The time has come for the National Archives of Malta to be considered by the public as the national institution they are, rather than simply as a branch of the National Library, according to Charles J. Farrugia, head of the archives at the old Santo Spirito hospital in Rabat.

He said the importance of the archives - which he described as "an important ingredient in our country's cultural heritage" - were unfortunately not always appreciated and many people were not even aware of their existence.

Raising awareness is precisely the aim of Archives Awareness Week 2003, on the theme Preserve to Serve, a weeklong programme of activities which end on Sunday. The activities are also aimed at making decision makers more aware of the importance of the records kept at Santo Spirito.

The archives are a mine of fascinating historical documentation, some touching on controversial issues that arose from time to time.

The George Cross on Malta's flag is one such issue. At the entrance to the archives is a framed copy of the document representing the letter by King George VI on the occasion of the granting of the honour to Malta.

The George Cross was awarded on April 15, 1942. King George wrote to the Governor on that day: "To honour her brave people I award the George Cross to the Island Fortress of Malta to bear witness to a heroism and devotion that will long be famous in history."

The question of whether the official flag of Malta consisted of white and red alone, or included the George Cross in the top left hand corner on a blue field, goes back at least to 1948.

Correspondence on the subject was exchanged between the Colonial Office of the time and the Governor of Malta.

The type of flag which was to be hoisted during the XIV Olympiad in London in 1948 was the topic of much government correspondence in the months leading to the event.

The same controversy arose during the Coronation celebrations of 1953, when Prime Minister Gorg Borg Olivier made it a condition of his attendance for the festivities that the traditional red and white flag alone should be flown to represent Malta in London.

Dr Borg Olivier expressed his position in a letter dated May 8, 1953: "As represented on various previous occasions Malta had its national colours centuries before its connection with Great Britain, and whatever custom may have arisen in the Colonies as regards their distinguished flag, has no reference or application.

"In the light of the foregoing, I feel I must again request that the decision to use the Blue Ensign together with the White and Red Flag be reconsidered and that the latter flag only in regard to Malta be flown during the Coronation festivities."

It turned out that the flag flown in London during the festivities was the traditional one showing the red and white colours only.

The matter was raised again in the build-up to Independence in 1964. The minutes in the official correspondence show the authorities discussing the possibility of removing the George Cross from the Maltese flag and even doubting whether there was ever an official approval to use it on the flag.

A wide range of authors and personalities are represented through their writings at the National Archives.

One of them is the author of The Lord of the Rings, J.R.R. Tolkien. The archives contain a reference letter by Tolkien for Richard Hope, head of Oratory School and tutor of Tolkien's three sons. The letter, dated October 15, 1938 was written when Tolkien was Professor of Anglo-Saxon at Pembroke College in Oxford. Mr Hope was then applying for a post with the Education Department in Malta.

An extensive collection of records relating to the Courts of Justice are housed at the Banca Giuratale, which forms part of the archives. The records cover the period 1530 to 1899.

Inventories, sketches and other types of records are often found as exhibits.

One of these records is a note from the French period listing the traitors, "traditori della patria". It was found affixed to a wall in an alley near Strada Santa Teresa in Cospicua and was handed over to the Criminal Court. It is dated August 10, 1798.

The programme of activities during Archives Week includes visits by school children, and a public lecture by the President on the importance of bequests for the history of the country by prominent Maltese. The lecture was given in the archives hall on Tuesday.

Other activities included a seminar on the use of reprographics as a tool for preservation, by Mr Farrugia, also at Santo Spirito, given yesterday, an Education Day tomorrow and an Open Day on Sunday between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m.

There will also be 'behind the scenes' guided tours at 10.30 and 11.30 a.m., and 12.30, 1.30, 2.30 and 3.30 p.m.

A photographic exhibition showing leading Maltese personalities by Tony S. Mangion is being held in the archives hall to coincide with the week.

A project through which the Friends of the National Archives are microfilming volumes relating to the British period from 1800, which are in a bad shape, was launched yesterday.

The National Archives were formerly housed at the Palace in Valletta before they were moved to Santo Spirito in 1994.