Heard in the Hive

Din l-Art Helwa, the National Heritage Association, recently celebrated its 39th anniversary with its traditional annual reunion dinner at San Anton Gardens.

The gardens, with the beautiful historic palace built by Grand Master Antoine de Paule, was enhanced by a splendid full moon, providing a truly enchanting setting. This mid-summer event, which has become a highlight in the summer social calendar, was attended by a record number of over 400 members and friends of the heritage association.

The dinner was also attended by the President and Mrs Fenech Adami. Other guests of honour sitting at the top table, with the leading members of Din l-Art Helwa, were Environment Minister George Pullicino, German Ambassador George Merten, Australian High Commissioner Richard Palk and his wife, as well as Carmen Arrigo.

Welcome drinks, kindly offered by Wands Ltd, were enjoyed on the palace terrace before the lavish dinner was superbly served by Osborne Caterers. The guests were also entertained with melodious dance music by Frank Bonnici and his quartet throughout the evening.

Prizes donated by Brigadier Maurice Calleja, Dr and Mrs Andy Welsh, Body Shop, Heritage Homes, Peter Heywood, Mgarr Hotel, Marks and Spencer Ltd and VJ Borg Enterprises Ltd were also distributed during a lottery.

The annual reunion also serves to raise funds for the noble cause espoused by Din l-Art Helwa to safeguard the national heritage.

St Julian's Choral Group's summer event

Keeping up the yearly tradition, the St Julian's Choral Group held their annual barbecue for choir members and guests on September 3 at the Selmun Church Hall, kindly offered to the choristers for this occasion by Fr John Galea.

The evening could not have turned out better with excellent food and a breathtaking view. Among the special guests were Fr John Galea, St Julian's parish priest Fr Ray Toledo, Lino Attard and Maestro Joe Gatt, the choir's musical director.

Some of the members provided entertainment to all those present with three short comical sketches, which everyone seemed to have enjoyed. The evening was concluded with a short speech by the choir's president, Ronnie Galea, who thanked the choristers for their efforts and all those who helped him out in organising the event.

Charity dinner nets Lm1,865 for YMCA

A charity dinner hosted by Mr and Mrs Angelo Xuereb recently netted Lm1,865 for the YMCA. Some 200 guests enjoyed a lavish dinner prepared by the executive chef of The Victoria Hotel, George Mercieca.

For this event, members of staff from the Suncrest Hotel and the Victoria Hotel offered their time in aid of charity. The event was sponsored by a number of companies, including Marsovin and Camilleri Wines, Azzopardi Fisheries, Double R Meats and Quality Meats. Other sponsors offered a selection of prizes that were used for the raffle draws.

Mrs Xuereb expressed her heartfelt thanks to the guests and the sponsors for their continued support of her various fund-raising activities.

The YMCA has been operating in Malta since 1976 and has a strong social work programme, giving support to victims of domestic violence, residents of substandard housing, and people from broken families.

Special prize to CILT (Malta) Master's student

During his recent visit to Malta, Peter O'Keefe, CILT International president, awarded a commemorative prize to Anthony Caruana in recognition of the excellent mark achieved for his dissertation.

Mr Caruana is employed by the Malta Maritime Authority and his dissertation dealt with private involvement and the protection of public interest in the port of Valletta - Malta's traditional cargo and passenger port. CILT (Malta) joined Mr O'Keefe in congratulating Anthony.

His success may serve to encourage more current and prospective CILT (Malta) members to read for the CILT/Aston Masters programme, which the Malta section intends to launch officially in October, during its annual conference.

CILT (Malta) chairperson Charles Schembri said that the launching of the Master's programme is another indication of the local commitment to education and development.

Also present for the award were Dr Marc Bonello, chairman of the Malta Maritime Authority, and members of the CILT (Malta) committee. In his comments, Mr O'Keefe remarked: "We of CILT International consider CILT (Malta) as an integral part of our European network and we are delighted with your educational programme and your continuous professional development programme for students and members. The achievement of Anthony Caruana is the pinnacle of such programmes and he is to be heartily congratulated."

