kiss each other, maybe shyly, maybe forcefully. Their lips touch each other, feel each other, feel each others mouths, which until then have only been used to form words, words that might not have been un-

BACKGROUND

derstood. The first kiss. It might be the beginning of a love story of people from different continents. It might be the first moment in the further realisation of what develops. A development that might be full of setbacks and difficult situations. But that first kiss however is universal and stands as a singular moment that overcomes distance and brings two people together for a single purpose. People with experience of bi-national relationships tell their stories, sometimes happy, sometimes sad. Stories from the personal surroundings and the laws of our society whether they are formal or not. Radio Agora will devote the whole day to this theme, making it the topic in several programmes throughout the day under the banner of the Radio Day.

Themes to debate: How does Bulgarian art look after 20 years of democracy and liberty? How do the artists feel about their place in their country and in the EU? Why is there no interest in Romania for art, cinema and literature coming from Bulgaria? Is there any interest in Bulgaria for things coming from Romania? Could the alphabet be a linguistic and mental barrier for international and European circulation of contemporary literature?

Romania Radio Romania Cultural Focus: Bulgaria

Argument , ([leka nosht detsa], Good night, children) are probably the best known Bulgarian words in Romania, especially for people born in late 70s and early 80s. When the Romanian national TV station broadcast only two hours per day, with patriotic and propaganda programmes, people used to adapt their TV antennas to capture Bulgarian programmes, football matches and cartoons. For a while, Romania and Bulgaria had a similar destiny. Communism, European Union. But what do Romanians know in fact about Bulgaria? Albena and Balcic, the Golden Sands, of course, and maybe Dalboka, the famous sea bass restaurant. Every summer, Romanians are going to the Bulgarian seaside because of the good prices and the very nice water and sand. But ask anyone in Romania to name you a Bulgarian movie maker! Or a writer. Or a visual artist. We know almost nothing about the contemporary Bulgarian art. There isnt even one book, by a contemporary or a classic Bulgarian writer, translated into Romanian. Only Alek Popov was in Romania few years ago in a project organized by the Goethe Institut, and his fragment is the only contemporary literary piece translated into Romanian.

Programmes structure: the programme will be bilingual (Romanian-Bulgarian, with translation) there will be a few interviews with some of the best known contemporary Bulgarian writers and artists (Alek Popov, Georgi Gospodinov, Dostena Lavergne, Nedko Solakov): a short report about the translation from Bulgarian into Romanian a vox populi made in Bulgaria with the theme: What do you think Romanians know about Bulgaria? short readings of literary works and music Target group: young and middle-aged people. The advantage of the National Radio Station is that it also covers the rural areas and the programmes are listened to by people who usually are not so interested in cultural subjects.

Iceland Icelandic Broadcasting Service and Greenlandic Broadcasting Corporation Cross-border storytelling
RV (Icelandic Broadcasting Service) and KNR (Greenlandic Broadcasting Corporation) have worked together on a radio documentary course. Our countries are quite close to each other but yet our cultures are different and so are our languages. The Greenlandic language is an Eskimo-Aleut language, closely related to the Inuit languages in Canada while the Icelandic language is a North Germanic language descending from Old Norse. We have found out though that the two cultures have one thing in common and that is a great passion for telling stories: both nations have a strong tendency to use narration to record experiences. We would like to use our languages and methods of storytelling to make a programme about the tradition of telling ghost stories.

We want to discuss language that is present within music, literature and everyday life. We would also like to talk about communication in bilingual families and language stereotypes. We will look for the words that are common no matter where people live. On-air reportages recorded in the countries our journalists are sent to, music played in foreign broadcasting stations. In news, there will be two pieces of information coming from abroad (England, Sweden, Belgium, Lithuania and Germany). There will also be a weather forecast for the countries our journalists will be in. Contest for the listeners: What language is it? Every time the same poem will be presented in a different language. Answers to be sent via SMS. During the whole three hour programme we want to use the jingles of foreign stations we will be guests of. Multimedia: Polskie Radio EURO portal will be multilingual for the day and there will be special attractions. Contests for internet visitors, photographs sent by them, word puzzles, crosswords. Films from the town our journalists are in as well as from the language institutes in Warsaw. Five European capitals will be visited: London, Stockholm, Brussels, Vilnius and Berlin. Languages spoken in those five countries will be presented: English, Swedish, German, Flemish, Walloon, Lithuanian. Also languages spoken by minorities living in Poland will be shown (Cassubian, Silesian). Institutes of foreign cultures working in Poland and abroad will be shown.

Poland Polskie Radio EURO Multimedia Platform for cross-border exchange in eight languages
Within the Radio Day of European Cultures 2009 project we would like to present radio as a medium that connects people regardless the country they live in or come from. We want to create a multimedia platform for exchanging information on language as it is spoken everyday as well as language of music and culture.

BACKGROUND

Bulgaria BNR and Polish Radio Zachod When mum and dad are from different countries
Despite being a part of a common Slavonic linguistic family Poland and Bulgaria have seldom and only occasionally intertwined their historical destinies. The Polish King Wladislaw III Warnenczyk died at the age of 20 at the battle of Varna on 10 November 1444 in the crusade against the Ottoman empire. Polish and Bulgarian languages seldom cross borders. A cross-border cross-language radio production, based on an extraordinary dramatic story about a PolishBulgarian family war involving children, provides an opportunity for dialogue between two nations with a lot in common in their origin but basic differences in religion, and across two languages with a lot of resemblances in lexicology but basic differences in grammar. Our main objective is to explore many-to-many audio contact between audiences who do not usually listen and talk to each other, by discussing a pan-European topic and presenting multiple points of view. Vulnerability and protection of children in todays world of widespread creation of multicultural family milieus is our main topic. Pluralism and multilingualism is our main principle. Plot: He, from Bulgaria and She, from Poland, speaking different languages and born in different countries, crossed borders by falling in love, marrying, having two children and creating a special intercultural family micro-cosmos. Then a serious conflict started and communication through media became the only possibility. An intercultural family oasis turned into an international scandal. He, from a little town in Bulgaria called Assenovgrad, was sentenced for international kidnapping of children from Poland. She, from a little town in Poland called Denbica, came to Assenovgrad to take back the children. A sudden massive street fight broke out. Despite the shock and stress, the older child, a girl aged 11, was taken by force to the Polish consuls car and driven to Poland. The younger child, a boy aged 6, ran away. Splitting the baby was Solomons judgment and way to recognize the real mother in the story about two mothers.

Media in Bulgaria supported the father. The nickname Warnenczyk was used to start an anti-Polish campaign in the internet forums. Protests were organized in front of the Polish embassy in Sofia. Media in Poland supported the mother. No one met the father. One language, one country and one point of view give only the half of the truth in such cases. We explore multiple points of view and bilingual audio with the aim of providing a common virtual space for the two different worlds of the father and the mother in state of a war to meet and talk about children.

