Prior to getting down to business at the 12th Radio Assembly, delegates had the honour of being addressed by the Captains Regent of San Marino, the oldest republic in the world which is celebrating its 1,700th anniversary.

Fabio Berardi, minister of Foreign and Political Affairs said he believed that: "[T]elecommunications – today fully integrated in the interactive global system which makes participation in major events possible worldwide – is now playing a key role in the promotion of knowledge and exchanges among all citizens of the world, besides offering radio and television programmes to a larger and larger audience."

  Fabio Berardi  

Stefano Piva, president of San Marino RTV then gave a brief overview of the organization.

In his speech, Nicholas Kenyon, chairman of the EBU Radio Committee compared radio to the San Marino Republic: the oldest media, the oldest republic, as solid as a rock (San Marino is built on a rock), showing resistance in the face of much bigger adversaries.

  Stefano Piva  

In response to this, the Captains Regent stated that "[R]adio- TV, supported by ever sophisticated technologies, as well as by [EBU members'] professional skills, ethics and dedication, is all the more crucial to the promotion of mutual knowledge and understanding throughout the world, a precondition for peace to thrive."

 Capitains Regent    

Earlier on, delegates watched a remarkable demonstration in the middle of the square by the San Marino flag-wavers.

  Jean Réveillon and Michele Mangiafico meeting the 
Capitains Regent; Delegates; Flag-wavers