It was the night that was
It was the night that was! Notte Bianca 2022 was a great success. We told you it was going to be the biggest one yet, and we didn’t disappoint! We kept our word.
Indeed the Maltese people and many tourists attended the event with enthusiasm after a two year absence. This year I believe we exceeded all expectations in the organization and quality of the productions presented.
Around 85,000 people attended, a record number for the Notte Bianca. The night provided a platform for more than 50 events produced by a crew of more than 300 people, and about 548 artists.
The Notte Bianca is of course primarily an event in which we show and celebrate Maltese culture, in its different forms, through many events around Valletta.
The popularity of Notte Bianca 2022 is a strong testimony of the passion of the Maltese people for culture and art. I sincerely appreciate the dedication of Festivals Malta to organize this year’s Notte Bianca so that it can make such a triumphant return.
We have built on our experience to bring out the best. Most of the projects were made expressly for the Notte Bianca in collaboration with the artists. Because the previous two years were challenging for everyone, we felt it was more crucial than ever to look after our audiences and artists this year.
Notte Bianca is one of the biggest festivals because many activities take place in one place, in one evening.
All this would not have been possible without the tireless work of the entire Festivals Malta team, the technical crew, and without the support of entities such as Heritage Malta, the Valletta Local Council, the Police , the Department of Civil Protection, the Red Cross. , St John Ambulance, Transport Malta, LESA, and the Lands Authority. The Department of Cleaning and Maintenance has made sure that Valletta is clean and tidy in a matter of hours.
This year’s program is distributed over 7 routes linked to various forms of art. The most significant route, in my opinion, was undoubtedly the music route, where around 20 projects of various genres were put on show, divided between 7 stages, churches, theaters and museums.
Medieval Gozo
An exhibition focusing on the archeology of Medieval Gozo was launched at the Ministry for Gozo. It will remain open until the end of October.
I launched this exhibition last Wednesday, together with my friend and colleague, Minister Clint Camilleri.
This exhibition clearly shows the excellent relationship between two museums of Heritage Malta – the National Museum of Archeology and the Museum of Archeology of Gozo. The exhibition also benefited significantly from the additional collaboration of the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage and the Sannat Local Council.
This Exhibition is being presented to increase the public’s appreciation of our country’s medieval heritage – it shows the importance of investing in such exhibitions; similar performances have always maintained cultural life.
This exhibition wishes to draw the public’s attention to the medieval millennium of Gozo, which in many ways is an unknown territory. No reliable historical information exists about Gozo before the middle of the 13th century.
After that date, information starts to become available sporadically, but only for limited aspects of social life. Gozo irreparably lost much of its medieval archives and artistic heritage in the dramatic invasion of 1551 – as if a millennium had been erased from the historical record. Archaeology, therefore, has a vital role to play in filling in some of these historical gaps.
The exhibition, An Island in Transition – 700 to 1700 AD: The Archeology of Medieval Gozo, was inaugurated for the first time in October 2021 at the National Museum of Archeology in Valletta, where it attracted popular and critical attention . We felt that we should also put the exhibition on display in Gozo as well.
It is the second event in the series of Medieval Malta exhibitions, an initiative of Heritage Malta and the National Museum of Archeology aimed at promoting greater public appreciation of Malta’s medieval heritage.
The first exhibition was dedicated to the archeology of Malta’s Dark Ages (9th to 10th century AD).
Entry to the exhibition is free. The opening hours are as follows: From Monday to Friday 08:30 – 16:00 (last entry at 15:30); Saturdays and Sundays 09:00 – 13:00.
Exhibition documenting the post-war refuge sought by the Dominican community in the Inquisitor’s Palace
Another exhibition was launched, this time with Parliamentary Secretary Alison Zerafa Civelli, at the Palace of the Inquisitor in Birgu.
It tells the story of almost 20 years when the neighboring Dominican community, together with some brave monks, sought refuge inside the palace. At the same time, their church and convent were being rebuilt after being destroyed during the Second World War.
The Inquisitors and the Dominicans of Birgu have enjoyed a valuable relationship for centuries. During the first years of the Inquisition, when the palace was much smaller, the Dominican church and convent often hosted the Inquisitors themselves, providing a space where important meetings could take place. Several Dominican friars served as advisers and officers of the Inquisition without demanding any payment for their services. In return, the Inquisitors helped with the needs and projects of the Dominicans.
This collaboration stopped a bit in 1798, with the departure of the last Inquisitor, but the Second World War brought the neighbors together once again. In 1941, the enemy bombing left the Dominican community of Birgu without a convent and a church, prompting the monks to seek temporary shelter beyond Birgu. However, a sense of duty to fulfill their mission within their community led them back to Birgu, where they asked to make quick use of the Inquisitor’s Palace. For nearly twenty years, the palace became their home and temple.
The exhibition Dominicans in the Palace: Home & Temple 1942 – 1960 tells this story through documents and interviews of people who remember these events. Parts of the painting that decorated the original dome of the Dominican church are also being exhibited together for the first time. A section of the exhibition is inspired by the first post-war feast of Saint Dominic celebrated in 1952, after an absence of 13 years, with the typical clothing worn during the procession by members of the clergy and the altars accompany them.
Dominicans in the Palace: Home & Temple 1942 – 1960 is a collaborative effort between Heritage Malta and the Dominican Convent in Birgu, with the support of the National Archives. The exhibition runs until 8 January 2023, and enriches the experience of visiting the Inquisitor’s Palace.
India
It was a great pleasure for me to join the Durga Puja celebrations this week. These are organized by the Bengali Association of Malta and are supported by a number of people and organisations.
I had the opportunity to say a few words to the audience and I said what I believe: that the contribution they make to our economy, our society and our culture makes Malta a much better place.
Thanks for the fantastic hospitality!