Sweden SR Sisuradio (department of Finnish, Menkieli and Sami) 500 Kilometres along the border of the Torne Valley
The Swedish Radio department of Finnish and Menkieli, Sisuradio will produce a three-hour long programme to be broadcast on 18 October. The aim of the programme is to reach young people on both sides of the Swedish/Finnish border. The entire programme will be available for listening to our internet radio platform and part of our 30-day archive. Parts of it will be broadcast on the Swedish Radio channels P4, P2 and P6 (analogue) as well as the digital channel P7. It can be listened to both in

Sweden and in Finland as the transmitters are located close to the border. We are also looking into distributing the programme to the Finnish broadcasting company YLE. We see this programme as a test of how to produce programmes for the target group of young people in northern parts of Sweden and Finland via our internet radio channels, a programme focusing on regional matters through a young perspective. Idea: During the last 200 years, a 500 kilometre long border has divided the people and the culture of the Torne Valley, a place where its people have lived together since medieval times. Names of villages are the same on both sides, of the river, families are scattered over both sides and the border has been called the worlds most peaceful border. Despite all this, relations between ordinary people on both sides have become less frequent, above all with the younger population. The infrequent contact is discussed in the programme in an unexpected way. Moreover, the programme, which is also hosted by young people, will also talk about other important youth-related questions. The programme will be made in the languages used in the region: the na-

tional languages Swedish and Finnish as well as the minority languages Menkieli, Finnish and Sami. Programme content: A startling radio drama on border-crossing youth relations where chauvinism and attitudes towards each other are highlighted. The drama is produced in collaboration with the Torne Valley Theatre, an institution protecting the local minority languages. The drama is succeeded by a discussion, phone-ins and a live chat on our web site on the same topic. Swedish and Finnish prejudices mixed with humour. Examples of what prevents cross-national activity for young people and how to avoid it. Reports on cross-national youth activities within sports and culture. Short and funny language courses in the neighbouring languages. Reports on young music groups in both countries. Good pick-up lines in Finland and Sweden. Reports on a day in a Finnish and a Swedish school. Are we really that different? A report on what young people on both sides of the border find important. Discussions and examples of what possibilities the border provides. Target group: Youth and young adults in northern Sweden and Finland.

Welcome Messages
Leonard Orban is the EU Commissioner for Multilingualism. He was the patron of the Radio Day of European Cultures in 2009, and with this message, he extended a warm greeting to everyone listening to a programme to celebrate the multitude of languages of Europe. Radio knows no borders, is fast and direct, it reaches every home and office, every individual. More than television, the radio can always be with you. On the Radio Day of European Cultures, all over Europe, scrolling the radio tuner, you will be able to hear dozens of different languages. Even if you can understand only a couple of them, you will end up with the feeling of being familiar with the ones that are foreign to you too. You do not need to understand all the words of a hit to appreciate it. You may just like the rhythm. In the same way, you can enjoy a language just listening to it and learning by heart just a few words. Some languages will sound musical to you, and in some others you may appreciate the strange sounds and feel that you want to know more. It is exactly in this way that you learned your own language. Languages are the soundtrack of our life. Stay on air with us and listen to the top chart of European multilingualism. A compilation you cannot miss! Raina Konstantinova, Director of Radio at the European Broadcasting Union: The Radio Day of European Cultures 2009, set up and driven by the EBU, the European Commission and PRIX EUROPA, alerted the millions-strong radio audiences in Europe to the importance of languages as tools of understanding, as cultural treasure troves and as intellectual challenges. In a global world, languages are the bridges that bring people together and radio is their foundation. Languages are tools, and tools need to be polished and kept in good shape. Languages convey reflections and emotions, and those need to be refined. Radio depends on words and they need to reach out. The Radio Day was a strong reminder and an input into this mission of radio.

Leonard Orban (European Commissioner for Multilingualism)

Raina Konstantinova (European Broadcasting Union, Director of Radio)

The Partners
The partners of the Radio Day of European Cultures 2009 were: European Broadcasting Union EBU PRIX EUROPA European Commission, Directorate General for Education and Culture, Multilingualism Policy PRIX EUROPA enjoys the patronage of the Council of Europe, to which PRIX EUROPA awarded Golden Patronage in 2006, in recognition of 20 years of continuous support. The European Broadcasting Union EBU/UER approved PRIX EUROPA from the start, and in 2002 joined the alliance of its supporters. Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg RBB, home of the PRIX EUROPA Festival Office, has been hosting the weeklong festival in Berlin and Potsdam since 1997, in cooperation with the Lnder Berlin and Brandenburg, the Medienanstalt Berlin-Brandenburg and the Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg. Festival Director is Susanne Hoffmann. The European Cultural Foundation in Amsterdam provides the Secretariat of PRIX EUROPA. The PRIX EUROPA Alliance 2009 consists of 25 organisations and bodies. Its President is Dr. Gottfried Langenstein, ARTE President, and the two Vice-Presidents are Doris Pack, Member of the European Parliament, and Frank-Dieter Freiling, of Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen.

European Broadcasting Union EBU

Founded in February 1950, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) is the largest professional association of national broadcasters in the world, with 71 active members in 52 countries of Europe, North Africa and the Middle East, and 46 associate members in 29 countries further afield. Activities include operation of the Eurovision and Euroradio networks, coordination of news and sports programming, promotion of technical standardisation, legal advice, and the defense of public service broadcasting. In April 2003, at the EBU Radio Assembly, delegates from 54 public broadcasting organizations supported the idea of organizing a Radio Day of European Cultures. The EBU has been an organising partner and has played an integral role in staging this bi-annual event since 2003.

European Commission Directorate General for Education and Culture

The European Commission embodies and upholds the general interests of the European Union and acts as a driving force in the integration process. It proposes directions to take and implements the measures decided on by the Council and Parliament. The European Commission enhances the development of a European sense of belonging in all European media, by promoting their development, production and distribution. The European Commission fosters and promotes language learning at all levels in order to empower citizens to make full use of the opportunities created by the European project. At the same time it promotes multilingualism to preserve linguistic diversity in Europe and as a link to other cultures. In the same way it raises awareness of the importance of language skills for a healthy European economy and for social cohesion.

PRIX EUROPA
PRIX EUROPA has grown into the continents largest competition for television, radio and the emerging media, while remaining free of any commercial interest. For the fourth time, the European Radio Day took place within the framework of PRIX EUROPA this time under the theme Languages through Microphones. The Radio Day of European Cultures 2009 brought listeners of all European countries together through the theme of multilingualism. PRIX EUROPA was initiated in 1987 by the Council of Europe and the European Cultural Foundation. The competition amalgamated with Prix Futura Berlin in 1997. The Dutch Prix Iris joined PRIX EUROPA in 2000, as did the Prix Genve-Europe in 2005.

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Participants
29 broadcasters from across the continent participated in the fourth Radio Day of European Cultures: British Broadcasting Corporation BBC Bulgarian National Radio BNR Cesky Rozhlas CR Danmarks Radio DR ERT Greece France Culture RF Greenland Broadcasting Corporation Lithuanian Radio National Radio of Ukraine NRCU sterreichischer Rundfunk ORF Polski Radio PR Radio AGORA (Austria) Radio Kosovo Radio Malta Radio Netherlands Radio Romania Radio & Television of BiH Radio & Television of Serbia RTS RAI Raidio Telefis Eireann RTE Rikisutvarpid RUV RTVSLO Radio Slovenia Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg RBB/ARD Saarlandische Rundfunk SR/ARD Slovak Radio Sudwestrundfunk SWR/ARD Sveriges Radio SR Westdeutscher Rundfunk WDR/ARD Yleisradio YLE

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Storytelling Space for Dark Nights

