[Type here] MALTESE E-NEWSLETTER 367 April 2021 1 [Type here] MALTESE E-NEWSLETTER 367 April 2021 Easter in Malta Atmosphere Easter is a chance to dive into the culture of the Maltese islands and experience something very special. Eat, drink, dance and celebrate, join the street processions and enjoy the friendly jubilant Easter atmosphere. Malta loves to celebrate and generally does it in a colourful and joyous fashion. Holy Week Easter in Malta and Gozo is not just a weekend event, it is a celebrated for whole week leading and building up to Easter weekend. Starting on the Friday prior to Good Friday, the Statue of Our Lady of Sorrows is carried in a procession through the streets of Valletta and many other small towns and villages. This starts off the celebrations for the Easter week. Maundy Thursday Maundy Thursday – the eve of Good Friday. This is when the ‘seven visits’ takes place, traditionally people visit seven different alters in seven different churches to pay homage to the Alter’s of Repose. Good Friday Good Friday is a day of mourning and can be a sombre day. Churches take down the ornamental decorations and no bells are rung and then procession run through the streets of all towns and villages. Malta does have some special and spectacular processions particularly Zebbug which is renowned for its extravagance, use of horses and involves hundreds of cast members making this a big tourist attraction. In Gozo the most notable procession can be seen in Xaghra. Easter Sunday While Saturday remains a slightly sombre moment, Easter Sunday is a real celebration day with Church bells ringing out and more spectacular processions where people line the streets carrying statues of the Risen Christ with bands playing festive tunes. Like the UK, Easter Sunday is quite a family oriented day, after the processions and celebrations families sit together for Sunday Lunch. Easter Eggs & Figolli It wouldn’t be Easter in the modern age without sweet treats. Easter Eggs are widely brought for children at Easter. The Maltese at Easter also have more traditional sweets, the most popular of these is known as ‘figolli’, an almond pastry covered in icing sugar in the shape of a rabbit, lamb, fish or heart. Malta is well known for its amazing bread so this treat is not be missed. Qaghag tal-appostili which is literally translated as ‘Apostles Bread Rings’ which is sold and enjoyed during lent and for the traditional Easter lunch. 2 [Type here] MALTESE E-NEWSLETTER 367 April 2021 THE BIRTH OF THE COUNCIL OF MALTESE LIVING ABROAD citizenship reforms that led to the end of discrimination between Maltese living here and those living in other countries. The functions of the council includes monitoring the quality of life of Maltese living The Constitution of Malta was amended to abroad; strengthening and cultivating ties “facilitate the participation of Maltese citizens between these communities and Malta’s who live abroad in the political, social, political, cultural, economic and social life; economic and cultural life of Malta”, ensuring effective protection of the rights of according to a Bill to establish a council for their rights and facilitating the maintenance Maltese living abroad which Parliament of the cultural and linguistic identity of these unanimously approved in 2011. communities. The minister of Foreign Affairs would preside Introducing the Bill, the then deputy Prime over the council but would have no power to Minister Tonio Borg said the council would vote. The council had to meet annually in give advice to the minister on any Bill that Malta. affected the rights, entitlements or interests The Foreign Office would also have a of Maltese living abroad; budgetary and director and desk officers responsible for administrative measures affecting Maltese these communities. The government was communities and any transmission on, and also considering holding the convention for production of, public broadcasting services Maltese living abroad every five instead of 10 relating to programmes for Maltese living years. abroad. The government accepted the opposition’s The council IS MADE up of 17 members – 12 suggestion to set up two registers – one for of whom would be appointed, two each from NGOs established outside Malta involved in the states of Victoria and New South Wales the promotion and protection of the interests in Australia, from the US, Canada, and EU of Maltese living abroad, and another for countries. One member each would be prominent Maltese nationals living abroad appointed from among Maltese living in the who had distinguished themselves. UK and in any other state in Australia. The The Bill established also a Malta Cultural other five members of the council, who had Institute to promote Maltese culture abroad. to have specialised knowledge on emigration The opposition’s main spokesman on foreign and related affairs, would be appointed by affairs and