Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty was able to take a break from the recent unpleasantness surrounding it and throw a party for itself last week.
And they had a reason to, the 60th anniversary of its first shortwave broadcast into the ether. Gatherings were in Washington, Prague and Moscow. Attendees included Acting RFE/RL President and CEO Kevin Klose, Czech Republic Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Karel Schwarzenberg, Russian Human Rights activist Lyudmila Alekseyeva and journalist David Satter.
According to a release from RFE/RL, on March 1, 1953, Sergei Dubrovsky uttered the first words broadcast by the fledging international broadcaster, “Listen! Listen! Today, a new radio station, Liberation, begins its broadcasts.”