Great storytelling is and always will be medias most important trait. While headlines just pass through, stories and their tellers endure. Like the languages that transmit them, good story-telling will always have that special warm spot. As it gets colder and darker, the season for ghost stories is approaching rapidly, writes Thorgerdur Sigurdardottir from Iceland. Nothing is better as the nights grow darker and colder than finding that warm spot on the radio and listening to a good ghost story. We are using contemporary ghost stories from Iceland and Greenland, she says. Ms Sigurdardottir is part of a team producing a radio programme of Icelandic and Greenlandic ghost stories. The programme roughly translated as Ghost Stories, Present Tense received a special grant for multilingual productions from PRIX EUROPA and will be featured at the Radio Day of European Cultures, October 18, in Berlin. This years Radio Day theme is Languages through Microphones. Elsabet Indra Ragnarsdottir and I are from Iceland and Henriette Rasmussen is from Greenland and we are making this programme together, she explains. We all met when we were doing a vocational course for radio professionals in Iceland and Greenland. This course, known as RANA, is a radio feature production programme offering workshops in Iceland, Greenland, Denmark and Sweden. The Icelandic Film School and the University of Greenland are the principal organizers. Funding comes in part from a Leonardo da Vinci grant through the European Commissions Lifelong Learning vocational education programme. A visit to Greenland was part of that course and we found it interesting how vivid the storytelling tradition is in Greenland, said Ms Sigurdardottir, and they especially like to tell each other scary stories. That tradition is quite vivid in Iceland as well Many people claim to have met ghosts so we wanted to talk to them and get them to tell us the stories. We didnt really know what the outcome would be, but we are trying to find out in the process what those stories mean in our societies and what they have in common. So these two nations, who live quite close to each other but are in many ways different, meet in this storytelling space. On the Radio Day of the European Cultures, all over Europe scrolling the radio tuner you will be able to hear dozens of different languages, said EU Commissioner for Multilingualism Leonard Orban. Even if you can understand only a couple of them, you will end up with the feeling of being familiar with the ones that are foreign to you too. You do not need to understand all words of a hit to appreciate it. You may just like the rhythm. In the same way, you can enjoy a language just listening to it and learning by heart some words. Some languages will sound musical to you. In some others you may appreciate the strange sounds

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RUBRIK RADIO DAY BROSCHRE

and feel you want to know more. It is exactly in this way that you learned your own language. Languages are the soundtrack of our life. Radio knows no borders, is fast and direct, it reaches every home and office, every individual. More than television, the radio can always be with you, said Commissioner Orban, who is the principle patron of the Radio Day of European Cultures. The event is now in its fourth year as part of PRIX EUROPA. Back in the studios, as of Thursday afternoon (October 8), the team from Iceland and Greenland are piecing together the program. Me and Elsabet Indra are editing and assembling the program, said Ms Sigurdardottir. Henriette sends us her interviews from Greenland with translations. The program is bilingual, with some interpretation, and we were trying to use this as creatively as we can. In addition to the Iceland and Greenland team, six other teams received special grants from PRIX EUROPA for bi- or multilingual radio programmes connecting audiences who do not usually listen or talk to each other, according to PRIX EUROPA. They include

such tantalizing subjects as Universal Kisses from Austrian community station Radio Agora, When mum and dad are from different countries from Bulgarian National Radio and Polish Radio Zachod, 500 kilometers along the border of the Thorn Valley from Swedish public radio Sisuradio, and Language Tape Disco from Irish public radio RTE. The European Broadcasting Union organized an exchange of all PRIX EUROPA Radio Day submissions for public broadcasters. The Icelandic National Broadcasting Service Rkisutvarpio (RUV) operated two radio channels serving the whole of Iceland, promoting Icelandic language, history and culture is its public service mandate. The Greenland Broadcasting Corporation Kalaallit Nunaata Radio (KNR) broadcasts throughout the country in the Greenland language and Danish. Both broadcast Ghost Stories on October 18. Written by Michael Hedges and published in ftm 9 October 2009 Reprint permission granted to PRIX EUROPA.

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Programmes of the Radio Day of European Cultures 2009

On 18 October 2009, radio stations across Europe dedicated their programming, or parts of it, to the theme Languages through Microphones. Several broadcasters also started an international dialogue on the Radio Day. The Serbian national broadcaster opened a website where all broadcasters could upload a short greeting to the Serbian audience in their own language. The idea caught on very quickly, and soon several broadcasters used these international opportunities. Here we have listed a few of the ideas that were broadcast on the Radio Day, with contact details of the responsible person.

Westdeutscher Rundfunk WDR/ARD

WDR 3 participated in the Radio Day of European Cultures Languages through Microphones with two productions. The first production was called Nordstern ber AlAndalus Der norwegische Pianist Jon Balke und das maurische Spanien (Northern Star over Andalusia the Norwegian pianist Jon Balke and Spain of the Moors) and took a look at the poetic side of Moorish music, finding common ground by combining the music of Andalusia with the Norwegian pianist. The second production, Zwischen Belarus und Beringstrae (From Belarus to the Bering Strait), showed the sheer never-ending plains of the easternmost part of Europe to its audience by playing music from there. The complete programme for the Radio Day: The motto of fourth Radio Day of European Cultures on Sunday, 18 October 2009 is Languages through Microphones. Radio stations from across the whole European Broadcasting Union dedicated their programming on this day to languages and multilingualism. The aim is to show that different languages are not a barrier but rather a way to exchange ideas and views, in line with the underlying thought of the EU. Radio is the perfect medium for this purpose.

WDR 3 participated in this joint European Day with the following programmes: 18 October 2009, 15h04, WDR 3, Music Feature. Northern Star over Andalusia the Norwegian pianist Jon Balke and Spain of the Moors. By Karl Lippegaus. A small baroque orchestra, the Moroccan Singer Amina Alaoui, an Arab violin player, percussion players from Teheran and Oslo, a lute player from Germany, the American trumpet player Jon Hassell and the Norwegian Jon Balke, on the keyboard: musicians from different backgrounds united their talent in order to play a piece of music. 18 October 2009, 16h05, WDR 3, Music Cultures. Between White Russia and the Bering strait. Sounds from TFF Rudolstadt and from the EBU Contemporary Folk Cologne 2009. By Cecilia Aguirre. The WDR 3 Music Cultures honours the Radio Day of European Cultures with music from an endless, distant postSoviet Union eastern concert between Kamchatka and Karelia. 18 October 2009, 18h05, WDR 3 Resonances worldwide radio language. The depiction of reality beyond cultural borders. Question: How does radio sound in other countries? Which languages are used/spoken?

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PROGRAMMES OF THE RADIO DAY OF EUROPEAN CULTURES 2009

Examples from Ireland, France, Russian and Italy. 18 October 2009, 20h05, WDR 3. Live concert from Oslo. Let the Peoples Sing. Closing concert from the international choir competition of the EBU. For more than 40 years European broadcasting stations have organised the international laypeoples choirs Let the Peoples Sing. The best choirs perform a cappella at the finale in Oslo. This year a childrens choir, three youth choirs and five choirs with adults compete against each other.

11:0013:00 Folk and world music party from Europe. 17:0018:00 Time devoted to European cultures magazine programme. 18:3019:30 When mum and dad are from different countries, Part 2. 19:3021:00 Popular European comedy writers presented through some of their works. 21:0024:00 Let the Peoples Sing finalists concert. Horizont Channel and Radio Sofia also made regular news announcements about the Radio Day. BNRs Radio Day programming was coordinated by Svetla Varbanova.

