Radio România Internațional

Tag: fairs

  • November 18, 2023 UPDATE

    November 18, 2023 UPDATE

    VISIT President Klaus Iohannis is in Tanzania, the second stage of
    his African tour which also included Kenya and will take him to the Republic of
    Cabo Verde and Senegal. During talks with top level officials, president Iohannis
    presents Romania’s outlook on reviving its relations with African countries,
    based on the recently adopted national strategy for Africa. On the other hand, the
    Romanian official also set out to present Bucharest’s views on regional and
    international security, given the country’s proximity to Ukraine. We discussed
    ways to manage the multiple consequences of the war, including in terms of
    ensuring the food security of countries in Africa, Mr. Iohannis said after the
    talks with the president of Tanzania, Samia Hassan. I have presented the
    comprehensive political, diplomatic, logistical and administrative measures
    taken by Romania to facilitate Ukrainian grain exports, including to the
    countries in Africa, he added. Klaus Iohannis is to travel on Monday to Cabo
    Verde, to meet with his counterpart José Maria Neves.


    ISRAEL We agree on the principle of
    no forced displacement of Palestinians and a political horizon based on a
    two-state solution, the European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen
    said at the end of a meeting with the Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi
    in Cairo on Saturday. In turn, the EU diplomacy chief Josep Borrell said in a
    conference at Manama on Saturday that the Palestinian Authority is the only one
    that could govern Gaza after the war between Israel and Hamas. News agencies
    mention that a week ago the Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu raised fresh concerns
    with respect to the future of Gaza, stating that the Palestinian Authority in
    its current form should not be taking control of the enclave. The German
    chancellor Olaf Scholz and Turkey’s president Recep Tayyip Erdogan, meeting in
    Berlin, voiced their strong disagreement with the war in Gaza. Both Germany and
    Turkey are worried about the suffering of the Palestinian people, but while Scholz
    spoke about the need for humanitarian pauses in order to provide aid, Erdogan called
    for a ceasefire, an option rejected by Israel. On site, Palestinian medical
    sources announced that scores of people were killed or wounded on Saturday in Khan
    Yunis, in the south of the Gaza Strip, following Israeli air strikes. On Friday
    Israel had announced it would expand military operations in the south, after handing
    out fliers in Khan Yunis the previous day asking civilians to head for the tent
    camps on the sea coast in order to avoid the massive shelling planned by the
    army. Israel’s ex-PM Ehud Olmert told Euronews that the Hamas underground
    command centre was in Khan Yunis, and not at the Shifa Hospital in Gaza City.


    TERRORISM A young Romanian national
    from Braşov (central Romania) has been taken into custody for promoting
    terrorist propaganda materials, the Directorate Investigating Organised Crime
    and Terrorism Offences announced. The young man praised terrorist organisations
    from the Middle East on his social media account, and posted instructions for
    the production and use of firearms and explosives.


    CHRISTMAS In the city of Craiova, southern
    Romania, hundreds of people witnessed the nearly 2 million lights of the local
    Christmas Fair being turned on Friday night. This year’s fair is themed around
    the Andersen’s fairy tale The Snow Queen, and all the decorations are white
    and turquoise. A giant Christmas tree, a 40m tall merry-go-round and a skating
    rink are the main attractions. Concerts and creative workshops will also be
    held here until the 2nd of January. Sibiu, in central Romania, also
    opened its Christmas Fair in the city’s main square. For the first time this
    year, the Fair includes the courtyard of the Brukenthal Palace, a historical
    monument built between 1778 and 1788.



