Heard in the Hive

HSBC Bank Malta p.l.c., for the fourth consecutive year, is one of the main contributors to this year's Christmas decorations of Republic Street in Valletta.

HSBC's area manager, James Dunbar Cousin, presented the contribution to the president of the Republic Street Business Community Association, Victor Fenech Azzopardi.

"HSBC is again delighted to have been able to take part in the Republic Street Christmas decorations, which apart from being one of Malta's busiest shopping streets, also houses HSBC's Head Office," said Mr Dunbar Cousin. "All the crowds who pass through Republic Street on a daily basis during this Christmas season will surely appreciate the decorations and lighting which significantly enhance the Christmas atmosphere."

Mr Fenech Azzopardi thanked HSBC for their contribution, which helped in the commissioning of the special design created for Republic Street.

The Republic Street decorations for Christmas 2003 were organised by the committee of the Republic Street Business Community Association together with the Valletta Rehabilitation Committee and the National Festivities Committee.

Altar Servers Society reunion

The Altar Servers Society recently organised a re-union to mark its foundation, 30 years ago, at Our Lady of the Sacred Heart parish church in Sliema.

Back then, the society gathered some 110 young boys.

The celebration started with a Mass officiated by former director Fr Mark Enriquez, OFM, assisted by former assistant director Fr John Azzopardi, OFM. The Mass was offered for the repose of the souls of seven deceased members, and for the physical and spiritual needs of all participants. Photos of the deceased were placed close to the altar during the Mass. Two of the first members served at the Mass.

Special guests were Mr Lino Grech and Mrs Iris Riviera, who had contributed time and effort to the society.

After Mass, all present were entertained at the Sliema Band Club where past experiences were shared. A photo exhibition was set up to recall past endeavours. Old video clips were also shown to highlight the celebration.

The members also exchanged their mailing addresses, hoping to keep in touch and be able to organise another reunion in the near future.

Association of Maltese Communities of Egypt annual dinner

The Association of Maltese Communities of Egypt recently held its annual dinner-dance at the Imperial Hotel, London.

The guests of honour among the 142 diners were the High Commissioner of Malta and Mrs George Bonello Du Puis.

Following an excellent dinner, Mr Ivan Magri-Overend, president of the association, proposed the loyal toast to the Queen, and Oscar Mario Vella, secretary a toast to the President of Malta.

Herbert Magri-Overend, vice-president, welcomed the guests and mentioned the strong feeling of being Maltese by the membership, and the pride in their Maltese heritage. Dr Bonello Du Puis replied and continued in the same vein, and listed the factors contributing to the strength and unity among those of Maltese ancestry.

The evening progressed with dancing to Complesso Fantini, until the early hours of the morning.

The association acknowledges and thanks the advertisers who helped to defray the cost of the function: Air Malta, Malta Direct Travel, HSBC (Malta), and the association's printers Chipperfield Press. The association also thanks the kind contributors of prizes to the raffle, including Air Malta and Malta Direct Travel.

The association will be celebrating its 150th anniversary of its founding in Alexandria, Egypt, next year, and is planning several functions to make it a year to remember.

Appointed consul of Kazakhstan

Mr George Pisani has been appointed honorary consul of Kazakhstan in Malta. This was announced by the Ambassador of Kazakhstan, Mrs Byrganym Aitimova, at a reception she hosted at the Corinthia Palace Hotel, Attard, last Wednesday, to mark her country's Independence Day.

Ambassador Aitimova, who is resident in Rome, welcomed the guests, who were led by the President, Professor Guido de Marco. They included the Prime Minister, Dr Fenech Adami, the Minister of Tourism, Dr Francis Zammit Dimech, the Deputy Speaker, Mr Carmelo Abela, the Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop Felix del Blanco Prieto, the American Ambassador and Mrs Anthony Gioia, the Italian Ambassador, Dr Alvise Memmo, the French Ambassador, M. Patrick Chrismant, other members of the diplomatic corps, and members of the business community and of the consular corps, led by their president, John Gauci Maistre.

Also present were the honorary consul's wife, Ms Monica Pisani, and Mr Karmenu Vella, MP, and Mr Alfred Fabri from the Corinthia Group.

Ambassador Aitimova said her country has made great progress since it achieved independence on December 16, 1991, after the collapse of the former Soviet Union.

The sprawling country, which has a total area of 2.7 million square kilometres and is the ninth largest in the world (five times the size of France), is home to 15.6 million people, and though the Kazakhs make up 53 per cent of the population, there are 130 ethnic minorities, led by the Russians with 30 per cent, but also Ukrainians, Uzbeks, Germans and Tatars. Although Muslims are a relative majority, there is a sizable proportion of Russian Orthodox adherents.

