50 international students for summer university

The seventh edition of the AEGEE-Valletta Summer University will for the first time include Libyan participants, organisers said yesterday.

AEGEE-Valletta is the local arm of AEGEE-Europe, the largest European student and youth network.

The event's list of participants has increased over previous years, with 50 students from 20 countries. Held under the patronage of the Education, Youth and Employment Ministry, it was launched yesterday at St James Cavalier.

The Summer University has been around for 18 years and is the longest-running project in AEGEE history.

Summer Universities focus on art, history, languages, nature and sports. They are held in around 100 places all over Europe with multicultural groups of 20-50 students who can enjoy the cultural diversity.

This year, AEGEE-Valletta's Summer University is entitled 24/7 Aim South, Touch Heaven. The programme includes not only cultural tours but also events that celebrate cultural diversity.

Furthermore, the participants are to benefit from a crash course in Maltese, which has always been popular in the past years, as well as seminars and workshops about the EU.

AEGEE-Europe spans more than 270 antennae in various European university cities. Founded in 1997, it works towards promoting the AEGEE ideal of removing physical and mental borders while promoting mutual tolerance and understanding towards a united Europe among students and youths.

This is done locally through several activities, including seminars, action weeks, live forum debates on campus and leisure events while, on a European level, it is achieved through opportunities such as conferences abroad and summer universities.

The Summer University launch was yesterday addressed by Malta Tourism Authority chairman Romwald Lungaro Mifsud, the Education Ministry's permanent secretary Frans Borg, the head of the Libyan Arab Cultural Centre Mohammed El-Sade, Matthew Felice Pace and David Ciliberti, representing AEGEE-Valletta, and AEGEE-Europe vice-president Alistair De Gaetano.

In his speech, Mr Lungaro Mifsud mentioned the key challenges that Malta faced in relation to tourism as well as the efforts that have been undertaken by the MTA in relation to EU programmes.

Mr Borg spoke about the values of education and tolerance, especially in relation to cultural diversity, while Mr El Sade touched on the importance of youths in cultural understanding and integration.