RFA's 43rd QSL card celebrates the New Year and commemorates 2012 as the Year of the Dragon in Chinese astrology. Chinese astrology flourished during the Han Dynasty (2nd century BC to 2nd century AD). The Dragon is one of the 12-year cycle of animals which appear in the Chinese zodiac and the only animal in the Chinese zodiac that is mythical. Dragons are characterized as ambitious, risk takers, and as people who gravitate toward challenges. If left on their own and allowed to live by their own rules, Dragons are usually successful. Dragons are also passionate in everything they do and while they frequently help others, Dragons will rarely ask for help. The Year of the Dragon is from January 23, 2012 to February 9, 2013. RFA's 43rd QSL card will be used to confirm all valid RFA reception reports for January and February of 2012.

Radio Free Asia (RFA) announces the release of our 42nd QSL card. This is the seventh QSL card commemorating 2011 as RFA’s 15th anniversary. RFA’s first broadcast was in Mandarin Chinese on September 29, 1996 at 2100 UTC. Ms. Libby Liu has been the president of Radio Free Asia since 2005. As president, Ms. Liu provides strategic and operational direction to meet RFA’s mission of providing balanced, objective news to listeners in East Asian countries where such news is unavailable. Acting as a substitute for indigenous free media, RFA concentrates its coverage on events occurring in and/or affecting the countries to which we broadcast. This QSL card will be used to confirm all valid reception reports for December 2011.

Radio Free Asia's 41st QSL card is the sixth QSL card commemorating 2011 as RFA’s 15th anniversary. The recipient of the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize, Aung San Suu Kyi, was elected to lead Burma in 1990 but at that time was already under house arrest. From 1989-2010, she spent the better part of 15-years under house arrest and is renowned for promoting the Burmese non-violent struggle for democracy and human rights. RFA’s first broadcast was in Mandarin Chinese on September 29, 1996 at 2100 UTC. Acting as a substitute for indigenous free media, RFA concentrates its coverage on events occurring in and/or affecting the countries to which we broadcast. This QSL card will be used to confirm all valid reception reports for November 2011. A similar design will be issued December 2011 as the last QSL of our anniversary series.

Radio Free Asia's 40th QSL card is the fifth in a series of QSL cards commemorating 2011 as RFA's 15th anniversary. Rebiya Kadeer, exile Uyghur community leader, is president of the World Uyghur Congress and an advocate for China's largely Muslim Uyghur minority. RFA's Uyghur Service broadcast to the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) in China which is inhabited by more than 10 million Uyghurs. This vast area comprises about one sixth of China's territory; it is now the largest Autonomous Region of China. The Uyghur region is bordered on the east by China's Gansu and Qinghai provinces and on the south by Tibet. The region also shares borders with Mongolia, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India. The Uyghurs and their forerunners are Turkic-speaking people who have been living in Central Asia since the first millennium BC. Their ancestors can be traced to the people who lived along the ancient Silk Road. The 40th QSL card will be used to confirm all valid reception reports for October 2011. Similar designs will continue to be announced monthly between now and the end of the year.

Radio Free Asia's 39th QSL card is the fourth QSL card commemorating 2011 as RFA's 15th anniversary. The card is designed around a quote from The Dalai Lama made on his July 11, 2011 visit to RFA in Washington DC. The Dalai Lama's first visit to RFA was the subject of RFA's very first QSL card. The Dalai Lama spoke to RFA's staff about America's democratic values, the important work done by RFA in countries where voices are stifled, and the cornerstone of education as a means to improve peoples' lives. RFA's first broadcast was in Mandarin Chinese on September 29, 1996 at 2100 UTC. Acting as a substitute for indigenous free media, RFA concentrates its coverage on events occurring in and/or affecting the countries to which we broadcast. Those countries are: Burma, Cambodia, Laos, North Korea, Peoples Republic of China, and Vietnam. This QSL card will be used to confirm all valid reception reports for September 2011.

