The Prime Minister, Joseph Muscat, said the Meludia music learning web application launched in Malta is an essential service that will be offered for free to Maltese citizens, much like the Microsoft Office toolkit which was offered for free to students during the previous administration.

The Meludia music website, founded by Vincent Chaintrier and Bastien Sannac, who have a combined experience in music composition and training of over three decades, is designed to make users discover and strengthen their music literacy.

Dr Muscat said that, once the idea of offering it for free was pitched to him by Cultural Ambassador, Joseph Calleja, and after seeing the cost-benefit analysis, "it was a no-brainer". Malta is the second European country after Estonia to be offering this service for free in what the Prime Minister described as a "socially just" and "democratic" way.

This app, said Dr Muscat, will "make us better people".

This sentiment was echoed by Culture Minister, Owen Bonnici, who started his address by saying that this was "a wonderful morning for culture". The minister said that by offering this service for free, the government is proposing art and culture as a tool to make people better persons.

The event was also addressed by the French Ambassador, Beatrice le Fraper du Hellen, who was proud that a French initiative was being taken on so wholeheartedly by the Malta. She said that, even though we do not speak the same language on a daily basis, we all speak the same language in terms of success not only being economic.

Joseph Calleja said the app will "revolutionise the way we learn music". All you need, said Mr Calleja, is a basic computer and internet set-up. He said that he looks forward to seeing a much larger number of Maltese people in the music industry in the future.