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The Europe Season on Radio Scotland

A colourful journey across the continent in a season of programmes

Programmes in June

Monday 1
0900-1000
Morning Extra with The Investigation
Languages in Schools
Scotland and Ireland are the only countries in the EU where languages are not a compulsory subject. Clare English explores the challenges of language teaching in Scottish schools today, and asks what needs to be done to improve our ability to communicate in another tongue.

1130-1200
For The Love of Prague
The story of animator Gene Deitch, who lived in Prague during the years of communist rule.

Tuesday 2
1130-1200
Euro Scots
Lesley Riddoch discovers what life is like for four Scots who have chosen to live and work in Europe. This week she speaks to Mary Miller, Director of Stavanger 2008, about how she coped with suspicion from the public, antagonism from the press and resistance from just about everyone else ... but how she now feels more at home in Norway than she does in Scotland.

Thursday 4
1130-1200
European Breaking News
When Peter Millar arrived in East Germany in 1981 he had little more than a German A-level. When he left a decade later, codenamed ‘Streamer’ he had Stasi file thicker than an edition of The Sunday Times, for whom he was working. Colin Blane hears how the fall of The Berlin Wall would be a story that would live with Peter for the rest of his life.

Monday 8
1130-1200
Artichokes, Chalk an Hoat Cuisine
Billy Kay takes a wry look at the changes in diet experienced by Scots of his generation who grew up in the 1950’s and travelled abroad in the 1960’s where they experienced exotic food like artichokes and camembert for the first time. Billy explores the theme in the company of artists Dawson Murray, David Annand, Douglas Davies, Liz Murray and writer Brian McCabe. Clootie Dumpling? When will we see its like again?

Tuesday 9
1130-1200
Euro Scots
Lesley Riddoch discovers what life is like for four Scots who have chosen to live and work in mainland Europe. This week she speaks to Brussels-based lawyer Jacqui MacLennan about why there are long conversations in the butchers, what it's like to have multi-lingual children and why she thinks Scotland is truly European.

Thursday 11
1130-1200
European Breaking News
Journalists regularly smuggle themselves across borders to get a story. When Steve Crawshaw handed his passport to a stranger in Montenegro to get a fake Serbian visa it was the culmination of a story that had savaged the former Yugoslavia. Colin Blane hears how Steve witnessed the rise of Slobodan Milosevic and was there to see him fall again.

Monday 15
1130-1200
For The Love of Prague
As part of Radio Scotland's Europe season, John Cavanagh explores how ABBA's Fernando links a Swedish ballad of lost love with a chip shop in Walthamstow! John sits around the campfire with the experts to explore what made Fernando one of ABBA's biggest hits and pulls out his old sparkly flares to mix with ABBA fans at a tribute concert.

Tuesday 16
1130-1200
Euro Scots
As part of Radio Scotland's 30 Days In Europe season, Lesley Riddoch discovers what life is like for four Scots who have chosen to live and work in Europe. This week she speaks to Patrick McMenamin who opened a Scottish theme bar in Budapest - despite never having pulled a pint before - and finds out the reason why you shouldn't clink glasses in Hungary.

Thursday 17
0030-0600 MW Only
History Zone - available until 30 June
Morning Extra's Graham Stewart introduces a special continental edition of the History Zone. Peter Millar recalls the fall of the Berlin Wall; Arvind Salwan hears about Van Gogh's time in Paris with Scottish art dealer Alexander Reid; writer and poet John Burnside visits Norway to celebrate the indiginous Sami culture; Raymond Raszkowski Ross speaks to the founding members of Scotland’s thriving Polish community; Oscar-winning cartoonist Gene Deitch reflecting on the changes to his beloved city of Prague; and Steve Crawshaw shares his memories of Slobodan Milosevic’s rule in the former Yugoslavia.

1130-1200
European Breaking News
David Willey has covered Mafia trials, earthquakes and the Red Brigades over his 40 years in Rome. But one constant story over all this time was The Vatican. He has travelled to over 80 countries with three different Pontiffs. Colin Blane hears how several individual audiences with The Pope gave David a story that very few other journalists in Europe have ever had.

Tuesday 23
1130-1200
Euro Scots
Pamela Geddes fell in love with Barcelona during a holiday there and vowed that she would make it her home one day. She spent several years devising a plan to get there and finally, after using Australia as a stepping stone, she made it to Barcelona, where she has intrigued the locals with her sparkling red wine. So has reality matched up to that long-held dream?

Thursday 25
1130-1200
European Breaking News
Geoff Meade was sent to cover Europe by the Press Association to ensure that the fledging elected parliament born in 1979 was given adequate voice in the British press. 30 years later he is still there. Colin Blane hears how the unique blend of culture, language and attitudes in Europe have defined his reporting of the European Parliament.

Programmes in July

Thursday 2
1130-1200
European Breaking News
Put on trial in a Bosnian kangaroo court by Al Qaeda, Allan Little was told all spies must be shot. The Balkans war of the 1990's is the story that has moved Allan the most and as Colin Blane finds out it made him decide that he didn't want to report on war ever again.