    AMBASSADOR The foreign minister Luminiţa
    Odobescu Friday received the new British Ambassador to Romania, Giles Portman. On
    this occasion, Mrs. Odobescu highlighted the important role of bilateral
    cooperation in defence and security and the significant potential in the field
    of trade and investments, as well as the substantial contribution of the 1.2
    million Romanians living in UK to strengthening the ties between the two
    countries. In 2024 Romania will host the second Romania-UK Bilateral Forum,
    after the first edition of the event held this March in London. (AMP)

  • November 18, 2023

    November 18, 2023

    WEATHER The National Meteorology Agency issued code yellow and
    orange alerts for wind, heavy snow fall and snow storms valid in most of
    Romania. A code yellow alert is in place until Sunday morning in the eastern
    half of the country and in the mountains. A code orange alert for heavy mixed
    precipitation is also issued for the south-east and the south. Several flood alerts concern rivers in most of
    the country. The highs range between 2 and 11 degrees Celsius today, with 8
    degrees Celsius reported in Bucharest at noon.

    TERRORISM A young Romanian
    national from Braşov (central Romania) has been taken into custody for
    promoting terrorist propaganda materials, the Directorate Investigating
    Organised Crime and Terrorism Offences announced. The young man praised
    terrorist organisations from the Middle East on his social media account, and
    posted instructions for the production and use of firearms and explosives.


    ISRAEL Palestinian medical sources announced that scores of people
    were killed or wounded today in Khan Yunis, in the south of the Gaza Strip,
    following Israeli air strikes. On Friday Israel had announced it would expand
    military operations in the south, after handing out fliers in Khan Yunis the
    previous day asking civilians to head for the tent camps on the sea coast in
    order to avoid the massive shelling planned by the army. Israel’s ex-PM Ehud
    Olmert told Euronews that the Hamas underground command centre was in Khan
    Yunis, and not at the Shifa Hospital in Gaza City. In related news, Pope
    Francis will have separate meetings on Wednesday with the families of the
    Israeli hostages in Gaza and with relatives of the Palestinians living there,
    the Vatican announced. The Pope previously said that Every human being, of any
    people or religion, every human being is sacred, is precious in the eyes of God
    and has the right to live in peace.


    CHRISTMAS In the city of Craiova, southern Romania, hundreds of
    people witnessed the nearly 2 million lights of the local Christmas Fair being
    turned on Friday night. This year’s fair is themed around Andersen’s fairy
    tale The Snow Queen, and all the decorations are white and turquoise. A giant
    Christmas tree, a 40m tall merry-go-round and a skating rink are the main
    attractions. Concerts and creative workshops will also be held here until the 2nd
    of January. Sibiu, in central Romania, also opened its Christmas Fair in the
    city’s main square. For the first time this year, the Fair includes the courtyard
    of the Brukenthal Palace, a historical monument built between 1778 and 1788.


    AMBASSADOR The foreign minister Luminiţa Odobescu Friday received
    the new British Ambassador to Romania, Giles Portman. On this occasion, Mrs.
    Odobescu highlighted the important role of bilateral cooperation in defence and
    security and the significant potential in the field of trade and investments,
    as well as the substantial contribution of the 1.2 million Romanians living in
    UK to strengthening the ties between the two countries. In 2024 Romania will
    host the second Romania-UK Bilateral Forum, after the first edition of the
    event held this March in London.


    SPORTS Romania’s national football team takes on Israel tonight in Felcsut (Hungary), in
    Preliminary Group I of the EURO 2024. In women’s handball, CSM Bucharest plays
    against the Hungarian side DVSC Schaeffler, away from home, in the Champions’
    League Group A, while CS Rapid Bucharest are up against Vipers Kristiansand (Norway)
    in the competition’s Group B. In the first leg of the 3rd
    preliminary round of the EHF European League, CSM Târgu Jiu play at home
    against the Swedish side Onnereds HK. (AMP)

  • The sounds of Christmas Fairs

    The sounds of Christmas Fairs

    Christmas Fairs in Bucharest



    Almost all big cities across Romania boast a Christmas fair, but the best known ones are those in Bucharest and Sibiu (centre). Over November 28-December 26, the Constitution Square venues the 2019 Bucharest Christmas Fair. The former great footballer Miodrag Belodedici, one of Romania’s three EURO 2020 ambassadors has lit the Christmas lights at the Fair. The organisers have laid out Santa’s House, a merry-go-round, a skating rink and have decorated a 30m tall fir-tree. Gourmets and those in search of traditional food have 130 huts filled with delicacies to choose from. The public can sing carols alongside their beloved singers and performers in the evening.