Ham Fair 2011 will be August 27-28 in Tokyo, Japan. Radio Free Asia (RFA) will be on hand at this year’s Ham Fair to meet DXers and radio enthusiasts from Japan and around the globe. This annual event is organized by the Japanese Amateur Radio League (JARL) and last year hosted almost 31,000 attendees. To help promote this year’s event, RFA is issuing a special commemorative QSL card which incorporates the design of our current QSL card and this year’s Ham Fair logo. This QSL card will only be available for a limited time and used to confirm all valid RFA reception reports from 0000 UTC on August 26 – 2400 UTC on August 29, 2011.

Radio Free Asia's 37th QSL card is the second QSL card commemorating 2011 as RFA's 15th anniversary. RFA's first broadcast was in Mandarin Chinese on September 29, 1996 at 2100 UTC. Acting as a substitute for indigenous free media, RFA concentrates its coverage on events occurring in and/or affecting the countries to which we broadcast. Those countries are: Burma, Cambodia, Laos, North Korea, Peoples Republic of China, and Vietnam. This QSL card will be used to confirm all valid reception reports from July 1 to August 31, 2011. The four pieces of artwork were created earlier this year by the children of RFA's personnel. This card not only commemorates RFA's 15th anniversary but also helps capture the spirit of the RFA's family and friends around the world while promoting peace, freedom and democracy.

RFA's 36th QSL card release is the first in a series to commemorate RFA's 15th anniversary with more cards in the series expected throughout 2011. RFA's first broadcast was in Mandarin Chinese on September 29, 1996 at 2100 UTC. Acting as a substitute for indigenous free media, RFA concentrates its coverage on events occurring in and/or affecting the countries to which we broadcast. Those countries are: Burma, Cambodia, Laos, North Korea, Peoples Republic of China, and Vietnam. The artwork depicts the Great Wall of China and is used by permission of the artist, Sarah L. Handler. The 36th QSL card will be used to confirm all valid reception reports from April 1 to June 30, 2011.

Radio Free Asia's 35th QSL card is the latest card that continues our series of Chinese Lunar New Year commemorative QSLs. 2011 is the Year of the Rabbit and begins on February 3, 2011 and runs through January 22, 2012 Those born in a rabbit year are said to be kind, sensitive, soft-spoken, gracious, good natured, reserved, cautious, artistic, thorough, selfassured, shy, astute, and lucky. This QSL card will be used to confirm all valid reception reports from January 1 to March 31, 2011.

Radio Free Asia's 34th QSL Card release commemorates the 14th anniversary of RFAs' first broadcast. On September 29, 1996 at 2100 UTC RFA's first Mandarin broadcast went "On-Air". This card will be used to confirm all valid reception reports from July 1 to August 31, 2010. The design is a simple photo collage made from a small sample of the many stories RFA has covered in the past 14 years. Acting as a substitute for indigenous free media, RFA concentrates its coverage on events occurring in and/or affecting the countries to which it broadcasts. Those countries are: Burma, Cambodia, Laos, North Korea, Peoples Republic of China, and Vietnam.

Radio Free Asia's 33rd QSL Card release is the second release in series "Celebrating Musical Instruments of Asia". This card shows a traditional Burmese harp, also known as the saung or the saung gauk. It is an arched harp that usually has 13 to 16 strings that are traditionally made from silk though nylon strings are now more prevalent. The harp is played while sitting on the floor and holding it in one's lap; the strings are plucked with the right hand while the musician uses their left hand to dampen the strings which improve note clarity and help produce staccato notes. This QSL Card is issued to confirm all valid reception reports from July 1 to August 31, 2010.

Another in the continuing series of "Radio Pioneers" QSL cards Radio Free Asia's 32nd QSL card release is for distribution for all confirmed reception reports between April 1st to June 30th, 2010. This QSL card honors Russian physicist, Alexander S. Popov. Popov demonstrated that a receiver could detect the electromagnetic waves produced by lightning discharges in the atmosphere many miles away. In 1895, Popov was able to receive and detect the radio waves produced by an oscillator circuit. In 1897 he successfully sent a ship-to- shore transmission over a distance of three miles and then persuaded Russian naval authorities to begin installing radio equipment in its vessels; just two years later he had increased the distance of ship-to-shore transmissions to 30 miles. Popov is credited with being the first to use an antenna in the transmission and reception of radio waves.