Membership of CILT (Malta) consists of professionals currently employed in the different transport sectors in Malta. Members include individuals coming from all the strata of the transport and logistics chain.

Mr O'Keefe's visit is the second this year by a senior officer of the International Council of the CILT following the visit of the director general last January. Mr O'Keefe's visit reflects the strong relationship that exists between the local and international branch, which CILT (Malta) will continue to nurture in the years to come.

During his stay in Malta, Mr O'Keefe also attended the award of the Certificate in Logistics and Transport to 19 licensed port workers who concluded a pilot programme, especially prepared for this sector of service providers. The training and development activities of CILT (Malta) were highly commended by the CILT International during its international council meeting in Dubai last May. Training and development is at the heart of the local programme for the coming years, with the aim of gradually introducing a solid base of professionals in the local transport sector.

The local committee is looking into implementing continuing development programmes for its members in line with international guidelines. Currently, 21 students are reading for their Diploma in Transport Studies and applications are being received from persons interested in joining the October 2004 intake.

Moreover, and in conjunction with CILT (UK), CILT (Malta) will be running a Master's degree programme by distance learning starting in April 2005. The Master's programme will offer two streams - one in Logistics and another one in Passenger Transport. The Master's programme will be officially launched next month during the local annual conference.

BoV supports Maltese cultural activities in Libya

Bank of Valletta recently presented a cheque for Lm1,000 to Dr Richard Vella Laurenti, Malta's Ambassador in Libya.

The presentation was made by John Pollacco, manager of BoV's Libya Representative Office. The sponsorship will support a fund set up by the Maltese Embassy in Tripoli to help organise Maltese cultural activities in Libya.

During the sponsorship presentation, Mr Pollacco said: "Bank of Valletta's support towards this initiative stems from the bank's continuous support for cultural initiatives both locally and abroad, where the Bank has a presence.

"As a major Maltese institution operating in Libya, we are pleased to support those initiatives that help promote Malta's rich artistic heritage and the strong cultural ties that exist between the two countries."

Since the setting up of this fund, a number of cultural activities have been organised, namely lectures by Maltese professors in archaeology and literature, a series of art and photographic exhibitions and, lately, a grand concert given by the Maltese folk band Etnika at the Roman theatre of Sabratha that was very well attended by Libyans and foreign nationals who included several tourists and a good number of Maltese workers.

Thanking Bank of Valletta for its generous support, Ambassador Vella Laurenti expressed his appreciation for the bank's contribution and said that this would guarantee the further presence of Maltese artistic talent in Libya. Dr Vella Laurenti also thanked all Maltese companies that have contributed towards the success of these past events and noted that, besides seeking to unite peoples through culture, such activities elicit a lot of interest among Libyans since these events enjoy wide media publicity in Libya.

Frances Camilleri-Cassar, BA (Hons)(Econ.), MA (Soc.Stud.) was recently recommended for the award of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy with Distinction by the School of Sociology and Social Policy, University of Nottingham.

The thesis entitled "Gender Equality in Maltese Social Policy? Graduate Women and the Male Bread-winner Model" was supervised by Professor of Sociology and Social Policy Nick Manning and Reader of Social Policy Dr Gillian Pascall.

The Emeritus Professor of Social Policy, Paul Wilding, was external examiner.

The study asks whether Malta's claims to gender equality and its commitment to the European Commission to address gender gaps and promote family-friendly working arrangements are sustained in the context of more traditional features of Maltese society, its social policy and the labour market.

The thesis engages a mix of issues that weaves together government legislation and reports, European policy literature and primary data from interviews with graduate women about their experiences of gender equality policies and the work-life balance in terms of paid work and income, childcare, time distribution and voice in social and political institutions.

The doctoral study was sponsored by the University of Malta and the Ministry for Social Policy, Malta.

John A. Casaletto, MD, MRCSEd, was recently appointed Specialist Registrar in orthopaedic and trauma surgery by the Mersey Deanery in the UK.

