The Parliamentary Secretary for the EU Presidency 2017 and EU Funds Ian Borg today launched the official cultural programme of the 2017 Maltese Presidency of the Council of the EU, themed rEUnion. Dr Borg said that in a present reality where political unrest looms over the continent and the rest of the world, the spirit of reunion taken up by this culture programme is a much needed breath of fresh air. Culture is a single thread in different hues; uniting people from all walks of life, across nations, genders, age groups and class, in one melting pot of diversity and togetherness.
“The citizen is right at the centre of the 2017 Maltese EU Presidency, and this is reflected in the multidisciplinary nature of its varied culture programme, with over 90 different events set to take place across the Maltese Islands, in the central hub of Brussels, Luxembourg and Strasbourg, and across the globe,” Dr Borg said.
During his address, Dr Borg announced that the Official Opening Ceremony of the 2017 Maltese EU Presidency is scheduled for the 11th January and will take place at the Mediterranean Conference Centre. ‘BAHR’ will be performed by the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra under the direction of Mro. Brian Schembri, who will accompany national dance ensemble ŻfinMalta in their interpretation of Albert Garzia’s original music score composed for the occasion.
The Malta Philharmonic Orchestra, under Mro. Brian Schembri’s direction, will also be accompanying world-renowned Maltese tenor Joseph Calleja, in the concert set to herald in the 2017 Maltese EU Presidency on 16 January at the BOZAR Centre for Fine Arts in Brussels. The concert will feature classical masterpieces written by great composers, including three Maltese greats, Charles Camilleri, Carlo Diacono and Joseph Vella.
The culture programme will then take flight, with events coming from several different disciplines populating each of the six months from January to June 2017. Photography, painting, architecture, digital arts, music, singing, dance, theatre, fashion and history are among the different disciplines which make up this colourful cultural programme, which will feature both well-established and up-and-coming artists, both local and international.
In the spirit of rEUnion, Dr Borg explained that the 2017 Maltese EU Presidency culture programme encourages the participation of citizens, with several projects depending directly on the citizen’s involvement.
Apart from featuring the citizen as well as the artist in a variety of spaces, the 2017 Maltese EU Presidency culture programme also features the Maltese Islands and different aspects which make up their geographical, historical, anthropological and social realities. Among the most interesting events centred on the Maltese Islands, is the three-month exhibition ‘Malta – Land of Sea’, curated by Sandro Debono at the BOZAR Centre for Fine arts.
In his concluding remarks, Parliamentary Secretary Borg thanked Arts Council Malta and the Valletta 2018 Foundation for their collaboration and in putting together this varied culture programme. The full culture programme can be found on the official culture website for the 2017 Maltese Presidency of the Council of the European Union: reunion.org.mt.