Radio Free Asia's 31st QSL card for distribution for all confirmed reception reports from January 1st to March 31st, 2010. This QSL card commemorates the 2010 Winter Olympiad in Vancouver, Canada February 12-28, 2010. The Olympic Games bring people from around the world together in peaceful sports competition. The first modern Olympic Games were held in the summer of 1896. Ice skating was added to the Summer Games in 1908, eventually it was decided that winter sports were best in the winter. The first Olympic Winter Games were held in 1924, in Chamonix, France. The 31st QSL card shows Radio Free Asia's 2010 Winter Olympic pin. This pin is number two in the RFA "Panda" series of Olympic Pins.

Radio Free Asia's 13th anniversary QSL card started distribution on September 1, 2009. This QSL card celebrates RFA's 13 years of broadcast excellence. RFA's first broadcast was in Mandarin on September 29, 1996 at 2100 UTC. This QSL card will be used for all confirmed reception reports dated September 1 thru December 31, 2009. The design used is one of many drawings made by the children of RFA personnel earlier this year. This card not only commemorate RFA's 13th anniversary but also helps capture the spirit of the RFA's family and friends around the world while promoting peace, freedom and democracy.

As part of our continuing series of Radio Pioneer QSL cards, this one honors Serbian-born American physicist, Nikola Tesla. Tesla was a pioneer in many fields. The Tesla coil, which he invented in 1891, is widely used today in electronic equipment. Nikola Tesla patented the basic system of radio in 1896. Tesla's schematic diagrams describing the basic elements of a radio transmitter were later used by Marconi. In 1896 Tesla constructed an instrument to receive radio waves. He experimented with this device and transmitted radio waves from his New York laboratory. The radio device clearly establishes Nikola Tesla as a radio pioneer. In Colorado Springs, where he stayed from May 1899 until 1900, Tesla made what he regarded as his most important discovery-- terrestrial stationary waves. Through this, Tesla proved the Earth could be used as a conductor and would be as responsive as a tuning fork to electrical vibrations of a certain frequency. He also lighted 200 lamps without wires from a distance of 25 miles (40 kilometers) and created man-made lightning. This QSL card is issued for all valid RFA reception reports from July 1 thru August 31, 2009.

Radio Free Asia 28th QSL launched a series celebrating musical instruments of Asia. The first card in the series shows a two stringed dutar. The dutar is a traditional musical instrument which is plucked by Uyghurs and either strummed or plucked by peoples of other nations. The dutar is considered one of the most common and popular instruments of the Turkmen people. The dutar pictured on this QSL belongs to one of RFA's Uyghur broadcasters and continually provides much joy and entertainment. The dutar is a pear-shaped lute characterized by its long neck and two strings; some versions have 4-strings. The dutar is primarily found in Central and South Asia. The dutar's name comes from the Persian word for "two strings." At the hands of 15th century shepherds, the strings were made from gut but with the coming of the Silk Road, the strings were then made from twisted silk. Today, dutars use silk or nylon strings. This card was used to confirm all valid reception reports from May 1 thru June 30, 2009.

This QSL card is the fourth RFA's Chinese Lunar New Year series. According to the Chinese astrology calendar, 2009 is the Year of the Ox. People born in ox years are considered kind and caring, logical, positive, to have a great deal of common sense and have their feet firmly planted on the ground. They are also considered to be hard workers in order to provide comfort and security for their families while also highly intelligent and strong minded. While this design is based on the one used in RFA's 2007 Lunar New Year card, this marked the first design by RFA's Valerie Johnson who is also responsible for processing the majority of RFA's reception reports and the sending of RFA's QSL cards. The card was used to confirm all valid reception reports from February 1 thru April 30, 2009.