The six-year training programme leads to the award of the Certificate of Completion of Specialist Training.

Mr Casaletto graduated as Doctor of Medicine and Surgery from the University of Malta in 1997 and was elected member of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh in 2001.

He underwent postgraduate training at St Luke's Hospital in Malta, the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital and University Hospital Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust in the UK.

He has published in peer-reviewed journals and has also presented research papers at a number of British and international meetings. The main areas of research were hand surgery, orthopaedic oncology and bone biomechanics.

Mr Casaletto is the son of Victor and Josephine Casaletto of Luqa. He is married to Ruth Casaletto née Theuma B.Pharm. (Hons), PGCE, and they have a two-year-old son, Luca.

Maltese national Dr Mario Garrett has been appointed chair of San Diego State University's newly formed Department of Gerontology, previously the Center on Aging at San Diego State.

As chair, Professor Garrett has plans for the department that will lead to offering a Ph.D. degree, as well as designs to develop a joint Master's in Law and Gerontology and Social Work and Gerontology.

Gerontology may not be as well-known as other programmes on campus and Dr Garrett is poised to put it on the map. Gerontologists study and apply their knowledge about the culture, physical, social, and economic conditions of older people.

Since aging affects all aspects of human activity, gerontology is multi-disciplinary in nature.

The mission of the gerontology programme is to provide a multi-disciplinary education based on a liberal arts and professional foundation.

This provides students with the knowledge and skills to understand gerontology and the aging processes in the social, culture, physical, familial, policy, and community contexts in which they occur and are experienced by people. It involves the generation, transmission, and application of gerontological knowledge.

The programmes produce students who think critically, solve problems and integrate a variety of perspectives, wisely use resources, and make informal decisions on aging issues, micro to macro.

Currently, gerontology offers the baccalaureate and Master's degree, as well as a certificate program. Programmes are designed to ensure, on graduation, that students are competitive in the demanding job market.

Dr Garrett is also focusing on applied research. Working with the faculty and students, the department is dedicated to teaching and being a resource to the university and the surrounding community.

The department's research foci include minority aging populations, and policy analysis and development.

Differences in culture leads to differences in needs; the study of these needs is of great importance when developing policies, programmes and services for the elderlycare community.

It is through these measures that gerontologists of today are working to improve the quality of life for the elderly and laying the ground- work for many generations to come.

The President and Mrs Fenech Adami's engagements - September 13-19

Tomorrow
10 a.m. The President receives Carmen Dalli, Consul of Malta in New Zealand, at the Palace, Valletta.

11 The President is presented with a donation in aid of the Malta Community Chest Fund (MCCF) by Joseph F.X. Zahra, Bank of Valletta chairman.

7 p.m. Mrs Fenech Adami presides over the August Moon Ball meeting at San Anton Palace, Attard.

8.35 The President and Mrs Fenech Adami attend a reception hosted by the Ambassador of Libya on the occasion of the National Day of Libya at the Corinthia San Gorg Hotel, St Julian's.

Tuesday
11 a.m. The President receives Dr Per Stig Moller, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Denmark, at the Palace, Valletta.

9 p.m. The President and Mrs Fenech Adami attend a reception hosted by the Prime Minister and Mrs Gonzi on the occasion of the Independence Day celebrations at the Upper Barrakka Gardens, Valletta.

Wednesday
9.30 a.m. The President receives the participants of the Malta International Training Course at the Palace, Valletta.

9.30 Mrs Fenech Adami presides over an MCCF meeting.

10 The President is presented with a donation in aid of the MCCF by the president and committee members of the Malta Aquatic Association from proceeds collected during the President's Cup Waterpolo Match.

10.30 The President is presented with a donation in aid of the MCCF by the headmaster of the Liceo Mikiel Anton Vassalli from proceeds collected during the football marathon.

11 The President receives members of the Royal Ulster Constabulary George Cross Association.

Thursday
10 a.m. The President is presented with the letters of credence by Belgian Ambassador Thomas Baekelandt at the Palace, Valletta.