Partition WDR 3
Westdeutscher Rundfunk Appellhofplatz 1 50667 Kln Germany Telephone: +49 221 220 3181 Fax: +49 221 220 4680 Email: wdr3@wdr.de Homepage: http://www.wdr.de

International Relations
Svetla Varbanova Bulgarian National Radio BNR Telephone: (+359 2) 9336 467 Fax: (+359 2) 963 44 64 Email: s_varbanova@bnr.bg Homepage: http://www.bnr.bg/

Bulgarian National Radio BNR

BNR has always been part of the Radio Day, which has proved itself to be one of the very successful European cultural events familiar already to many radio listeners. On Sunday October 18 the theme of the 2009 Radio Day Languages through Microphones inspired our programme makers and was the focus of the BNR programming schedule. Principally the Hristo Botev cultural channel aired a special programme on European languages and writings starting at: 10:00 a.m. with the address to European listeners by Leonard Orban, Member of the European Commission responsible for multilingual diversity and patron of the Day. Then came the radio programme When mum and dad are from different countries, Part 1, which is a bilingual co-production from Polish Radio and the Hristo Botev Channel of BNR. It was awarded a special production grant from the EC.

France Culture
France Culture participated in the Radio Day of European Cultures 2009 with a special programme by Frank Smith and Philippe Langlois called Babel Europe. On the occasion of the 40th season: BABEL EUROPE A radio broadcast by Frank Smith and Philippe Langlois In collaboration with Franois Bonenfant Production Anna Szmuc We take all the European languages at the same time, we mix them, we listen to them, we find them again after having lost, heard, mixed them and tuned out of them. A programme presented for the European Radio Day. Face B >> Having a discussion 7: Danielle Diaz (9') By Arnold Pasquier Production Marie-Laure Ciboulet

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PROGRAMMES OF THE RADIO DAY OF EUROPEAN CULTURES 2009

Having a discussion is a series of 8-minute anonymous portraits, presented with mood music sampled in the meeting environment. Thanks to the diffusion during the whole season 2009/2010 in the second part of the broadcast, characteristics and portraits of a hundred persons encountered on the French territory are shaped to illustrate the widest and the most colourful side of contemporary France. All the differences (age, origin, profession, career, culture, opinions) are identified In a way, it is a portrait of diversity in our country.

Conduttrice di Radio3Mondo
Anna Maria Giordano RAI Radio3 Email: am.giordano@rai.it Homepage: http://www.mondo3.rai.it

Radio Malta
Radio Malta, part of the Maltese public broadcasting service network, took part in the Radio Day of European Cultures, by broadcasting three of the EBU programme offers. The Let the Peoples Sing concert, the Babylon Circus Concert and the selection of world music by DESR were taken up by Radio Malta.

Head of International Relations

Dominique Miyet 116 Avenue du Prsident Kennedy 75220 Paris Cedex 16 FRANCE Telephone: +33 1 56 40 32 33 Email: dominique.miyet@radiofrance.com Homepage: www.radiofrance.fr

Public Broadcasting Services Ltd.

Dr. Natalino Fenech Editor and Head of News 75, St. Lukes Road MSD 09 Gwardamangia MALTA Telephone:+356 22 91 35 08 Email: nfenech@pbs.com.mt

RAI 3 Mondo
RAI Radio3 took part in Radio Day 2009 with the broadcast Radio3Mondo

Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation

Radio3 Mondo met young foreign people who are currently doing European Civil Service work in Italy and foreign students at Cittadella della Pace in Tuscany (from Hungary, Kosovo, Georgia, and Lebanon). The programme provided an opportunity to listen to news about their activities and experiences and to contribute to the human and cultural growth of young Italian listeners. Radio3 hopes to have found the right key to participate in the Radio Day 2009 theme, Languages through Microphones, said Anna Maria Giordano from RAI 3 It was broadcast on Sunday 18 October at 7pm. On the Radio3Mondo website it is possible to download it in MP3 version. As in 2003, 2005 and 2007, Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation participated in Radio Day of European Cultures and broadcast throughout the Mediterranean. LANGUAGES ON CYBC Cyprus is by nature a multicultural country, having two principal communities (Greek-Cypriot and Turkish-Cypriot), as well as three smaller religious groups (Maronite, Armenian and Latin), so the Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation produces and airs programmes addressed to each of these audiences. In addition, the island is visited every year by hundreds of thousands of tourists, with CyBC also catering to these through special programmes in English, French and German. MICHALIS TTERLIKKAS (duration: 40'38")

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PROGRAMMES OF THE RADIO DAY OF EUROPEAN CULTURES 2009

Cypriot folk singer and researcher Michalis Tterlikkas talked to CyBC radio producer Phivia Savva about his work, with the conversation interspersed with authentic Cypriot folk songs and melodies. The programme was also transmitted on the Cyprus Broadcasting Corporations First Radio Channel on the Radio Day of European Cultures2009: Languages through Microphones, on Sunday 18 October 2009. MARONITE LANGUAGE (duration: 24'11") A programme produced by Phivia Savva was addressed to the Maronite religious group of Cyprus, whose language has recently been officially recognized by the Republic of Cyprus as the language which was and still is being spoken in the village of Kormakitis. The first part of the programme featured Maronite schoolteacher Koumettos Katsioloudis presenting interesting facts about the language, while also providing examples of him teaching it to elementary school pupils. The programme ended with traditional Maronite recipes, also presented in the Maronite Arabic language. The programme was prepared especially with the Radio Day of European Cultures 2009: Languages through Microphones in mind. TURKISH-LANGUAGE GREETINGS (duration 9'59") Greetings (by Shefika Yashar) on the occasion of the day from CyBCs Turkish programmes service and three songs written and performed by TurkishCypriots. ELELE (duration 29'41") An example of a multilingual half-hour music programme presented by Nazik Gostanian and Dennis Perry in Turkish, Greek and English, broadcast every Friday, Saturday and Sunday afternoon from 16:00 to 16:30. ARMENIAN-LANGUAGE GREETINGS (duration 12'57")

Greetings (from Nazik Gostanian) on the occasion of the day from CyBCs Armenian programmes service, and three songs (the first by Komitas) performed by Armenian singer Rupen Matevossian and Sirusho. FOR OLDER CHILDREN (duration 19'14") Interviews with secondary school children (1215) on the value of multilingualism in todays world, featuring, in addition to Cypriot teenagers, mixed-marriage or expatriate children (Bulgarian, Romanian and Russian) attending school in Cyprus. A SONG TO BRING US TOGETHER (duration 49'00") Languages are sometimes barriers, but can also be used to bring down these barriers, bridging gaps between different cultures. With this in mind, CyBC music producer Marios Papadopoulos compiled and presented a programme comprising songs from different countries and in a number of languages, with the conviction that music is the most understandable language. The programme particularly featured vocal duets in Greek and Turkish, Hebrew and Arabic, Portuguese and Greek, stretching along the entire Mediterranean coast, with the belief that this body of water, shared by all the peoples who live on its shores, should help bring us together rather than divide. The programme was broadcast on CyBCs First Radio Channel on the Radio Day of European Cultures 2009: Languages through Microphones, on Sunday 18 October 2009.

