ESU head assures Education Minister on Malta branch plans

The director general of the English-Speaking Union, Valerie Mitchell told Education Minister Dolores Cristina she is confident that a fully-functioning Malta branch of the ESU should be officially launched in 2010.

Mrs Mitchell followed up her meeting with Mrs Cristina yesterday with a series of meetings with British High Commissioner Louise J. Stanton, University of Malta Pro Rector Alfred Vella and with heads and staff from state, Church and independent schools.

The highlight of her five-day visit to Malta, which started on Monday, will be a public talk tomorrow at 6 p.m. at the Malta Chamber of Commerce, Enterprise and Industry, Valletta, on the ESU's aims and objectives.

She is accompanied by Allan Lee Williams, a former ESU director general, who also has a long association with the organisation, and Roger Pyne.

Among the topics discussed yesterday were opportunities for Maltese students to go on scholarships to the UK, ESU training officers to visit Malta and for top-level speakers to hold public debates in Malta.

Mrs Mitchell said the ESU was an educational charity aiming to promote global understanding and education, using English as a cultural bridge to over 50 branches all over the world.

Also attending the meetings were Martin Scicluna, chairman of the steering committee of the ESU Malta branch, the former Maltese High Commissioner to the UK, Michael Refalo and members of the steering committee.