Radio Veritas Asia (RVA), the only continental Catholic short-wave station in the world, will celebrate forty years of broadcasting on April 15 and 16, 2009. The station first aired its regular overseas and domestic programs on April 11, 1969 after a longer period of test broadcasts. The jubilee celebration on April 16 will be preceded by a symposium on April 15. Radio producers, programmers and other invited professionals will share their experiences and insights on the theme "Catholic Radio Broadcasting in Asia." The jubilee celebration proper on April 16 stands under the heading "Crossing Borders, Sharing Christ." It will be opened by Archbishop Claudio Ma. Celli, president of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications in the Vatican, who will give the keynote address. This will be followed by greetings and reflections from the Apostolic Nuncio in the Philippines, Archbishop Joseph Edward Adams, and other Church and secular authorities. Radio Veritas Asia operates in the responsibility of the "Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences" (FABC). It broadcasts in 15 different Asian languages via short-wave. Some programs are also available via the Internet. The studios of RVA are in Quezon City, Metro Manila; whereas the transmitter site is in Palauig, Zambales, some 230 kilometers north-west of Manila. Major parts of the programs are produced in the local target areas. (Indian Catholic)
