Graz, Austria’s second-largest city by population, is known as a student city, with more than 60,000 students from around the world. As such, the city offers cultural and linguistic diversity.

Among the foreign communities living in Graz is the Albanian one. For years, the Albanian language has found its microphone.

Radio Helsinki, broadcasting on the local frequency 92.6 MHz, is known for its open and intercultural spirit. For more than a decade, programs in the Albanian language have been broadcast on this radio, serving as a bridge for the diaspora, not only linguistically, but also in terms of identity and collective memory.

Initiated by Alban Pelaj in 2011, the Albanian-language program was first broadcast on this radio. This initiative, which initially was modest and carried out individually, was primarily musical in character.

Over the years, it evolved into a structured media platform and an important one for Albanians in Styria and beyond. Today, through the programs “Radio Rinia – Dëgjo Shqip” and “Zero”, authored by Fatos Kryeziu, who is also responsible for the Albanian-language program at Radio Helsinki.

In an interview with Hajde, he states that the primary motivation for maintaining this program from the outset has been to confront assimilation. “To achieve this, we need to work in all directions: art, culture, music, history, information, and more with the aim of integration,” Kryeziu says.

In the photo: Fatos Fryeziu (responsible for the Albanian-language program at Radio Helsinki) and Anjeza Llubani (moderator)

According to him, a crucial turning point in the development of Albanian-language programs was 2015, when the Coordinating Council of Albanian Associations in Styria (KK) assumed responsibility for the Albanian-language program. “From a show with mainly musical emphasis and little structure, the Albanian program has evolved significantly. Studio guests were added, cultural debates, social topics, and a more interactive approach with the audience,” Kryeziu explains.

From a one-hour program, Radio Helsinki scheduled two weekend days for the show “Radio Rinia – Dëgjo Shqip”. In addition, a new half-hour program called “Zero” was added to the schedule, broadcast on Wednesdays starting at 5:30 p.m. This program focuses on young people and contemporary topics and is co-hosted by Fatos Kryeziu and Anjeza Llubani.

“The program today is much more professional and structured,” Kryeziu explains. “We prepare topics in advance, conduct in-depth interviews, and address issues important to the Albanian community in Austria and beyond,” he says. In every broadcast, Albanian music remains “the heart of the program,” while the space between songs is filled with narratives, analyses, debates, and human stories.

For Albanian listeners in Graz and Austria, Radio Helsinki’s Albanian-language program is an address where the Albanian language does not sound foreign, national holidays are remembered, prominent Albanian personalities are highlighted, and discussions take place about literature, sports, politics, economy, art, and diaspora events, adapted to the audience’s interests.

The radio program is not limited to interviews in Graz or Austria. Guests from Kosovo, Albania, North Macedonia, Scandinavia, Asia, America, Germany, Switzerland, and Italy are invited to the shows. 

Në foto: Anjeza Llubani (moderatore) dhe Dr. Isak Shema (Profesor) 

Two conversations highlighted by Kryeziu are the interview with Professor Dr Isak Shema and the inspiring conversation with Miki Ramadani, who, in the 1990s, illegally crossed multiple borders, entering icy rivers with her infant in her arms. “Miki’s story, who today sees her son on the verge of completing his medical studies, is one of those stories that breaks your spirit but also gives you strength and hope,” Kryeziu explains.

The program serves as a connecting bridge between the Albanian community and Austrian society by promoting positive examples of integration, success stories, and cooperation with migrant organisations that organise cultural events, festivals, anniversaries, and cultural days. As part of an Austrian medium, the voice of Albanians gains public legitimacy and a presence that extends beyond a closed community context.

“Success is not measured only by statistics,” Kryeziu emphasises. The fact that the Albanian-language program has survived for over 15 years is in itself an indicator of the mission's success, as it has remained strong, respected, and trusted.

Kryeziu outlines ambitious plans, such as expanding the program to other Austrian regions, including Carinthia, Klagenfurt, and Villach. These achievements are intended to be realised through cooperation with other local radios and greater involvement of young people.

In this context, for Fatos Kryeziu, speaking Albanian in an Austrian medium is not simply a professional duty. “It is a mission, it is the voice of the diaspora,” he says.

As the first Albanian elected to two consecutive terms on the governing bodies of Radio Helsinki, he sees this not as a personal achievement but as evidence of a new, professional and respected communication model that the Albanian community has built.

His message to the community living in Austria is to foster greater cooperation and mutual support, and to promote the Albanian language and culture. “Because the radio that speaks Albanian in the heart of Graz is not just a radio frequency; it is a space of memory, a platform of dignity, and living proof that language and identity can survive and flourish even far from the homeland, as long as there are people who give them a voice,” he concludes.