Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty’s Ukrainian Service, known locally as Radio Svoboda, celebrated its 60th anniversary on Sept. 18 at an event in Kyiv.
Hosted by the Prague Freedom Foundation, the celebration welcomed Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk, Kyiv Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko, members of the Ukrainian parliament, civil society leaders and journalists.
In keynote remarks, Yatsenyuk said, “Empires collapsed, walls fell, dictators disappeared, but Radio Svoboda exists and will exist, as well as freedom. I wish all of us to listen to Radio Svoboda and be free people thanks to the truth and thanks to Radio Svoboda.”
Radio Svoboda began broadcasting from Munich, West Germany on August 16, 1954 with this call: “Brothers and sisters! Ukrainians! We live abroad, but our hearts and minds are always with you. No Iron Curtain can separate us or keep us apart.”