    Another fair which already boasts a long tradition, “Peasant Christmas”, was hosted between December 13 and 15 by the Romanian Peasant Museum, one of the main attractions of Romania’s capital city. Another fair, a special one, was organised on December 8 by IWA (International Womens Association of Bucharest): IWA Charity Christmas Bazaar, which involved the participation of over 40 embassies in Bucharest. The funds raised at the fair will be donated to several foundations based in Romania.





    Christmas markets in Prague



    Prague’s main Christmas market on Old Town Square, which attracts crowds of foreign visitors, is traditionally rated among the best in the world. Gracing the square is a brightly decorated 22-metre tall Christmas tree, donated by the Semily municipality, north-east of Prague. Dozens of wooden stalls offer souvenirs and various local delicacies such as mulled wine, Prague ham, the popular pastry “trdelník”, roasted chestnuts, punch and tea laced with rum. The Christmas atmosphere is enhanced by live music, often a children’s choir; there is traditionally a life-size Nativity scene and a mini zoo for children.



    Other Prague squares also have plenty to offer. The market near the Church of St. Ludmila sells mistletoe, candles, toys, advent calendars or a wide assortment of handicrafts. Most markets last until the Three Kings, on January 6th.




    Visit Radio Prague Internationals website



    The Einsiedeln Christmas market



    The Einsiedeln Christmas market in central Switzerland against the imposing backdrop of the monastery is one of the most beautiful in Switzerland. Every year 70,000 people visit around 150 market stalls.



    The monastery looks back on 1000 years of history and is the most important place of pilgrimage in Switzerland. Einsiedeln Abbey is also an important stop on the Way of St. James, a network of pilgrimage routes throughout Europe, and the destination of several hundred thousand pilgrims a year.




    Visit Swissinfo.ch



    Warsaw is blazing with Christmas lights



    Warsaw is blazing with Christmas lights. As every year, the famous Trakt Królewski (Royal Tract) is illuminated by millions of lights. The Christmas route leads from the New Town, through the Old Town Square, Krakowskie Przedmieście and ends at the summer residence of King Jan III Sobieski in Wilanów. During the 13 km walk you will surely get into the merry mood, you will visit the house of Father Christmas and his helpers, smell fresh baked gingerbread, see the 30-metre high Christmas tree on Castle Square and do some ice skating pirouettes. See how beautiful the city looks!




    Visit Radio Polands website




    Christmas in Canada



    Canada is considered by many as an ideal destination to spend Christmas. In fact, it has been ranked as one of the most exciting countries for the celebration of the nativity in 2018 by the travel website Taxi2Airport. Some Canadian cities are also internationally renowned when it comes to Christmas festivities, such as Quebec City, the capital city of the French-speaking province of Quebec.



    In terms of traditions, Canadas celebrations are mainly inspired by French, British and American cultures. However, some are common to every Canadian household.


    The Christmas tree is one of them. It is the main symbol of Christmas in Canada. We can find it in homes, businesses and public spaces. The tree symbolizes the persistence of leaves, life and the magic of winter.



    Canadians are also known for their illuminations. Many cities and towns display an array of decorations on their monuments. Some residents even create real light shows in their gardens.



    Like European cities, Canada also has its Christmas markets. These are numerous in the provincial capitals, but also in the various neighbouring cities, like in Quebec, for example.



    Finally, the national capital also celebrates Christmas in December. Ottawas Parliament puts on its best colours and even presents a spectacular multimedia projection show for the public.



    Now, let us transport you to the various Canadian provinces with our audioslide. We will go from coast to coast to coast, starting with the far north.




    Visit Radio Canada Internationals website