This QSL card was issued as part of RFA's extended effort to promote world peace. The design is from one of the many holiday cards RFA used in the past. Besides the dove as the card's center piece, there are eight different renditions of the word 'peace' in the right margin. The eight versions represent each of our major broadcast languages: Burmese, Chinese (Mandarin and Cantonese), Khmer, Korean, Lao, Tibetan, Uyghur and Vietnamese. The card is used to confirm all valid reception reports for December 1, 2008 thru January 31, 2009.

This is the third of a 3-cards series in RFA's 12th Anniversary QSL card series. Each QSL card celebrates RFA's 12 years of on-air broadcasting. RFA's first broadcast was in Mandarin on September 29, 1996 at 2100 UTC. Each card is used to confirm all valid reception reports for a specific month; this card is used for all reports from November 2008. The design is one of many made by the children of RFA personnel earlier in 2008 and were inspired by the work their parents create daily at RFA. The card in this series not only commemorate RFA's 12th anniversary but also help capture the youthful spirit of the RFA's family and friends around the world and encourage the spirit of democracy and freedom.

This is the second of a 3-cards series in RFA's 12th Anniversary QSL card series. Each QSL card celebrates RFA's 12 years of on-air broadcasting. RFA's first broadcast was in Mandarin on September 29, 1996 at 2100 UTC. Each card is used to confirm all valid reception reports for a specific month; this card is used for all reports from October 2008. The design is one of many made by the children of RFA personnel earlier in 2008 and were inspired by the work their parents create daily at RFA. The card in this series not only commemorate RFA's 12th anniversary but also help capture the youthful spirit of the RFA's family and friends around the world and encourage the spirit of democracy and freedom.

This is the first of a 3-cards series in RFA's 12th Anniversary QSL card series. Each QSL card celebrates RFA's 12 years of on-air broadcasting. RFA's first broadcast was in Mandarin on September 29, 1996 at 2100 UTC. Each card is used to confirm all valid reception reports for a specific month; this card is used for all reports from September 2008. The design is one of many made by the children of RFA personnel earlier in 2008 and were inspired by the work their parents create daily at RFA. The card in this series not only commemorate RFA's 12th anniversary but also help capture the youthful spirit of the RFA's family and friends around the world and encourage the spirit of democracy and freedom.

This QSL card celebrates the XXIX Summer Olympic Games in Beijing, China which was held August 8-24, 2008. The Games have always brought people from around the world together in peace to respect universal moral principles. The card shows the graphic of Radio Free Asia's pin, as created by RFA's Brian Powell, which was used by our reporters at the Games. This QSL is used for all valid reception reports from July thru August 2008.

Radio Free Asia proudly announces the release of its 21st QSL card honoring German physicist and radio pioneer Heinrich Rudolph Hertz (1857-1894). Hertz was the first to broadcast and receive radio waves. He demonstrated the existence of electromagnetic waves by building equipment that not only produced radio waves, but also detected them. His experiments led to the development of the wireless telegraph and the radio. His name is now used for radio and electrical frequencies; hertz (Hz). The QSL card below will be issued for all valid RFA reception reports from April 1 thru June 30, 2008. This is the second in our series of QSL cards honoring radio pioneers; future QSL cards will include Nikola Tesla, Reginald Fessenden and others.

Radio Free Asia releases the company's 20th QSL card commemorating the 2008 Lunar New Year. The design is used with the approval of the United States Postal Service (USPS) and will be issued by the USPS as a standard domestic first class postage stamp in January 9, 2008. According to the Chinese astrology calendar, 2008 is the Year of the Rat; in the upper left corner you can see the reproduction of a cutout design of a rat plus the Chinese character for 'rat' underneath. The Year of the Rat begins on February 7, 2008 and ends January 25, 2009. The rat is one of twelve animals used in the Chinese zodiac. Those born in a rat year are considered ambitious, meticulous, industrious and sociable. The QSL card below will be issued for all valid RFA reception reports from January 1 thru March 31, 2008.

