Music and Youth
EBU renews long-term leases on Asiasat 2
HONG KONG: Satellite operator Asiasat and the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) have announced the renewal of lease agreements for the use of C-band capacity on AsiaSat 2.
An official release informs that the EBU uses the Asiasat 2 capacity to transmit regular and ad hoc live video contribution feeds for its members and customers between Asia, Australasia and Europe through the Union’s Eurovision Network. This includes premium sports events such as the Olympics, European national and international football and news feeds from major world political and chronicle venues, such as the G8 meetings and the Iraq war.
Eurovision claims to be the world’s largest dedicated television contribution network and is recognised as the most reliable communication network for live video transmissions. Eurovision’s Asian service offers broadcasters and cable operators fully digital MPEG-2 channels, linking Asia and Europe through Asiasat 2 C-band capacity.
The EBU claims to be the largest professional association of national broadcasters in the world. Headquartered in Geneva, the Union has 71 active Members in 52 countries of Europe, North Africa and the Middle East, and 46 associate Members in 29 countries. Working on behalf of its members in the European area, the EBU negotiates broadcasting rights for major sports events, operates the Eurovision and Euroradio networks, organises programme exchanges, stimulates and coordinates co-productions.
Launched in 1995, AsiaSat 2 has a 13-year operational life. The satellite carries 20 36 MHz and four 72 MHz C-band, as well as nine 54 MHz Ku-band linearised transponders. Its C-band footprint covers 53 countries embracing Asia, the Middle East, Australasia and the C.I.S. Asiasat 2 also has a high-power Ku beam serving the Greater China region, Korea and Japan.
MUMBAI: Mumbai is about to witness something it has never seen before. The Global Youth Festival arrives on 6-7 December at Jio World Garden with 15,000 attendees and 60-plus experiences sprawled across six sprawling arenas. On its sixth edition, this is no ordinary jamboree—it is a carefully orchestrated collision of wellness, adventure, arts, music, yoga and social change.
Chief Minister of Maharashtra Devendra Fadnavis will throw open the proceedings with a landmark ceremony, signalling the state’s backing for a movement that has already mobilised youth across 20-plus countries and 170-plus cities. The sheer scale is staggering: 500-plus volunteers powering the machine, 600,000-plus volunteer hours logged across previous editions, and millions of lives touched annually.
The speaker roster is formidable. Diipa Büller-Khosla and Dipali Goenka, chief executive of Welspun India, will share the stage with Malaika Arora in conversations spanning leadership, creativity and culture. Union Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Mansukhbhai Mandaviya will also attend, reinforcing GYF’s reach into the corridors of power.
But this is not mere talk. The Solaris Mainstage promises concerts from renowned Indian artists. Innerverse delivers a 360-degree LED spectacle of art, technology and sound. The Love and Care Arena houses hands-on projects spanning women’s empowerment, child education, rural upliftment and animal welfare. India’s largest outdoor sound-healing experience awaits. An inflatable obstacle course, neon drifter karts and open-sky bouldering cater to thrill-seekers.
Some have branded GYF the “Coachella of Consciousness.” Others call it “India’s Largest Sober Festival.” Spiritual visionary Pujya Gurudevshri Rakeshji, who inspired the festival, will deliver the Wisdom Masterclass. Every rupee goes to charity.
After Mumbai comes Kolkata on 14 December. New York looms next year. For one weekend in December, Mumbai becomes the epicentre of youth-driven change—and nothing will be quite the same after.
Tickets available on BookMyShow. Visit youthfestival.srmd.org or follow @globalyouthfestival on Instagram.
