Qormi - the town of bakeries

Having produced bread for hundreds of years, Qormi, or Casal Fornaro (the town of bakeries) as it is known, is famous for the quality of Maltese bread produced by its numerous bakeries.

In 2002, the Qormi Youth Centre took part in a European Youth Initiative Project, organised by a group of youths and members of the St Sebastian Youth Centre called Roots.

The aim of Roots was to promote Qormi's rich culture and treasures, which is why part of the project was dedicated to the most synonymous aspect of Qormi's culture - the breadmaking tradition.

The 2002 Bread Festival was the first of its kind and a big challenge for the youths. But the challenge was met and now the festival is a annual fixture on the organisation's calendar.

The festival usually lasts three days and takes the form of a typical Maltese festa on the St Sebastian church vestibule, a stone's throw from the exhibition.

Every year the Youth Centre members introduce different topics to the exhibition (albeit related to bread-making) to keep the festival fresh. These have included wine-making, the production of olive oil and the history of transportation used to deliver bread all over Malta.

Unfortunately, most of these traditions are dying out, but the Qormi St Sebastian Youth Centre is, in its own way, doing what it can to help promote the revival of these crafts. The youths also learn a lot about their own town through the necessary research needed to compile interesting information on different subjects for the festival.

This information is displayed in the form of an exhibition, and more recently projected onto a big screen. Visitors can taste the delicious, freshly baked bread so proudly produced by the local bakers at the festival. It is accompanied by Maltese cheeselets, dried or fresh tomatoes, bigilla, Maltese sausage and other mouth watering delicacies, and generally washed down by a glass of local wine.

Maltese folk music and dancing and even the parish's band also participate.

Due to its popularity, changes in venue and duration are being introduced this year. The exhibition will take place at Ir-Razzett l-Antika restaurant which is making the Qormi people proud of its traditional cuisine - and will be held over seven days starting on September 23.

The Bread Festival will still be held on the vestibule of the St Sebastian parish church and will take place on September 25 organised by the Qormi St. Sebastian Youth Centre in collaboration with the Qormi council.

This year's event strives to bring out the history of Qormi providing both the participants and the audience with a positive and enriching experience. And above all has enabled us youths to participate in a project that tests our group interaction skills to the limit.