Deputy Director General

Michalis Styliano Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation CYBC P.O. Box 24824 1397 Nicosia Cyprus Telephone: +357 22 862 363 Email: michalis.stylianou(@cybc.com.cy Homepage: http://www.cybc.com.cy/

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PROGRAMMES OF THE RADIO DAY OF EUROPEAN CULTURES 2009

RTS Radio & Television of Serbia

Radio Belgrade 2 participated in Radio Day of European Cultures 2009 and invited other participants to send small excerpts of their programmes to a server address as a greeting to the RTS audience. In addition to Radio Belgrade 2, Radio Belgrade also participated in Radio Day of European Cultures, with its Third Programme. On Radio Day, at 9 pm, Radio Belgrade 3 broadcast the work of Ivana Stefanovic Lingua/Phonia/Patria (34 min.) from the series of the sound workshop of Radio Belgrade, created in 1993, immediately after the creation of the series with the same name, within the Drama Department of Radio Belgrade. The author, Ivana Stefanovic, was the first editor of the series. Summary: The composition Lingua/Phonia/Patria was created in 1993 on a commission from WDR Cologne; later it was broadcast on Radio Belgrade 3. Multilingualism of the Balkan region, more precisely, the multilingual area of the former Yugoslav federation, was a provocative theme. This composition was created at the very moment of a strong earthquake that the former Yugoslav federation felt and could not resist. The work was created on the shaken soil of the country that was about to fall apart a sensation which could be felt in the air. Weak and loose ligaments of a multilingual and multicultural country were obvious. In the composition Lingua/Phonia/Patria a language is understood as an autonomous value, as an independent and autonomous human being, and, above all, as the means to reach its own goal, the other human being to whom it addresses itself. The languages that were used were Serbian, Croatian, Serbo-Croatian, Croato-Serbian, Slovenian, Macedonian, Romanian, Ruthenian, Hungarian, Albanian, Slovakian, Romany, Dalmatian and other dialects. Recordings of religious rituals used included the prayer of an orthodox monk, a sermon in a Catholic church, a Jewish prayer song for women, and dervishes in a trance. Traditional songs used included an old Turkish woman and a fortune-teller from the Vlaska district.

Head of International Relations

Zorica Pribic Radiotelevision of Serbia RTS Hilandarska 2 11000 Belgrade Serbia Telephone: +381 11 3224 057 Email: int_rel_rb@rts.rs / zorica.pribic@rts.rs

Third channel of ERT

ERT, the Greek public broadcaster, participated in the Radio Day of European Cultures with the following programme: The long journey of night into day Producer: Kostas Kanavouris Sound Engineer: Thanassis Vouteris This was a programme broadcast for the celebration of the European Radio, a programme celebrating the fastest spread of communication, civilization and ideas. This was a celebration of European languages, the common home of everyone. Each one has its own excellent colour or shade, its unique sound, and its own contribution to what we call the birthplace of ideas. The day that the European Radio celebrates the programme offered a guide to the sounds of the Greek language. That is the sound of poetry, the eminent achievement of a language which has been spoken for 3,000 years. And since the language of everyone is his deepest country, we made an excursion to Greece with poems of the last century. We welcome you to the Greece of the 20th century. BC or A D, it is for you to decide. For more information, please contact Maria Kopana

ERT Radio Exchange Programme Department

Maria Kopana ERT Athens Greece Email: MKopana@ert.gr Homepage: http://www.ert.gr

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PROGRAMMES OF THE RADIO DAY OF EUROPEAN CULTURES 2009

Danmarks Radio DR
Danmarks Radio P2 broadcast the Let the Peoples Sing concert, live from Oslo, in celebration of the Radio Day of European Cultures. Bent Grnholdt from DR chaired the jury in Oslo. For more information, please contact Ole Mlgaard. Homepage: http://www.dr.dk/P2/

15h4016h00 Pop-kaleidoscope about Ukrainian performers who took part in the Eurovision Song Contest: Ruslana, O.Ponomariov, T.Karol). 17h1017h30 Nedilniy tramvay (Sunday tramway) news about the life of youth, music, fashion, and culture of modern Europe. 18h1018h30 European poetry in Ukrainian translations by M. Lukash, V. Stus and others. 20h5021h00 Vechirnia kolysanka (Evening lullaby) European fairy tales. 21h5022h00 Simya moya fortetsia (My family is my fortress) about family values and traditions, childrens education, family relationships between children and parents, based on examples of families from European countries. 22h3022h50 Tte--tte with pop music European stars on tour in Ukraine. 23h0523h50 European Broadcasting Union presents EBU music recordings were broadcast. These and other programs of the first channel of the Ukrainian Radio could be heard at www.nrcu.gov.ua.

DR Medier, Musik
Ole Mlgaard Danmarks Radio DR Email: OML@dr.dk

National Radio of Ukraine NRCU

Ukrainian Radio (NRCU) celebrated the Radio Day of European Culture in its week-end broadcasting schedules, and at the same time almost every programme was dedicated to the culture of European countries, and to the close spiritual and cultural relationships between our country and the United Europe. A welcoming speech by Leonard Orban, Member of the European Commission, was broadcast in the news bulletins through the day. In addition, the schedule included: 8h308h40 Shkoliada which spoke of school euro-clubs, correspondence and cooperation between pupils from Kyiv schools and children their age from other European countries. 10h1010h30 Radiomagazine Slovo (Word) featuring the topics: 1. Language policy in the EU countries. 2. Cross-lingual enrichment (taken from the history of linguistic loans) 13h3013h40 Gromada (Community) a programme about the life and collaboration of the Ukrainian diaspora in European countries.

International Relations
Anna Orlenko National Radio Company of Ukraine Ukraine Telephone: +380 44 239 63 18 Email: int.rel@nrcu.gov.ua Homepage: www.nrcu.gov.ua

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PROGRAMMES OF THE RADIO DAY OF EUROPEAN CULTURES 2009

Radio Slovenias third channel ARS

The Richness of Slovene Dialects The third channel of Radio Slovenia ARS took part in the Radio Day of European Cultures 2009 with a whole day of programming around the theme of languages. Since this years Radio Day of European Cultures was dedicated to the richness of languages in Europe, ARS emphasized the richness of Slovene dialects with a miscellany programme, which was a unique collection of short interviews, miniatures and music. Spoken Slovene has more than forty dialects and speech forms, a large number for any language. When considering the limited number of Slovene speakers, however, this makes Slovene one of the most diverse languages in the world. On 18 October ARS also broadcast the Let the Peoples Sing competition from Oslo.

as a rod (for women), or strong as a stone wall (for men). In addition, on that day Lithuanian Radio offered its listeners a selection of music from different European countries. For more information please contact Jolanta Taraseviciene.

Head of International Relations

Jolanta Taraseviciene Lithuanian Radio and Television Lithuania Telephone: +3705 2363163 Email: inter@lrt.lt

sterreichischer Rundfunk ORF

Jasna Potocnik
RTVSLO ARS Telephone: +386 1 4752247 Email: jasna.potocnik@rtvslo.si ORF took part in the Radio Day of European Cultures 2009 with a whole day of programming around the theme of languages. Spectacular elements planned in the schedule including hourly language miniatures, two-minute bursts of different languages every hour, just before the hour. These language bursts can be listened to online on the oe1.orf.at website Programmes about the topic of languages Languages of Europe 15 language miniatures, each two-minute long programmes, was broadcast 2 minutes before each hour. 2008 was the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue as well as the UN International Year of Languages. In light of these events, 1 introduced small portraits on a weekly basis of a European language. All 52 language miniature programmes were presented and available for listeners online on 1 in oe1.ORF.at, in line with the motto of the EBU day of European Cultures Languages through Microphones. In addition, 1 broadcast around 15 selected portraits again throughout the broadcast programmes of the day. The language miniatures could be heard each 2 minutes before each hour.

