Work is currently under way by the Department of Culture to enlist the Maltese feast in the list of intangible cultural heritage under UNESCO, Arts Minister José Herrera said on Wednesday.

The minister was speaking during the launch of a national bands festival, to be held for the first time in May, should the health situation permit.

The festival will be open to all band clubs in Malta and Gozo. 

Four clubs will be selected to hold a programme in Cottonera in the second and third week of May, subject to public health regulations. Should it not be held in May, it will be moved to a later date.

It will be directed by Ray Sciberras and organised by the Cottonera Foundation and the National Band Club Association.

Herrera emphasised that such an initiative will stimulate more enthusiasm and interest in Maltese band clubs, which are an integral part of the Maltese identity. 
 
Cottonera Foundation chairman Glenn Bedingfield stated €20 million were being invested in a number of projects and initiatives. 

National Band Club Association president Noel Camilleri said that, through this initiative, Maltese band clubs are being given a national platform to showcase the musical talents of Maltese musicians. He said he looked forward to listen to the original compositions that will be submitted. 

Sign up to our free newsletters

Get the best updates straight to your inbox:
Please select at least one mailing list.

You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the link in the footer of our emails. We use Mailchimp as our marketing platform. By subscribing, you acknowledge that your information will be transferred to Mailchimp for processing.