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Rai and Society

Owing to its public service remit, Rai is not simply a business entity but is part of the social, cultural and economic fabric of the country.

The previous chapters, which outlined Rai's mission and its Service Contract and looked in detail at the various media platforms used, clearly demonstrate that from a statutory level all the way down to the smallest corporate or editorial decision, Rai is always working to forge, vitalise and strengthen its bonds with Italian citizens at home and abroad. In carrying out its mission, Rai respects people's cultures, religions, sensitivities, languages and any physical disabilities.

The management of this relationship creates a real two-way flow.

Rai not only offers an array of programming to fulfil its responsibility to provide services, news and entertainment but, above all, it is also receptive to the trends and realities of society, which it attempts, within the limits of its remit, to reflect and represent. This commitment, which stems first and foremost from an ethical and civil sense, and only secondarily from legal obligations and prescriptions, is present throughout the Group and is embodied in specific structures, chief among which is the Social Secretariat.

Rai's Social Secretariat is in charge of social communications and programming. It draws up the guidelines and reference principles for the presentation of social problems by Rai, within the sphere of the service contract between Rai and the Ministry of Communications. The Secretariat defines, proposes and/or carries out social initiatives, also in conjunction with associations and institutions, working on social issues outside as well as inside radio and television and multimedia programming. It takes care of and promotes the social issues represented by the associations and institutions operating in this direction, by directly interfacing with them, the aim being to draw as much public attention as possible to social problems.

In 2009, the work of the Social Secretariat developed throughout numerous cooperative actions and initiatives, all of which are listed on the website http://www.sas.rai.it/agenda/agenda.html.

They particularly include:
- The ceremony for the presentation of the '2009 International Voluntary Work Award', organised by the FOCSIV (Federazione organismi cristiani servizio internazionale volontariato) on the occasion of International Voluntary Work Day.
- The 'Italian Sport Awards 2009' organised by AG Onlus & AG Alfani Group.
- The press conference for the presentation of 'Raccontare un'altra Africa è possibile' (It's possible to tell another Africa), during which the next mission of Medici con l'Africa Cuamm and the Social Secretariat to take Rai cameras to the hospital of Wolisso in Ethiopia was presented.
- The Award Ceremony of the second edition of the Child Guardian Award 2009, promoted by Fondazione Terre des Hommes Italia onlus.
- 59th edition of the Day for the victims of accidents in the workplace, organised by Anmil - Associazione Nazionale Mutilati ed Invalidi del Lavoro.
- The press conference for the presentation of the fund raising campaign for the construction of a highly specialised centre in Rome for the rehabilitation and social integration of the blind, promoted by the Unione Italiana Ciechi e degli Ipovedenti, with the participation of the Rai Social Secretariat.
- 15th edition of the 'Ilaria Alpi' Television Journalism Award promoted by the Regione Emilia-Romagna, Municipality ofi Riccione and dither Province of Rimini and organised by the Cultural Association Comunità Aperta, with the patronage of the Rai Social Secretariat.
- Presentation by the Social Secretariat of three plaques to the FAI - Fondo per l'Ambiente Italiano, for its commitment in communication to the public of the importance of the defence and exploitation of the Italian artistic and landscape heritage of the FAI.
- National Day of Solidarity for Filo d'Argento Auser, with the distribution, in squares throughout Italy, of packets of organic spaghetti made with wheat from land confiscated from the Mafia in Sicily, promoted by the Auser association in support of the telephone help-line for the elderly, with the patronage of the Rai Social Secretariat.
- in 64 Italian towns � Fifth National Day of Fondazione ABIO Italia Onlus to create awareness of the hospitalisation of children and voluntary work on children's wards, with the patronage of the Rai Social Secretariat.
- Triangular football tournament between the teams of the Italian Rai Journalists, Italian Magistrates and local Police Force within the scope of the project 'Un pallone per amico' (A football for a friend), now in its 9th edition ad aimed at improving the sense of legality in the community, organised by the Catania Police Headquarters Force, with the patronage of the Rai Social Secretariat.
- 'Una canzone per ricominciare' (A song to start again), the important charity show organised by Raimo Produzioni and the Municipality of Montesilvano, in support of the people of Abruzzo in the reconstruction of L'Aquila, with the patronage of the Rai Social Secretariat.
- 18th edition of the 'Partita del Cuore' charity football match between the Italian Singers team and a team made up of sports champions captained by Alex del Piero, organised by the Associazione La Partita del Cuore - Umanità senza confini, with the patronage of the Rai Social Secretariat.
- Awareness event 'Voci nel silenzio. La violenza nega l'esistenza', to draw attention to domestic violence, organised by Piemonte Region, with the patronage of the Rai Social Secretariat.
- Fund raising at the May 1st concert for safety in the workplace, promoted by Associazione Primo Maggio.
- Awareness campaign and fund raising for Telefono Azzurro 'Fiori d'Azzurro', to support the association's activities within the scope of the Aprile Azzurro campaign, with the patronage of the Rai Social Secretariat.
- Rai Networks - 'Trenta Ore per la Vita', television fund-raising marathon, dedicated this year to the Dream programme of the Community of Sant'Egidio to prevent the spread of HIV from mother to child.
- WWF day 2009 � fund raising event partly destined to support two projects in favour of the people affected by the earthquake in Abruzzo. The WWF made its reserves available to house the homeless and organised assistance for children and youngsters involved.
- Press conference for the presentation of the initiative 'Abolizione della pena di morte in Congo' (Abolition of the death penalty in Congo), organised by Nessuno Tocchi Caino, with the participation and patronage of the Rai Social Secretariat.

The Social Secretariat is also responsible for the production of descriptive voiceovers (in collaboration with RaiUno, RaiDue, RaiTre and RadioRai) so that blind people can listen in to medium wave radio broadcasts describing the on-screen action of a number of popular television programmes.

The role played, with the aid of the Social Secretariat, by the Sede Permanente di confronto on social programming, which is made up of 12 members representing sections of civil society and 12 representing Rai, should also be mentioned. This is a standing committee for the monitoring of socially relevant output to ensure that the provisions of the Service Contract on respect and the quality of the spaces dedicated to social issues are implemented.