11.15 The President is presented with the letters of credence by Palestinian Ambassador Jubran D. Taweel.

1.15 for 1.30 p.m. The President and Mrs Fenech Adami host an official luncheon in honour of the newly accredited ambassadors of Belgium and Palestine at San Anton Palace.

7.30 p.m. The President and Mrs Fenech Adami attend a concert organised by the Sta Lucija council at Gnien is-Serenità, Sta Lucija.

Friday
9.45 a.m. Mrs Fenech Adami presides over an MCCF meeting at the Palace, Valletta.

7 p.m. The President meets members of the Volkswagen Beetle Club at San Anton Palace, Attard.

8 The President and Mrs Fenech Adami attend a concert organised by BUAG Bank (Austria) on the occasion of their first anniversary at the Manoel Theatre, Valletta.

Malta and St Tropez Junior Chambers twin

Junior Chamber Malta (JCM), LOM de la Vallette, has signed a twinning agreement with Junior Chamber Economique du Golfe de Saint Tropez.

The agreement was signed between Maria Grech Sant, president JCM, and Marceau Bertero Niel, president of the Saint Tropez Junior Chamber. The event was witnessed by JC national president for France, Marie Hélène Houdin, national president Michael Ellul, and marketing director Dr Elaine Tabone Adami.

This event took place during a general assembly for the Junior Chamber organisations in the nearby region including Var, Toulon and Fréjus St Raphael in the presence of both JC national presidents.

Ms Grech-Sant said: "The aim of this twinning is to promote the exchange of culture and experiences and to work towards the development of leadership and entrepreneurship. This sustains Junior Chamber International's mission to contribute to the advancement of the global community by providing young people with the opportunity to develop the leadership skills, social responsibility, entrepreneurship and fellowship necessary to create positive change."

The visiting JCM members were hosted and entertained by members from JCE Golfe de Saint Tropez. This visit included a variety of events aimed at promoting both JCM and Malta in general.

On their arrival, the JCM delegation was welcomed at the St Tropez town hall by mayor Dr Jean Michel Couve, and by the Maltese Ambassador to France, Professor Salvino Busuttil. This visit coincided with that by Maltese Members of Parliament David Agius, Evarist Bartolo and Mario Galea, and the director of the Paris office of the Malta Tourism Authority, Robert Zammit.

The JCM visit marked the third St Tropez-Malta Classic Boat Race, known as the Bailli de Suffren, named after the famous Bailiff of the Order of the Knights of Malta and who was also Admiral of the French Navy of the time and whose name is synonymous with St Tropez.

For this purpose, the JCM delegation also attended a cocktail event at the Citadelle, presided by the Commodore of the race, Henri-Christian Schroeder. To mark this race the flag of Malta adorned the nearby Place des Lices and the seafront near the Suffren statue. On the day of the race, JCM members also attended the inaugural ceremony before the boats sailed to Malta via Corsica and Sicily.

During their visit, the JCM delegates were also invited by members of a sub-committee of the local council to visit the neaby hilltop town of Grimaud. This year, the town of Grimaud has selected Malta, as a new EU accession country, to be promoted for its culture and history and as a tourist destination among the citizens of Grimaud.

During this visit, the JCM team was guided around Grimaud and Port Grimaud and given the opportunity to promote Maltese culture. It is anticipated that some citizens and committee members from Grimaud will visit Malta later on in the year.

Overall, the visit was a unique experience both for the superb location it offered and as an opportunity to initiate strong personal friendships and organisational ties with members from JCE de St Tropez. JCM organises projects and events in four key areas of opportunity - business, individual, community, and international development.

The twinning agreement has served to strengthen JCM's international links. JCM is currently also twinned with British JC, JC Cyprus and JC LOM Ragusa.

For more information on Junior Chamber Malta and membership of the organisation visit www.jcmalta.org or e-mail JCM marketing director Elaine Tabone Adami on elaine.taboneadami@jcmalta.org.