FLASH
Shkruar nga Pamfleti
For the first time, the Italian Radiotelevision RAI will launch dedicated broadcasts in the Arbëresh language on September 21, giving voice and space to one of the oldest Albanian communities in the diaspora. The RAI Calabria initiative foresees the production of reportages and radio and television programs, which aim to preserve the culture, language and identity of the Arbëresh in Italy.
Journalist Alba Kepi, in an interview with Andri Xhahu on the show "Në radio", called this development "the victory of an institutional battle that began in 2022". After many meetings between Arbëreshë representatives, RAI Calabria and Italian institutions, the issue reached the Senate, where the dedicated fund in the public radio and television budget was approved in May 2024.
The new programs start on Sunday, September 21. From 09:30–10:30 on Rai 3, a weekly television show will be broadcast, focused on visits to Arbëresh towns and documenting their lives. Meanwhile, every day from Monday to Friday, on Radio Rai 1, a 30-minute program will be broadcast that will highlight the traditions, customs, morals and linguistic heritage of the Arbëresh.
“This is the first time that an Italian public media outlet has dedicated a series of programs to the Arbëresh community,” Kepi points out. Unlike other minorities that have relied mainly on private television, the Arbëresh now have an official space within the Italian national media – a step considered revolutionary in relation to the protection of culture.
The importance of this project is also linked to the demographic challenges experienced by the community. The massive emigration of young people from southern Italy has meant that many Arbëresh towns remain populated mainly by the elderly, putting the language and cultural heritage at risk. “I have visited over 90% of Arbëresh villages and I have seen this danger up close,” says Kepi, adding that the key role in keeping the language alive has always been that of the mother in the family.
According to her, the shows will have a great impact, as they will be broadcast in Arbëresh Albanian, becoming a means of education and motivation for the new generations. The project is planned to last 13 months, but if it proves successful, RAI foresees expanding the programming.
This historic step marks a turning point for the Arbëresh people of Italy, who have preserved the Albanian language and traditions for almost six centuries. For them, broadcasting in the language of their ancestors is not just media, but a strong bridge connecting the past with the future.
Lini një Përgjigje