RFA's nineteenth QSL cards commemorating the 11th anniversary of the radio network's first broadcast. On September 29, 1996, RFA's first program to broadcast was in Mandarin Chinese. The QSL card is be issued for all valid reception reports from September 1 thru December 31, 2007.

RFA's Technical Operations Division is proud to announce the release of the company's new series of QSL cards commemorating the youth of the world, and the spirit of democracy and freedom. The designs of the first three QSLs were created on April 26, 2007 during RFA's annual "Take Our Daughters And Sons To Work Day" in Washington DC; the fourth design, set for use in August, was drawn on April 27, 2006 during the previous year's event. Each design is one of many drawings made by the children of RFA personnel, inspired by the work their parents create daily at RFA. The fourth in RFA's series of four 'youth of the world' QSLs depicted below, will be issued for all valid RFA reception reports from August 1 thru 31, 2007.

RFA's Technical Operations Division is proud to announce the release of the company's new series of QSL cards commemorating the youth of the world, and the spirit of democracy and freedom. The designs of the first three QSLs were created on April 26, 2007 during RFA's annual "Take Our Daughters And Sons To Work Day" in Washington DC; the fourth design, set for use in August, was drawn on April 27, 2006 during the previous year's event. Each design is one of many drawings made by the children of RFA personnel, inspired by the work their parents create daily at RFA. The third in RFA's series of four 'youth of the world' QSLs depicted below, will be issued for all valid RFA reception reports from July 1 thru 31, 2007.

RFA's Technical Operations Division is proud to announce the release of the company's new series of QSL cards commemorating the youth of the world, and the spirit of democracy and freedom. The designs of the first three QSLs were created on April 26, 2007 during RFA's annual "Take Our Daughters And Sons To Work Day" in Washington DC; the fourth design, set for use in August, was drawn on April 27, 2006 during the previous year's event. Each design is one of many drawings made by the children of RFA personnel, inspired by the work their parents create daily at RFA. The second in RFA's series of four 'youth of the world' QSLs depicted below, will be issued for all valid RFA reception reports from June 1 thru 30, 2007.

RFA's Technical Operations Division is proud to announce the release of the company's new series of QSL cards commemorating the youth of the world, and the spirit of democracy and freedom. The designs of the first three QSLs were created on April 26, 2007 during RFA's annual "Take Our Daughters And Sons To Work Day" in Washington DC; the fourth design, set for use in August, was drawn on April 27, 2006 during the previous year's event. Each design is one of many drawings made by the children of RFA personnel, inspired by the work their parents create daily at RFA. The first in RFA's series of four 'youth of the world' QSLs depicted below, will be issued for all valid RFA reception reports from May 1 thru 31, 2007.

RFA's fourteenth QSL card commemorates the 2007 Winter SWL Festival; 2007 marked the 20th anniversary of this annual gathering which is scheduled for March 8-10, 2007 in Kulpsville, Pennsylvania in the United States of America. This event is recognized as North America's largest gathering of listeners to the radio spectrum - longwave, mediumwave, shortwave (broadcast, utilities, pirates), VHF/UHF, FM, scanners, television and satellites. This QSL will be issued for all valid RFA reception reports from March 1 thru April 30, 2007.

RFA's thirteenth QSL card commemorates 2007 as the Year of the Pig. On February, 18, 2007, at least one fourth of the world's population will celebrated the Chinese New Year; with that, it ushered in the Year of the Pig based upon the Chinese calendar. This QSL was issued for all valid RFA reception reports from January 1 thru February 28, 2007.

RFA's Technical Operations Division is proud to announce the release of the company's twelfth QSL card commemorating the company's 10th anniversary of its first broadcast. On September 29, 1996, RFA's first program to broadcast was in Mandarin Chinese. This card is scheduled for distribution from September 1 to December 31, 2006. This is also the company's first QSL card to sport the new corporate logo.