The country is very rich in natural resources, particularly oil, gas and minerals.

The Ambassador remarked that despite its ethnic diversity, Kazakhstan is a thriving democracy. She said diplomatic relations with Malta were established ten years ago, but now with the appointment of an honorary consul, she hoped that trade, economic and cultural relations betweeen the two countries will grow.

She then asked President de Marco to address the gathering, after describing the Maltese head of state as an internationally known statesmen, well known in Europe and even in her country. She also congratulated Dr Fenech Adami on being chosen European of the Year by European Voice.

President de Marco said Kazakhstan was a huge country at the crossroads of Europe and Asia and blessed with a wealth of natural resources. Besides, its leadership was committed to democracy and stability. Its GDP growth in the last three years was truly impressive.

This is a young country, as Malta was, after all. It was good to feel young, but a country could be young and old at the same time, thanks to the experience of its leaders.

President de Marco said that the choice of George Pisani, a friend of his for many years, was an excellent one. The Pisani family, after all, had started from modest beginnings in the very villa they were standing in, to the Corinthia Group of today, with its far-flung international presence.

The Kazakhstan honorary consulate is at Il-Hofra, Triq Santa Katerina, l/o Gharghur (tel. 9949-3096).

The President and Mrs de Marco's engagements December 15-21

Tomorrow
10 a.m. The President and Mrs de Marco attend a Mass for schoolchildren and are presented with donations in aid of the Malta Community Chest Fund (MCCF) by various schools in Gozo at San Lawrenz parish church.11.30 The President pays an official visit to the locality of San Lawrenz.
6.30 p.m. The President inaugurates an exhibition of works of art by Lisa Zanatta Pistorio at the Italian Cultural Institute, Valletta.
7.30 The President attends a reception hosted by the mayor and councillors of Hamrun.
8.30 The President attends a reception hosted by Col. S.M. Fadda, head of the Italian military mission in Malta, at the SAS Radisson Hotel, St Julian's.

Tuesday
9.30 a.m. The President and Mrs de Marco attend a Mass for schoolchildren and are presented with donations in aid of the MCCF on Freedom Square, Valletta.
11.30 The President receives the president and executive council of the General Workers Union at the Palace, Valletta.
12.30 p.m. The President receives Dr Giorgio Boggio, former head of the Delegation of the European Communities.

Wednesday
10 a.m. The President receives pupils from St Monica School, Mosta, and is presented with a donation in aid of the MCCF at the Palace, Valletta.
11 The President pays an official visit to Simonds Farsons Cisk Brewery in Mriehel.
1 p.m. The President attends a luncheon organised by the Chamber of Advocates on the occasion of the feast of St Ives, patron saint of lawyers, at the InterContinental Hotel, St Julian's.
6.30 The President and Mrs de Marco attend a reception hosted by Mr Naceur Mestiri, Ambassador of Tunisia, at his residence in Attard.

Thursday
10.15 a.m. The President is presented with credentials by Mr Paul Skytte Christoffersen, Ambassador of Denmark, at the Palace, Valletta.
11.15 The President is presented with the letters of commission by Mr Rodney M. Perera, High Commissioner of Sri Lanka.
1.15 for 1.30 p.m. The President and Mrs de Marco host an official luncheon in honour of the newly accredited Ambassador of Denmark and High Commissioner of Sri Lanka at San Anton Palace.
6 The President receives Mr Alexei Yu Meshkov, Deputy Prime Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, at the Palace, Valletta.
7 The President inaugurates the new premises of the Aircraft Owners' and Pilots Association at Luqa Airport.

Friday
10.30 a.m. The President and Mrs de Marco present various donations to individuals and institutions on behalf of the MCCF at the Palace, Valletta.
11.30 The President is interviewed by Ms Antonia Micallef for Radio 101.
12.30 p.m. The President receives Mr Naceur Mestiri, Ambassador of Tunisia, and is presented with the Golden Medal donated by H.E. Mr Ben Ali, President of Tunisia.
1.30 p.m. The President is interviewed by Mr Ray Abdilla from XFM News.

Saturday
10 a.m. The President delivers Christmas and New Year greetings as part of the Milied Flimkien 2003 campaign at Freedom Square, Valletta.
6 p.m. The President attends a reception hosted by the 1st Hamrun Scout Group at their premises in Hamrun.
7.15 The President and Mrs de Marco attend a concert in aid of the Astra Theatre, Gozo, at the Mediterranean Conference Centre, Valletta.

For your diary

A joint exhibition of plant jewellery by students of the Micallef Grimaud ladies, and a painting exhibition by members of the Micallef Grimaud family, is being held at the Lapsi Hotels, Balluta Bay, St Julian's, until Saturday.