Vatican Radio Now Broadcasting in Hausa

ROME, OCT. 10, 2002 (Zenit.org).- Vatican Radio has began its daily broadcast in Hausa, a Chadic language used in west Africa.

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The 15-minute program is centered on Christian formation. It is transmitted at 9 a.m. Rome time, immediately after the traditional program in English for Africa.

The program in Hausa is produced by the Center of Social Communications of Kaduna, in Nigeria, with the exception of the Sunday broadcast, which will be produced in Rome.

“For years the bishops of the region asked for the creation of a daily broadcast in Hausa, and we are happy to be able to satisfy them at last,” said Vatican Radio’s program director, Father Federico Lombardi.

“We believe that this engagement can become an important point of reference for the Christian community in a region of Muslim majority,” he added.

The broadcast may be followed in Africa on shortwave 11.625, 13.765 and 15.570 KHz. “The introduction of a new program in Hausa reflects the special attention that Vatican Radio intends to give to Africa and the inculturation processes,” Father Lombardi explained.

The papal broadcasting station has been producing radiophonic material for 50 years in Amharic and Tigrinya, while the Swahili program has been running for a decade.

Vatican Radio broadcasts in 40 languages and has a team of some 200 reporters of 61 nationalities.

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