RFA's eleventh QSL card honors the Father of Radio, Guglielmo Marconi. The card was distributed for all valid RFA reception reports July 1 to August 31, 2006. Marconi was born on April 25, 1874, in Bologna, Italy. In 1901, people still thought the curvature of the earth would prevent radio signals from traveling more than 200 miles, but in July of 1901, Marconi was able to transmit across the Atlantic Ocean; this helped accelerate the development of the wireless industry. In 1909 Marconi shared the Nobel Prize for physics with Karl Ferdinand Braun.

RFA's tenth QSL card commemorates the 50th anniversary of the Danish ShortWave Club International (DSWCI). The card is distributed for all valid RFA reception reports from April 1 to June 30, 2006. Formed in 1956, the DSWCI lays claim to being global 30 years before 'globalization.' The DSWCI is one of the leading DX-Clubs in the World, with more than 230 members in 36 countries during 2006. The object of the DSWCI is to consolidate contacts among those involved in the hobby of DXing and to promote the hobby in general; DXing is the reception of distant radio signals and all other related activities.

RFA's ninth QSL card commemorates the 2006 Winter Olympiad held in Turin, Italy. The card was distributed for all valid RFA reception reports from January 1 to February 28, 2006. This QSL card celebrates the XX Winter Olympic Games in Turin, Italy, in February of 2006. The Games have always brought people from around the world together in peace to respect universal moral principles. The card depicts the graphic of Radio Free Asia's pin used and distributed by our reporters at the event.

Radio Free Asia's eighth QSL Card commemorates our 9th year of broadcasting. The card is used for all confirmed reception reports from September 1 to December 31, 2005. RFA's first broadcast took place on September 29, 1996; this broadcast was in Mandarin Chinese. Since then, RFA has grown to nine major Asian languages broadcasting a total of 36-hours of radio programming daily; primarily on shortwave frequencies.

Scheduled for limited distribution for the month of August 2005 this QSL Card was released to honor the retirement of Radio Free Asia's founding President Richard Richter and to commemorate his contributions to the organization. Under Richter's leadership, RFA launched award-winning news broadcasts to Asia in the following languages: Burmese, Cantonese, Khmer, Korean, Lao, Mandarin, Wu (Shanghaiese), Tibetan, Uyghur, and Vietnamese. Also under his leadership, RFA established their award-winning website site in nine languages at www.rfa.org, as well as a number of toll-free call-in hotlines that reach listeners in Mandarin, Cantonese, Khmer, Tibetan, and Uyghur.

Used for confirmed reception reports from May 1 - July 31, 2005 this QSL commemorates the XXXIII EDXC Conference held in Prague, Czech Republic hosted at the Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty building on April 28th to May 2nd, 2005.The conference was well attended with representatives from DX Clubs worldwide including; Sweden, Hungary (HDXC) Finland (FDXA), Denmark (DSWCI), Italy (the interim SG is also a member of AIR), Germany, Japan, the USA, Ireland (IDXC), United Kingdom, the Czech Republic and Taiwan. The conference held seminars on the future of international radio, DXing and the latest news from the visiting broadcasters, among them, Radio Taiwan International.The European DX Council is an association of DX clubs. EDXC promotes cooperation between European DX listeners and organizations, establishes and fosters close contact with other DX organizations throughout the world and improves contacts between DX listeners, radio stations and other organizations in the field of radio and telecommunications.

Use for confirmed reception reports from March 1 - April 30, 2005 this QSL commemorates the 18th Annual Winter SWL Fest held in Kulpsville, Pennsylvania USA and RFA's participation. The convention is the largest gathering of listeners to the radio spectrum - long wave, medium wave, shortwave (broadcast, utilities, pirates), VHF/UHF, FM, scanners, television and satellites - in the United States. About 200 participants from around the world attend each year. Broadcaster representatives, clubs, and vendors are always in attendance. For more information about the annual Winter SWL Festival, visit www.swlfest.com. (Use of the SWL Fest logo provided as a courtesy of Tom Sundstrom.)

