New Perspectives The IV Convention for the Maltese Living Abroad 20th – 23rd April 2015 Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Valletta, Malta 1 Cataloguing in Publication IV Convention for Maltese living abroad (2015). New perspectives : convention for the Maltese living abroad 20th - 23rd April 2015. – Valletta : Ministeru tal-Affarijiet Barranin, 2016. 452 p. ; cm. ISBN 978-99957-41-03-7 1. Malta-Emigration and immigration-Congresses. I. Malta-Ministeru tal-Affarijiet Barranin. II. Title. 304.8094585-dc23. Ippubblikat mill-Ministeru tal-Affarijiet Barranin, Il-Belt Valletta, Malta Published by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Valletta, Malta © Ministeru tal-Affarijiet Barranin, Malta www.foreignaffairs.gov.mt ISBN: 978-99957-41-03-7 Stampat u mitbugħ fl-Istamperija tal-Gvern Printed by the Government Press 2 Kumitat Organizzattiv Organising Committee Chairperson: Fiona FORMOSA Permanent Secretary Ministry for Foreign Affairs Members: Olaph TERRIBILE Private Secretary to the Hon Minister Ministry for Foreign Affairs Rosette SPITERI-CACHIA Assistant Private Secetary to the Hon Minister Ministry for Foreign Affairs Cataloguing in Publication Etienne ST. JOHN Communications Coordinator to the Hon. Minister IV Convention for Maltese living abroad (2015). Ministry for Foreign Affairs New perspectives : convention for the Maltese living abroad 20th - 23rd April 2015. – Valletta : Ministeru tal-Affarijiet Helga MIZZI Barranin, 2016. Director-General – Political, EU Affairs and Maltese Abroad Ministry for Foreign Affairs 452 p. ; cm. Angele AZZOPARDI ISBN 978-99957-41-03-7 Director – Directorate Corporate Services Ministry for Foreign Affairs 1. Malta-Emigration and immigration-Congresses. I. Malta-Ministeru tal-Affarijiet Barranin. II. Title. 304.8094585-dc23. Dr Raymond C. XERRI Director – Directorate for Maltese Living Abroad Ministry for Foreign Affairs Maria CAMILLERI CALLEJA Secretary to the Council for Maltese Living Abroad Ministry for Foreign Affairs Vincent CASSAR Assistant Director – Directorate Corporate Services Ministry for Foreign Affairs Peter Paul MUSCAT Assistant of the Secretary to the Council for Maltese Living Abroad Ministry for Foreign Affairs Walter SULTANA Senior Principal – Directorate for Maltese Living Abroad Ministry for Foreign Affairs Prof Maurice N. CAUCHI CMLA Councillor Australia Dr Carmen Sammut Convention Moderator University of Malta 3 Rapporteurs Mr Gerald Farrugia Ms Marisa Farrugia Ms Ruth Farrugia Ms Alexandra Galea Mr Peter Paul Muscat Mr Paul Radmilli 4 Contents Daħla tal-Ministru għall-Affarijiet Barranin l-Onor. Dr. George W. Vella 11 Opening of Convention – Opening Speeches 13 Speech by the Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr George W. Vella 15 Speech by the Leader of the Opposition, Dr Simon Busuttil 20 Speech by the Prime Minister of Malta, Dr Joseph Muscat 25 Plenary Session 1 – Maltese Community Abroad – Current and Future – Participants Speeches 29 New perspectives – gains and new challenges 30 Dr Gejtu Pace Nostalġija mhux staġnar, Inċentivi għal bidla waqt li nippreservaw il-kontinwità 39 Lawrence Dimech Emigration Ties between the Past and Present 46 Fr Alfred Vella Brussels: career and beyond 50 Louisiana Busuttil The second generation: Who are they? 53 Prof Maurice Cauchi Are we missing the forest for the trees? 