Suzana Vidas
RTVSLO ARS Telephone: +386 1 4752409 Email: suzana.vidas@rtvslo.si

Lithuanian Radio and Television

Lithuanian Radio and Television took part in the Radio Day of European Cultures with several points in their programming on 18 October: 1) A radio documentary about the two villages located on the Lithuanian-Latvian border Germaniskis and Skaitkalne separated by just a rivulet); 2) A radio discussion on the issues related to the theme of the event; 3) A radio programme revealing specific aspects of our language. For instance, what phrases are used when speaking of women and of men. Would British people understand us correctly if we paid them a Lithuanian compliment such as slim

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PROGRAMMES OF THE RADIO DAY OF EUROPEAN CULTURES 2009

07h58: Languages of Europe: German 08h58: Languages of Europe: French 09h58: Languages of Europe: Turkish 10h58: Languages of Europe: Slovakian 13h58: Languages of Europe: Latin 14h58: Languages of Europe: English 16h28: Languages of Europe: Italian 16h58: Languages of Europe: Jiddish 17h28: Languages of Europe: Slovenian 17h58: Languages of Europe: Hungarian 18h58: Languages of Europe: Spanish 19h28: Languages of Europe: Croatian Three further language miniature programmes were broadcast live starting at 19h30: Serbian, Romani and Ladin. 10h06 approx. 10h58 Ambiente Oh country, sad and proud A 1 study trip through the heart of Spain. Castile. Composition: Edgar Schtz. Oh country, sad and proud, Land of plateaux and the wasteland full of stones, wrote the poet Antonio Machado (18751939) about Castile, the heartland of Spain. No solitude is however found in Salamanca. The university has more than 40,000 students. This gives the city an international flair. Many foreigners visit the private language schools there or enrol into one of the international courses available at the university. It is no accident: according to philologists, in this region of Spain the purest Castilian is spoken, which is the Spanish language which is closest to the ideal of high level language due to its pronunciation and grammar. This is why the university is in charge of generating and correcting the exam of the official diploma of Spanish as a foreign language (DELE), which can be taken all around the globe at the Spanish cultural institute Instituto Cervantes. 14h05approx. 14h58 Ideas of man The never ending way to the house of the neighbour The translator Swetlana Geier Heinz Janischs composition: The Elephants are there! This is how the

spectacular closure of the Dostojewskij translations by Swetlana Geier was celebrated this autumn. After more than twenty years of translating, Swetlane Geier presented the 800-page edition of The Green Boy, one of the last great novels of the Russian poet in her new translation. Her work is celebrated as an event of a life accomplishment by critics. Swetlana Geier has recognized that Dostojewskij is an acoustic author, who likes to design his novels fashionably as a theatre of voices, as writer Karl Markus Gau remarked. Swetlana Geier, who was born in 1932 in Kiev, is known as one of the best translators of Russian literature into the German language. Working as a translator, she came to Germany with a company from Dortmund at the end of 1943. You need to catch the breath of a text, says Swetlana Geier about translating. And during work you should keep your head up not because of arrogance, but in order to see the whole text in all its complexity. Translating literature from one language to another is like the never ending way to the house of the neighbour. A visit to Swetlana Geiers house in Freiburg. (TV Premiere: 10.12.2006) 17h10approx. 17h28 1 Childrens university How many languages do we speak? A composition about expression and understanding: Renate Pliem. Already in the morning you can hear English on the radio; later at school maybe Turkish or Croatian. And when we order a pizza or spaghetti for lunch in a restaurant, we have spoken Italian. How useful are foreign languages and how many exist? When a language is dead now, was it sick before? The 1 Childrens universitys reporters Daniela, Max and Philipp talk with Eva Vetter from the Institute for Romance Studies at the University of Vienna about words, which connect and separate the world. 19h3023h00 Let the Peoples Sing The finale of Let the Peoples Sing concert in the new opera house of Oslo will be broadcast via EBU all over Europe and North America. 1 will be there live for three and a half hours. Hosted by the EBU, the organization of European broadcasting, the com-

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PROGRAMMES OF THE RADIO DAY OF EUROPEAN CULTURES 2009

petition is depicted like the Olympic Games of a cappella for non-professional ensembles. Originally established for western and central and east European choirs, it is now a worldwide event taking place every two years. In todays preliminary round 21 choirs from almost as many countries between Canada and the Baltic participated. Viennas chamber choir presented by the ORF under the direction of Michael Grohotolsky is in the finale. The nine choirs reaching the finale round of their evaluation group, will be singing live in front of a large audience also for a radio audience from 15 countries in Europe. 3 language miniatures (each approx. 2) will be brought in during the live show: Serbian; Romanian and Ladin.

ern and Western Europe. They cradle the languages in their arms, making their use of them seem like second nature. Setting all of this aside, the true message in their music tells a tale of resistance against war, using Manu Chao as an example. They have intoxicated audiences in over 30 countries with more than 900 stage performances all of which have brought magic and mysticism to mind. Now they are on their musical journey once again. In Berlin they will not only be playing songs from their latest album La belle toile but also from the previous three very successful albums. Opening of the Radio Day of European Cultures

Radio Programme Production|International Relations

Margit Desch STERREICHISCHER RUNDFUNK ORF-Radio Argentinierstrae 30 a, 1040 Vienna Austria Telephone: +43 1 50101 18520 Fax: +43 1 50101 550694 Email: margit.desch@orf.at Homepage: www.orf.at

The theme of this years bi-annual Radio Day is Languages through Microphones, making Babylon Circus the pre-destined band to open this pan-European event. On 18 October, language borders will be crossed across the continent as radio broadcasters from all corners of Europe devote this day to the theme of the Radio Day.

Head of Music Department

Jasmin Ferovic BH Radio 1 Bulevar Mese Selimovica 12 71000 Sarajevo Bosnia & Herzegovina Telephone: + 387 33 463948 Email: jasmin.ferovic@bhrt.ba Homepage: www.bhrt.ba

Radio & Television of Bosnia and Herzegovina

BH Radio 1 took part in the Radio Day and broadcast Babylon Circus concert live from Berlin on 17 October. The opening concert of PRIX EUROPA is also the official opening of the Radio Day of European Cultures. The 10-man band Babylon Circus from Lyon transformed the stage into a feast. Powerful sounds and fast rhythm have become trademarks of this band of multi-instrument talents. On their latest album La belle toile they also show that they are very capable of making quiet music by painting beautiful surreal words with their music. Babylon Circus come from France, but on the stage they become true Europeans, using English and German inserts and making music ranging across East-

Slovak Radio
In 2003, Slovak Radio took part in Radio Day with three stations devoting their programming to the Radio Day of European Cultures Radio Slovensko, Radio Devin and Radio Rock FM. In 2005, these stations joined in this pan-European event again this time on the theme of Talking to Each Other. As in 2007, Dr Slovomira Kubickova coordinated the event for Slovak Radio again.