now the President of Malta, the Prime Minister in consultation with the George Vella, said there was a need to let Leader of the Opposition. the Maltese living abroad feel as much The Foreign Minister said the 2010 Maltese as those who lived here. convention for Maltese living abroad had One should not think that Maltese living agreed on the setting up of a permanent abroad were only those in Australia: there mechanism that represented them and were others who lived in Canada, the US, which was recognised by the State. France and Egypt among others. During the last 15 years, the government had Dr Vella said the Maltese Cultural Institute given new importance to Maltese should not only serve to hold exhibitions. The communities abroad and embarked on late Frans Sammut was already working on 3 [Type here] MALTESE E-NEWSLETTER 367 April 2021 this idea in 1996 under the Labour One should not limit oneself by focusing on government Maltese who had emigrated abroad 60 years One should promote the idea of the greater ago, but reference to Maltese who were Malta as opening this vision would also be going abroad to work should also be made. beneficial with regard to tourism. A different perspective should be adopted The council should have an organised with regard to the latter. committee to have continuity in everyday It is estimated that there are nearly a million contact. This would also help Maltese Maltese persons currently living abroad. children to understand the circumstances Many sought better opportunities in foreign that led Maltese to emigrate. It would also countries. help them understand that Malta was not It was the economic situation that had only a dot on a map. prompted them to leave the country and that This council would make the Maltese living it was thus very important to ensure that the abroad feel more a part of Malta even though highest welfare state be present in Malta. the Maltese never rejected them. CMLA 2011 -2016 The Council is Malta should make use of Maltese represented by 5 experts Roderick descendants’ knowledge to export Maltese Bovingdon – Australia Carmen Galea – culture. Canada Rosalie Rivett – UK Franklin Malta should make use of talent of many Mamo – Europe Fr. Alfred Vella – Malta Maltese living abroad because they could and Council Members - Australia also contribute greatly to Malta’s cultural - Professor Maurice Cauchi, Edwin Borg- sphere. Manché, Lawrence Dimech, Gejtu The Maltese cultural institute should not be Pace, Frank Scicluna USA - Louis limited to the traditional arts and folklore but Vella, Larry Zahra Canada should also work on sport and pop culture. - Nadim Kanawati Joseph Scerri UK The biggest challenge would be to spread - Bernard Scerri Malta - Joseph Muscat Maltese culture with people who were not of CMLA 2017 - Members: Alexander Grima Maltese descent. A Angelo Grima Anita Grillo Antonella The Bill would also include a new Berry-Brincat Brandon Azzopardi, Claudia amendment to the Constitution. The clause Caruana, Denis Muniglia, Edwige Borg, made reference to the contribution to Malta’s Emanuel Camilleri, Dr Josephine Ann socio-political and cultural spheres by Cutajar, Marie-Louise Previtera, Mario Maltese citizens living abroad. Their M Sammut, Shane Delia, Profs Stephen contribution must be fruitful and should not Gatt, Susan Schembri - The fifteen be limited to mere participation. members of the Council for Maltese Living Information material should be sent to Abroad come from the different states of Maltese communities and one should also Australia, Canada and the United States of create opportunities for Maltese to be taught America, as well as the United Kingdom, as a foreign language. France, the European Union, the United The Maltese Cultural Institute should also Arab Emirates and Malta. Secretary: - strive to strike deals with foreign universities Joseph A Xerri which would help in bringing foreigners to study Maltese studies. “The future of our diaspora should be a major challenge and it also brings opportunities in different areas such as business, culture and education.” So, let’s work TOGETHER Maltese people living abroad are no less Maltese than those residing on the islands and, at times, they are even more Maltese, according to Maltese Studies Institute director Prof. Henry Frendo. 4 [Type here] MALTESE E-NEWSLETTER 367 April 2021 Consul General of Malta to Canada visits Gozitan/Maltese community BY GOZO NEWS · MARCH 29, 2021 studying and opening a business in Gozo and Malta, among other issues. This visit in the Durham Region is the first in list of similar visits to remote places in the Province of Ontario in light of the growing demand of second, third and fourth generation Gozitans/Maltese in Canada wishing to learn about their ancestral country which often leads to applying for Maltese The Consul General of Malta to Canada, Dr citizenship and a Maltese passport among Raymond C.