59 Louis J. Vella Self stereotypes, Maltese identities and intercultural relations: A comparison of Maltese in Malta and the Australian Diaspora 64 Dr Gordon Sammut Workshop 1: Maltese Abroad – Current & Future – Regional Experiences 71 Maltese in Canada 72 Joe Sherri The future of the Maltese in the UK 75 Bernard Scerri “I know where I came from”: a case study of Maltese of Egypt and Tripolitani migrants in Melbourne Australia 78 Nathalie Grima 5 The importance of Maltese organisations in Maltese communities 85 Brian Ciappara Dilemmas of the Diaspora 89 John Vella The Changing ‘Face’ of the Maltese Migrant Elderly Abroad: ‘Needs of the Ageing Maltese in a Foreign Land’ 95 Dr Stephen Gatt Il-bżonnijet kontemporanji tal-Anzjani li għexu barra minn Malta: Xi tbiddel fl-aħħar ftit snin fost l-Emigranti Xjuħ fid-dijaspora Maltija? 101 Dr Stephen Gatt Resurrecting the past may be the key to the future 108 Joseph Portelli Life after retirement – analysis of a survey 113 Prof Maurice Cauchi Maltese Citizenship, An incomplete journey 117 Edwin Bonello Workshop 2 – Youth Issues 123 Aġenzija Żgħażagħ 124 Miriam Teuma u Jason Zammit The ongoing quest to engage Maltese-Australian youth in Victoria with their Maltese identity continues 127 Edwina Mallia The Emerging Diaspora: Engaging Maltese-Australian Youth Identity in Australia 132 Shannon Said & Charmaine Cassar Maintaining Our Maltese Culture and Heritage 140 Michelle Calleja McCann Am I Gozitan? What does that mean? An exploration of the identities of Gozitan young people who have lived abroad 143 Damian Spiteri & Ryan Mercieca Maintaining and Expanding Maltese Values and Culture in the United Kingdom Consultation with the Maltese Youth Living in London 148 Emma Mizzi 6 Plenary Session 2 – The CMLA and Maltese Living Abroad 153 Diskors miċ-Ċermen tal-Valletta18 154 Jason Micallef Aims and functions of the CMLA – And Achievements so far 156 Rosalie Rivett CMLA relationship with Maltese organised associations abroad. A discussion 160 Dr Gejtu Pace Well done over well said-a case study 163 Louis Vella Diffikultajiet li jiltaqa’ magħhom kull Kumitat… u s-CMLA. 168 Dr Stephen Gatt The Workings of the Directorate for the Maltese Living Abroad 173 Dr Raymond C. Xerri Workshop 3 – Communication with members of the Diaspora 177 New horizons for a digitally-enabled engagement of the Maltese Diaspora 178 Edwin Borg Manché & Alexander Borg One Diaspora ... One voice 185 Marlene Scicluna Our getting to know the Maltese migrant 190 Emmanuel Ciappara The Need for International Newsletters/Magazines for the Malta Diaspora 196 Prof Claudia M. Caruana Melitensia libraries as a source of communication for the Maltese Diaspora 203 Mona Nicholas-Vella Distances, in a global World 206 Fr Alfred Vella Abatract – Bridging the distance information technology, social media, and the Maltese Diaspora 210 John Miers (Borg) Attending to the needs of the Maltese elderly in NSW while investing in the youth, the future leaders 217 Josephine Bigeni 7 Workshop 4 – ‘New and Emerging Communities’ 223 Minn Malta għal Brussell – l-esperjenza tiegħi bħala student 224 Andrea Grima Living in the Duchy: Maintaining the Maltese Connection 226 Vanessa Camilleri Maltese in the United Arab Emirates 232 Georgina Bugeja Barriers to integration and the role of the Maltese Community in Brussels 234 Alexander Grima Workshop 5 – Identity, Culture and Language Maintenance 239 Journeys in identity – social and environmental planning 240 Mark Gerada The importance of preserving the Maltese Language and Culture