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PROGRAMMES OF THE RADIO DAY OF EUROPEAN CULTURES 2009

SLOVAK RADIO Radio Day of European Cultures 2009 18.10.2009 RADIO SLOVENSKO Programme: Afternoon in Slovakia Time: 17h09-17h40 Characteristics of the contributions: In cooperation with the Euro Info Centre of the Government Office, Radio Slovensko prepared for 2009 a serial about European Union countries. This years edition was aimed mainly at all languages of the EU countries. One part of the serial is entitled Which word from your vocabulary was taken over in Europe?. The aim of this programme was to find in each of the official languages of the European Union, at least one word of which was adopted and taken into the vocabulary of other languages. Authors of the contributions approached linguistic experts from language institutes and universities and looked for examples in individual countries. On the occasion of the Radio Day of European Cultures, Radio Slovensko prepared for broadcasting a montage of these contributions in order to trace the origin of certain words, terms and means of expression. Through this contribution they highlighted the diversity of languages and at the same time the interconnections between European languages, which are bridges among different cultures in the Old Continent. Radio Slovensko broadcast during the day the official messages of the European institutions representatives, including Leonard Orban. RADIO DEVIN 1. Who will write and read the last book by Ladislav Tazky? (an essay by the famous Slovak writer, politician and publicist, dealing with language and speech) 2. From the books of farewells and encounters, by Dagmar Maria Anoca (a poetry programme; the author is among the most important writers

of Slovak literature, not only in Romania but also within the context of Slovak lowland literature and Slovak literature in general) 3. Didactica magna, by J.A.Komensky (a mini-gallery of the most interesting quotes from the famous book of the world-renowned pedagogue) 4. Orhan Pamuk, by Miriam Vojtekov (a literary documentary programme about the Nobel Prize winner for literature, the Turkish writer as a symbol of the connecting and opening up of Europe) 5. Radio Day of European cultures live EBU broadcasting Let the Peoples Sing (offered by NONRK) All programmes started with an announcement: Dear listeners, Today, all European radios are taking part in the largest European radio event the Radio Day of European cultures. The fourth edition of the Radio Day, which is organized every two years by the EBU Radio Department and PRIX EUROPA Festival, is dedicated to the topic of the Languages of Europe. On this occasion Radio Devin also included in its own broadcasting some prestigious programmes that present the diversity of authors and topics from a domestic or European background. Slovak Radio also took part in the DESR project within the Radio Day of European Cultures 2009 and offered a concert of the Slovak world/ethno group HRDZA (62.42 min).

Head of International Relations

Dr. Slavomira Kubickova Slovak Radio Bratislava Slovak Republic Telephone: +4212 57 273 560 Mobil: +4212 903 43 93 76 Email: kubickova@slovakradio.sk Homepage: www.slovakradio.sk

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History of Radio Day

Radio Day of European Cultures 2003
Building Bridges Across a Continent
The Radio Day of European Cultures was a pan-European radio initiative on 12 October 2003, devoted to the cultures of Europe. It provided a unique chance for European broadcasters to make a major contribution to the cultural integration of the enlarging continent and to demonstrate the great cross-border potential of radio. A staggering 94 radio stations from 40 European countries a potential audience of 300 million listeners followed the call for the Radio Day. Being an important component of modern civilisation for more than 108 years, radio has also proved an indispensable instrument for uniting peoples in a still bitterly divided world. It is a friendly and affordable medium, accompanying us in our everyday life. But it is also the best suited medium to convey the message of culture to the widest reach of audiences. All things important in human life are meant to be shared. Friendship, love, knowledge, faith, sorrow and culture as a manifestation of human spirit and intellectual drive and dynamism

Initiators and Patrons The idea

European culture in all its diversity is unique and crucial to the developing European identity. Alongside the progress in political and economic harmonisation, there is an urgent need for more cultural integration and bonding in Europe. The Radio Day gave the people in 40 European countries a common voice and the chance to experience their own and other European cultures in a spirit of mutual understanding. The Radio Day proved that radio is the ideal medium for broadcasting culture and will therefore be a valuable instrument on the road to Europe. The European Broadcasting Union, the Council of Europe, the European Cultural Foundation, the European Parliament and the PRIX EUROPA co-operated in the Radio Day of European Cultures. Pat Cox, President of the European Parliament, became its personal patron, and it also took place under the auspices of Walter Schwimmer, Secretary General of the Council of Europe. It was also under the patronage of Viviane Reding, Member of the European Commission responsible for Education, Culture and Media. All three patrons recorded personal messages for the Radio Day. Operations management was with PRIX EUROPA, Berlin.

Raina Konstantinova, Director EBU Radio Opening speech for the Radio Day (excerpt)
Tomorrow, 12 October 2003, the European continent opens its radio space for a strong message. 94 channels from Reykjavik to Athens, from Lisbon to Tallinn, will be broadcasting their own programmes inspired by and devoted to culture. This is an event without precedent in the long history of radio. Radio broadcasters will join their talents to prove that culture is the binding element bringing together nations and people, that cultural diversity is the rich stock to draw from and develop common human values, while keeping our unique national identities, that culture is the driving force behind every brave spiritual exploit and that the more we take from it, the richer it gets, and that radio is such a great discovery, being able to constantly evolve and re-invent itself.

Personal message for the Radio Day by Pat Cox (excerpt)

I also speak to you as President of the European Parliament a political institution which supports this initiative, because we know that even after Europes many physical borders have disappeared we still have much work to do to break down the barriers in our minds. In order to make a success of Europe, politicians must play a leading role, but a key role also needs to be played by the people of Europe. We all need to talk to each other, to explore and to build relationships with each other. Culture is an essential expression of a humane and sustainable society. Our own experiences and cultural roots are important but we should also try to embrace and understand the cultures and experiences of others. Cultural diversity lies at the very heart of the richness of our European identity.

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RUBRIK RADIO DAY BROSCHRE

Finally, I speak to you today as an Irish European and a former broadcaster. I am glad to see that radio has today so successfully become the Voice of European Cultures. Millions of listeners from Reykjavik to Istanbul, from Lisbon to Bucharest, will be able to experience a sense of what Europe is. We are all European citizens and each individual effort will contribute to making a Europe we can be truly proud of. So let us join forces, let us be proud of who we are, of our continent and of our cultures; and let us celebrate the Radio Day of European Cultures together.

Personal message for the Radio Day by Dr. Walter Schwimmer (excerpt)
As an old medium that has nevertheless remained young, radio has a key role to play in spreading the word about what we at the Council of Europe call our common European heritage. Radio is instantaneous and inexpensive and, above all, can address people directly, including at local and regional level; in other words, in the places where they feel at home ... Europe benefits from radios ability to bring people together. Radio helps us to convey our organisations values and objectives to the 800 million people in the Council of Europes 45 member states. These values include, for instance, promoting Europes linguistic diversity, protecting national minorities and preserving our cultural heritage. Radio makes the inhabitants of the Councils Greater Europe in other words, you the listener part of something bigger. Radio strengthens the invisible bonds of solidarity in Europe. So, stay tuned in and enjoy the Radio Day!

missions, vox pops, readings, quiz-shows, competitions, chats or features. In addition, EBU Radio offered five programme packages for the day. An exchange of programme ideas and cooperation was coordinated by the Radio Day operations management. PRIX EUROPA set up a website where all relevant information about programme plans, offers and contacts etc. were publicised. This enabled all participants to gain an insight into plans, to make and receive suggestions, and to offer or request programme exchanges or collaboration.

