The first graduation ceremony of the University of Malta for this year was held at the Jesuits’ Church in Valletta yesterday afternoon.
The head of the Oriental Studies Department and Confucius Institute co-director, Professor Anthony J. Frendo, delivered the oration, giving a historical account on the development of literacy from prehistorical times till today’s electronic revolution.
“The history of Europe and the Mediterranean of the past two and a half millennia bears clear witness to the fact that the invention of writing, and particularly of the alphabet, allowed societies to share their ideas and inventions in writing in a precise and generally unambiguous manner. Although research has shown that any idea, even if abstract, can be communicated through any system of writing, even when this is not alphabetic, the fact remains that the alphabet happens to be a very simple and effective tool of communication.
“However the alphabet on its own will not work miracles, and it is clear that in order to use it effectively one should learn how to transmit one’s ideas in a crisp and precise manner. This means that we should learn how to study well the grammar of the language which we choose to communicate in, and to ascertain that when we write we do so effectively, clearly, and precisely so as to actually write what we have in mind,” said Prof. Frendo.
He spoke on the consequences of using imprecise language to communicate ideas at the law courts, university, schools, insurance and business companies. “In such a scenario, we would be either at the losing end, or at best we would be asked to rewrite what we had set out to say in the first instance by making the necessary corrections, thereby ensuring that we communicate what we had in mind,” he said.
“As far as going back to basics goes, we should also remember the crucial role which our families play in the transmission of knowledge and wisdom,” he went on.
Prof Frendo concluded with an ancient Sumerian proverb, which goes, “The word of your mother, as if it were the word of your god, do not ignore it.”
Graduation ceremonies will continue until 4 December.
MASTER OF ARTS IN CREATIVITY AND INNOVATION
Sponsor: Dr S. Dingli
Rachael Rose BLACKBURN SCIBERRAS
Patrick CUSCHIERI
Carla FARRUGIA
Gavril FLORES
Kim GALEA
Esther HUY
Christopher MAGRI
Stella ROBERTSON
Kevin SCHEMBRI
Martin SCHWARZER
Andrea STELLATO
Zoltan WYSMYK
MASTER OF ARTS IN EUROPEAN STUDIES
Sponsor: Prof. P. G. Xuereb
Sarah ATTARD
Claudine BORG
Josephine BORG
Marvic BORG
Joseph BORG CAMILLERI
Clayton BUTTIGIEG
Moira CARUANA
Mariella GALEA
Donna MICALLEF
Laurabelle PORTELLI
Amanda SCIORTINO
Diane SEYCHELL
MASTER IN MEDITERRANEAN HISTORICAL STUDIES
Sponsor: Prof. D. Fenech
Charles Daniel SALIBA
Jennifer ZAMMIT
MASTER IN CONTEMPORARY DIPLOMACY
Sponsor: Prof. D. Fenech
Michael BULWAKA*
Rudaralingum COOPAMOOTOO*
Philip Donald KARGBO*
Liene NORBERG*
Uchenna OKOLI*
MASTER IN TRANSLATION
Sponsor: Prof. D. Fenech
Mary Jo CARUANA
Mariza PACE
Charlene SALIBA
MASTER OF ARTS
Sponsor: Prof. D. Fenech
Angele ATTARD
Bjorn AZZOPARDI
Karen BONANNO
Michael BONANNO
David BONELLO
Graziella BONNICI
Sarah BORG
James BRIDGES
Myriam CALLEJA
Reuben CALLUS
David CAMILLERI
Ylenia CAUCHI CARTER
Alessandro CRISTINA
Priscilla CUTAJAR
Romina DELIA
Marita EGERE
Fabrizio Emanuel ELLUL
Beverly FARRUGIA
Jason Joe FARRUGIA
Reno FENECH
Rachel FERRIGGI WALDRON*
Natasha GALEA
Domenic GARCIA
Sandra GAUCI
Sergio GRECH
Delia INGUANEZ
Stephen LUGHERMO
Marilyn MALLIA
Sarah Jane MICALLEF
Rene` MONSEIGNEUR
Rachel MUSCAT
Paul Simon PORTELLI
Denise PULIS*
Paul Claudio SALIBA
Bernadine SATARIANO
Claudia SCIBERRAS
Laura SGHENDO
Clive VELLA*
MASTER OF ARTS IN ISLANDS AND SMALL STATES STUDIES
Sponsor: Prof. L. Briguglio
Mario CAMILLERI
Mary Rose CINI
Liliana CURMI
Charmaine GATT
Selma GATT
Daniela GRECH
Isabelle VELLA
Robert XERRI
Vicky XUEREB
Flavia ZAMMIT*
MASTER OF ARTS IN CULTURAL HERITAGE MANAGEMENT
Sponsor: Prof. J. Cassar
Lisa Gwen BALDACCHINO
MASTER OF CONSERVATION IN APPLIED CONSERVATION STUDIES
Sponsor: Prof. J. Cassar
Claire BONAVIA
James B. CRAWFORD*
Antonia SAMMUT
MASTER IN THE SCIENCE OF PERFORMATIVE CREATIVITY
Sponsor: Dr S. Mercieca
Guillaume BOULAIS
Dimitros KAROGLOU*
Francesco MARTINO*
Marco MONTALTO
MASTER OF MUSIC
Sponsor: Dr S. Mercieca
Rita Antida SCICLUNA
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
Sponsor: Prof. D. Fenech
Albert BELL
Patricia MICALLEF
Michael REFALO
Stephen ZAMMIT
