Love for the emigrant

The beginning of the 20th century was very difficult for the Maltese people. Poverty reigned among the workers' families because unemployment was high. Emigration was indispensable. A lot of workers had to emigrate to find work in another country. Thousands of Maltese and Gozitans looked for a new future in Australia, England, America and Canada. The Maltese emigrants were poor, illiterate and without any knowledge of the language of the country to where they emigrated. With determination and sacrifice, the Maltese and Gozitan emigrant managed to build a future for himself and his family. Above all he succeeded in forming societies and clubs where he could keep his Maltese identity.

In this regard, it is sure that the sojourn in America and Canada which the Philharmonic Society Nicolò Isouard of Mosta did will remain memorable especially for our emigrants. For them, the concerts put up by the Band in Dearborn, San Francisico and Millbrae in the United States of America as well as in Toronto, Canada, meant more than simply a musical programme. Above all they proved to be sincere friendship meetings where all those who accompanied the band realised the good done by the emigrants in promoting the Maltese name and how hard they work to keep the true Christian value and traditions of our ancestors.

With the help of Louis Vassallo, the vice president of the Philantropic Society Mosta Talent, this society had the unique opportunity to convey during this sojourn the good wishes to the emigrants. In fact, the vice president donated a number of books about the history and musical pieces of the Society together with some CDs with its official anthem and copies of the poem Lejn l-Art u s-Sema written by Frans Baldacchino Il-Budaj so that our emigrants will experience the benefits of this society, a society that strives to bring goodwill and happiness to all. It was a great experience for Mr Vassallo that enabled him to meet and demonstrate the cultural and philanthropic aims of the society to a number of friends and admirers of Mosta Talent Society, presidents and committees of the Maltese clubs, with the Governor of Millbrae, Nadia V. Holober, with the Maltese Honorary General Consul of San Francisco, Charles Vassallo and with the Bank of Valletta representative of Toronto Canada, Albert E. Vella.

It is deemed right that I publicly thank the president, Nazzareno Vassallo, and all the committee of the Philharmonic Society Nicolò Isouard who always offered their time to enable our representative to convey welcome messages during this historical sojourn between September 22 and October 8, 2004. I also wish to congratulate the bandmaster, Emanuel Spagnol, all the band musicians of this society for their success during this sojourn, who carved a good name for Mosta and did a great honour to our country.