among the Maltese Diaspora 245 Frank Scicluna Religious and pastoral affairs of Maltese abroad – The United Kingdom Maltese Chaplaincy perspective 250 Fr Victor J. Camilleri OFM Looking towards the future: Relaying the past to our youth 254 Susan Schembri From Assimilation to liberation: A personal journey 259 Joseph Carmel Chetcuti Workshop 6 – The Writer Abroad 265 The Maltese Writer in Exile 266 Victor V. Vella Il-Letteratura Maltija fl-Awstralja 271 Frank Zammit Maltese Literature in Australia 277 Frank Zammit Writing ourselves home Annamaria Weldon 284 New perspectives: A novel way of looking at Maltese migration to Australia 289 Lou Drofenik 8 Memoir and Migration 296 Josephine Burden Writing the Self 302 Aline P’nina Tayar Min taħseb li int? L-identità tal-kittieb ‘ta’ barra’: bejn diżlokazzjoni u traslokazzjoni 307 Mark Anthony Vella Rapporteurs 313 Maltese Community Abroad – Current and Future – Regional Experiences 314 Mr Paul Radmilli Youth Issues 317 Ruth Farrugia The CMLA and Maltese Living Abroad 322 Dr. Marisa Farrugia Communication with members of the Diaspora 331 Mr Peter Paul Muscat New and Emerging Communities 334 Ruth Farrugia Identity, Culture and Language Maintenance 336 Mr Gerald Farrugia The Writer Abroad 340 Ms Alexandra Galea “Maltese Emigrants: Ambassadors of Rare Humanity” 345 H.E. Mons. Mario Grech, Bishop of Gozo Diskors Mill-E.T. Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca, President ta’ Malta 350 Images of IV Convention for Maltese Living Abroad 353 Artistic Exhibition by Maltese Diaspora Artists at Heritage Malta 359 Literary Symposium 409 Students Arts Exhibition at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs 415 Leja Maltija 423 Closing of the IV Convention for the Maltese Living Abroad 427 List of Participating Students 436 1 This paper is an adaptation from a Power Point presentation delivered during the Convention 9 Diaspora Monument Competition 439 List of Convention Participants 442 Subject Index 444 Name Index 456 10 Daħla mill-Ministru għall-Affarijiet Barranin l-Onor. Dr George W. Vella Ir-Raba’ Konvenzjoni għall-Maltin li Jgħixu Barra minn Malta 2015 kienet mument importanti ħafna, u mmarkat il-bidu ta’ era ġdida fir-relazzjoni bejn il-Gvern Malti u d-Dijaspora tal-Maltin madwar id-dinja. Għaliex qed ngħid hekk? Din kienet l-ewwel Konvenzjoni li saret wara li għadda l-Att XX tal-2011 b’kunsens sħiħ miż-żewġ naħat tal-Parlament, u l-ewwel Konvenzjoni li saret wara l-ħatra tal-ewwel Kunsill b’Segretarja u d-Direttur u d-Direttorat għall-Maltin li Jgħixu Barra minn Malta mwaqqaf u mħaddmin kif kien maħsub fil-Liġi. Imma din kienet ukoll l-ewwel Konvenzjoni li fiha l-Kunsilliera kienu fil-qalba tal-ippjanar, tat-tmexxijia tas-sezzjonijiet u workshops, kif ukoll ħadu sehem bis-sħiħ f’kull aspett ta’ dan l-avveniment. Għalhekk kienet l-ewwel Konvenzjoni li fiha l-Gvern kien hemm biex jisma’ lill-parteċipanti u jixtarr dak kollu li kien qiegħed jingħad, aktar milli jiddetta jew jimponi dak li jidhirlu huwa. Il-Konvenzjoni ta’ din is-sena kienet ukoll l-ewwel Konvenzjoni li fiha rajna lid- Dijaspora Maltija tinbidel, u tinfirex aktar, bil-Maltin iwwaqfu komunitajiet ‘l hinn mill-pajjiżi tradizzjonali tal-emigrazzjoni, kif konna nafuhom sa ftit ilu. F’din il- Konvenzjoni rajna jieħdu sehem Maltin minn 11-il pajjiż. Bixra ġdida u mportanti f’din il-Konvenzjoni kienet il-preżenza u l-parteċipazzjoni taż-żgħażagħ. Din kienet qawwija u attiva ħafna.