EBU Programme Offers

The European Broadcasting Union offered a variety of programmes to the participants of the Radio Day, which were transmitted via the EBUs Euroradio satellite. Many radio stations used these packages in their programming for the Radio Day. Jingle for the Radio Day and personal messages by the three patrons Pat Cox, Walter Schwimmer and Viviane Reding. Live broadcast of the PRIX EUROPA Opening Ceremony with a concert by the Belgian world music band, Musique Neuf. This was the first-ever live transmission in 5.1. Multichannel Audio on the Euroradio Network. The concert was also available for deferred broadcast. Live broadcast of the final concert of the BBCs Let the Peoples Sing choir competition from London. Europe Our Common Home with music from Austria, Belarus, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Poland, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia. Switzerland, Ukraine, UK. Launch of the project New Media New Europe, presenting the ten new EU members via EBU portal sites.

Personal message for the Radio Day by Viviane Reding (excerpt)

Pour une grande majorit dEuropens, la radio nous accompagne plusieurs moments de la journe. Elle est un instrument de communication proche des gens, un formidable moyen de diffuser les cultures, nationales mais aussi de nos voisins, de combiner racines et dcouverte de lautre Dear friends, the European Union likes radio. I wish the Radio Day the success it deserves.

How it was organised

Each participating broadcasting organisation was invited to develop its own concept for the Radio Day according to its schedule of programmes: interviews, concerts, hearings, discussions, cross-border trans-

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HISTORY OF RADIO DAY

The Programmes
Not only did the diversity of the content demonstrate the great creative potential of programme makers; the wide range of formats was also admirable. Phone-ins debated culture, web-based interactive discussions took place, live transmissions to other radio stations were programmed, radio plays in several languages were aired, acoustic pieces about the sounds of European languages composed. 94 different approaches and different contents.

First of all, I should like to thank all the radio stations organising and taking part in this event. The fact that they are doing so says a lot about this broadcast medium, which in many countries remains the publics primary source of news and information. Radio plays a vital role because of its immediacy and because of its huge geographical coverage. Today, we shall be talking about culture as a driving force for our personal development and the basis on which we forge our collective identity, our European identity. Whether we are born in Spain, Lithuania, Cyprus, Ireland or anywhere else in a Europe with more than 450 million inhabitants, in our youth we are shaped first and foremost by our local cultures, by what is closest to hand our immediate surroundings. However, when we become adults, we gradually open up to the outside world, starting by exploring the cultures of our closest neighbours. And then we gradually take this process further as we become aware of the seemingly boundless diversity of the world around us and start finding out what makes other people tick. This is a life-enhancing adventure during which we learn from others. We learn about the history of their countries and their peoples, with all of the achievements that are to be celebrated and a few more sombre moments; about their literature, their music, their food; about everything that goes to make up their daily lives; and at the same time, about identities forged over a long history of both rivalry and cooperation. And by exchanging experiences, we gain understanding. We become enriched in the truest meaning of the word, by understanding exactly how similar we are to each other, despite the differences between us. When I took up my duties as President of the European Parliament following my election, I said that I was Catalan, Spanish and European, and that I could not see there to be any incompatibility between these three identities, that they were not mutually exclusive but profoundly complementary. But not because I was Catalan at one moment of the day, and Spanish at another; European one day and something else the next. All three identities are permanently mixed, forming a more complex identity

Radio Day of European Cultures 2005

Talking to Each other Across a Continent
On Sunday 16 October 2005 the European Broadcasting Union, PRIX EUROPA and the Council of Europe organised the second Radio Day of European Cultures. That day, 83 radio stations from 34 countries, ranging from giants like Radio France, the BBC or the Voice of Russia to young independent radio stations from the Balkans, dedicated their programmes to themes revolving around culture and our daily lives in Europe. The Radio Day was officially opened in Potsdam, Germany, on Saturday 15 October by Raina Konstantinova, Director of Radio at the EBU. A concert by the Romanian band Mahala Rai Banda was transmitted across Europe via the EBU satellite and broadcast by 25 radio stations from 20 countries, as well as being available in 5.1 Multichannel Audio and streamed live online.

Message from the President of the European Parliament

As Patron of the Radio Day of European Cultures 2005, Josep Borell Fontelles adressed the European audience with the following speech, which was made available to all participating stations to be broadcast on the Radio Day. Dear Listeners, It is a real pleasure for me to be celebrating with you the second Radio Day of European Cultures organised by the European Broadcasting Union, the Council of Europe and PRIX EUROPA a whole day given over to discussing our individual cultures and Europes culture.

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HISTORY OF RADIO DAY

that is richer than each of its component parts taken on its own. This is what culture is something that puts us in a better position to understand the world around us, starting with our own region of the world. Europe is a large area rich in cultural diversity, and this cultural diversity is one of the most precious values underpinning our common European project, which we need to take forward and see as an opportunity for us all; as an asset, not a barrier. Our different languages, different histories and different ways of viewing the world all reflect a shared respect for human dignity, human rights and a political system guaranteeing democratic freedoms. We should be proud to be Europeans. And this is the contribution that Europe has to make to the world today above all the promise held out by its vast cultural wealth. Many thanks to you all. Josep BORRELL FONTELLES President of the European Parliament, 20 July 2004 16 January 2007

rope is outside Switzerland, by Flurin Caviezel, while Maria Cadruvi said My Europe is a pile of books. On Slovak Radio Devin the sought-after Slovak musician Oskar Rozsa presented Slovak music seen through his personal European spectacles. Ukrainian Radio presented a programme My family is my fortress interviewing ambassadors of European states about their lives and understanding of other countries traditions. The German Deutsche Welle produced a tri-lingual feature series Europe Terra Incognita, exploring little-known facets of life in Europe. Borders brought together six broadcasters for a radio drama project about borders. The perfect communicator across borders is music, and this played a key role in Radio Day programming and provided a powerful variation on the theme. This was not only reflected in productions from the individual broadcasters, but also showed in the programme offers made available by the EBU for the 2007 Radio Day. They ranged from the opening concert Muhabbet and the Capital Dance Orchestra RnBesk Meets Swing, which was broadcast across the continent, and the musical journey through the continent with the EBU Folk Special, to the finale of the international choir competition Let the Peoples Sing with choirs from seven countries singing in Wuppertal and broadcast by the German WDR. The patrons of the Radio Day also spoke of their visions of Europe in specially recorded messages. We all need to talk to each other, said Hans-Gert Pttering, President of the European Parliament. Europe is people ... I hope youll join in the cross-border debate. Have your say! was the plea of the Vice-President of the European Commission Margot Wallstrm. I would say that I believe in a Europe which makes a positive difference in peoples lives, said Terry Davis, Secretary General of the Council of Europe. The third Radio Day of European Cultures demonstrated the power of radio by reaching a potential audience of almost 400 million Europeans.

Radio Day of European Cultures 2007

My Europe
If you turned on the radio on Sunday 14 October 2007 anywhere in Europe, you are likely to have come across a variety of programmes about European cultures. Over 40 radio stations from 30 European countries joined the initiative of the European Broadcasting Union and PRIX EUROPA to make Europe audible with the aim of building bridges and bringing about a sense of European identity. Its motto My Europe reflected the individual perceptions of the continent rather than the political or institutional perception of Europe. This specific theme was taken up, for example by the Swiss Radio Rumantsch with a programme My Eu-

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More information:
www.radiodayofeuropeancultures.org www.ebu.ch www.prix-europa.de http://ec.europa.eu/education/languages