Mario Philip Azzopardi, who will take up an appointment as V18 artistic director in the coming weeks, today apologised for a rant on Islam on Facebook "which could have offended the sentiments of some."
The V18 Foundation and Mr Azzopardi issued a joint statement this morning after Justice Minister Owen Bonnici yesterday said Mr Azzopardi's comment was "unwarranted" and did not tally with the government's position.
The foundation said Mr Azzopardi will become artistic director in January and was not in any way affiliated with it when he posted the comment.
"What Mr Azzopardi wrote reflects his personal opinion about IS (Islamic State) and extremist Islam. However, Mr Azzopardi is sorry if he was not clear or if what he said could be taken to mean he was against cultural diversity."
Mr Azzopardi said in the past regularly worked in societies and teams where diversity was celebrated in productions and projects inspired by his writings, both in Malta and abroad. He said he was sorry he could have insulted the people's sentiments with his writings.
The Foundation said that it believes that personal opinions should not be allowed to mix with the implementation of public positions; it disassociated itself from expressions which hindered intercultural dialogue and efforts in favour of solidarity.
The foundation also reproduced Mr Azzopardi's comment in full.
"Islam is a theocracy. Islam is Sharia law. Sharia law is the biggest collection of anti-human rights laws under one religious cap: islam. It goes round and round. How long are we ready to blind ourselves because of some kind of convoluted self-destructive political correctness? We in the west, our poets and writers, our philosophers and thinkers have waged war against the catholic and Christian theocracies AND WON, and our theologies CHANGED and reformed. These idiots (insults intended to the full sense of the word) are tied to a set of rules written 1500 years ago and have stuck to them. Ask any muslim if he believes in Sharia law. If he says no then he is not a muslim and can join our club, with full perks, rights and liberties. If one says he believes in Sharia law then there is where our conversation ends with me making sure that the idiot does not attain any political power whatsoever, at the risk of using violence against him. The same thing I would do to a Nazi, klux klux klan member and slave trader. These individuals have reneged on the values we cherish because their intent is to use our system to destroy it. What' so difficult to get about this. When are we going to wake up. This is a call to cultural arms".