Use for all confirmed reception reports from January 1 - March 1, 2005 this QSL celebrated 2005 as the Year of the Rooster in Chinese Astrology. The Eastern zodiac is the oldest known horoscope system in the world, with origins tracing back to 2637 B.C. The Chinese Solar Year does not fall on a specific date but begins on the day called the Beginning of Spring which usually falls on February 4th or 5th of every year. Rooster Years are tenth in the cycle following the Monkey Years, and recur every twelfth year. People born in the Year of the Rooster are deep thinkers, capable, and talented. They like to be busy and are devoted beyond their capabilities and are deeply disappointed if they fail. People born in a Rooster Year are often a bit eccentric and often have rather difficult relationship with others. They always think they are right and usually are. They frequently are loners and though they give the outward impression of being adventurous, they are timid. Rooster people's emotions, like their fortunes, swing very high to very low.

This QSL is used for all confirmed reception reports from September 1 - December 31, 2004. This card celebrates Radio Free Asia's eighth year of broadcasting and also marks the anniversary our first broadcast on September 29, 1996. Radio Free Asia (RFA) is a private, nonprofit corporation that broadcasts news and information to listeners in Asian countries who lack regular access to full and balanced reporting in their domestic media. Through its broadcasts and call-in programs, RFA aims to fill a critical gap in the lives of people across Asia giving them a voice as well as a means of connecting with the world and with one another. Created by Congress in 1994 and incorporated in 1996, RFA currently broadcasts in Burmese, Cantonese, Khmer, Korean, Lao, Mandarin, the Wu dialect, Vietnamese, Tibetan (Uke, Amdo, and Kham), and Uyghur. It adheres to the highest standards of journalism and aims to exemplify accuracy, balance, and fairness in its editorial content.

The Olympic Games have always brought people from around the world together in peace to respect universal moral principles. The Olympic QSL Card, which was distributed in limited release, commemorates the 2004 Summer Olympic Summer Games held in Athens, Greece. This QSL Card was used by Radio Free Asia only for the month of August, 2004. The card has a graphic of Radio Free Asia's Olympic Pin that was actually used by our reporters in Athens at the games. Greece was the birthplace of the ancient Olympic Games. The first modern Olympic Games were held in Athens in 1896. In 2004, the Olympic Games returned to their origins when Athens hosts the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad. The Athens 2004 Olympic Games for seventeen days returned Olympics to Greece, the country where they were originally born and were revived. These Games broke many records. Athens hosted 11,099 athletes, the largest number ever and also the most women athletes ever. Representatives of 202 countries took part, more than any other sporting event. The Olympic flame traveled for the first time to all continents.

This QSL card commemorates the January 22, 1997 visit to Radio Free Asia's Washington DC headquarters by His Holiness, The Dali Lama. On the card is a picture from that visit; The Dali Lama is shown addressing the Radio Free Asia staff. This QSL is used for all confirmed reception reports from 2002 - July 31, 2004. The Dalai Lama is the spiritual and temporal leader of the Tibetan people. He was born on July 6, 1935, in a small village called Taktser, in north eastern Tibet. Born to a peasant family, His Holiness was recognized at the age of two, in accordance with Tibetan tradition, as the reincarnation of his predecessor the 13th Dalai Lama. The Dalai Lamas are the manifestations of the Buddha of Compassion who chose to take rebirth for the purpose of serving other human beings. Dalai Lama means Ocean of Wisdom. Tibetans normally refer to His Holiness as Yeshe Norbu, the Wish-fulfilling Gem or simply Kundun, meaning The Presence. In 1959, His Holiness was forced into exile in India after the Chinese military occupied Tibet. Since then, His Holiness has been residing in Dharamsala. India and the seat of the Tibetan Government in exile. Although the Chinese Government refuses dialogue with His Holiness and His representatives, His Holiness has always stated that the door is open to find a peaceful solution for Tibet without any preconditions.