There will be a performance of the Oratorio San Gregorio Magno composed in the 1960s by the renowned organist Fr Karm Scerri, at the time Maestro di Cappella of the Cathedral Chapter, with lyrics by Albert Cassola. This will be the first time that the oratorio will be performed in public.

The concert, which will feature the 58-strong St Paul’s Choral Society, will be under the direction of Maestro Dr Hugo Agius Muscat.

The concert will be held under the patronage of the President of Malta, Dr Edward Fenech Adami.

The celebrations will start with an Armed Forces of Malta Band march down Republic Street, Valletta from Freedom Square. The march will start at 6.53pm. Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi will arrive in St John’s Square at 7.20pm, followed by President Dr Edward Fenech Adami five minutes later.

The national anthem will be played, following which Dr Fenech Adami will be escorted inside St John’s Co-Cathedral for the concert.

Inauguration of new light installation at Fort St Angelo

9.30pm The Minister for Resources and Infrastructure, the Hon. Ninu Zammit will preside over the inauguration of the new light installation at Fort St Angelo. The ceremony will be held at the Upper Barrakka Gardens, Valletta.

Parmalat scandal

Italian magistrates in Malta

Three Italian magistrates arrived in Malta yesterday to hold talks on the scandal involving Italian company Parmalat. Malta is mentioned as the base of operations of one of the firm’s subsidiary

companies.

The magistrates were involved in extensive meetings with people working at the Malta Financial Services Authority and representatives of the Attorney General’s office.

They are inquiring about Parmalat Capital Finance, a subsidiary company which is said to have had its base of operations in Malta.

Freddy Mizzi and his Band

11.15am Performance by Freddie Mizzi and his Band. The activity is sponsored by the Republic Street Business Community (11.15am to 12.30pm).

Great Siege Square, Valletta

Malta before History

In collaboration with the Ministry for Tourism and Culture and Heritage Malta, Miranda Publishers launch the book Malta before History under the distinguished patronage of the President of Malta.

To mark the occasion, a seminar about the prehistory of Malta will be held in the morning with contributions from each of the 10 authors of the book: Mr Anthony Pace, Dr David Trump, Prof. Anthony Bonanno, Mrs Ann Monsarrat, Prof. Frank Ventura, Mr Reuben Grima, Prof. Alex Torpiano, Dr Daniel Clark, Dr Michael Hughes-Clarke and Prof. Richard England. The seminar,which is open to the public, will also feature an exhibition and multimedia presentations and will also be addressed by Prof. Lord Renfrew

9am :Seminar open to the public (9am to 4.30pm)

8pm: Official launching of the book Malta before History under the distinguished patronage of the President of Malta.

National Museum of Archaeology, Valletta

Tomorrow’s programme

Choral/Orchestral Concert

8pm: Joseph Vella – Rebbieha – Symphonic Poem opus 45

Joseph Vella – symphony no 3 (The Apocalypse Verses) opus 105

With the participation of Joseph Mercieca (tenor), the Laudate Pueri Choir, the National Orchestra (leader: Marcelline Agius, conductor: Joseph Vella.)

Mdina Cathedral, Mdina

A limited number of invitations have been issued.

The public is invited to attend. Complimentary tickets are available from the offices of the Tourism and Culture Ministry, Auberge D’Italie, Merchants Street, Valletta or from the offices of the Malta Council for Culture and the Arts, Casa Gaspe, Republic Street, Valletta.

Presentation of EU flag by EU Parliament president

5.15pm: The president of the European Parliament, Pat Cox, presents the EU flag to Yvette Buttigieg and Robert Sammut, two youth representatives from Malta who will in turn present the flag of Malta to Mr Cox.

At the EU Parliament Building in Strasbourg.

Malta in the European Union – a step forward in history

6.30pm: Education, Youth and Employment Minister Louis Galea presides over an activity organised by the National Library. This activity consists of the launching of the facsimile of the work Giuoco d’Arme dei Sovrani e degli Stati d’Europa by Bernardo Giustiniani (translated from the French original by Claude-Oronce Fine’ de Brainville) printed in Naples in 1725, inauguration of the exhibition Malta in the European Union – a step forward in history and a short musico-literary programme featuring music and poetry with a Maltese/European theme.

At the National Library in Valletta.

Performances at Great Siege Square, Valletta

6.30-8.30pm: Various performances by local artists, singers and performers at Great Siege Square in Valletta.

The evening will come to

an end with an intervention

of the Minister for Urban Development and Roads, Mr Jesmond Mugliett, who will also inaugurate an exhibition on Vassalli’s works as well as launch the book Dawl gdid fuq Vassalli.

At the Library, University of Malta, Tal Qroqq.

Oratorio San Gregorio Magno

7pm: Repeat performance of the 16 April Oratorio San Gregorio Magno by the St Paul's Choral Society. The performance is open to the public free of charge.

At St John’s Co-Cathedral, Valletta.

Performances at Great Siege Square, Valletta.

7pm: Various performances by local youth bands at Great Siege Square, Valletta (7-9pm).

Performances at Great Siege Square, Valletta

10.30am: Various performances by local artists, singers and performers at Great Siege Square, Valletta (10.30am-12pm).

Festival L-Ghanja tal-Poplu

7.30pm: University of Malta, Tal Qroqq.

Tomorrow’s programme

Open Day at Malta Centre for Restoration

9am: Open Day at Malta Centre for Restoration, Bighi on the occasion of the Centre’s fifth anniversary (9am-8.30pm).

Performances by police contingent

6.30pm: A contingent from the Malta police will hold a Precision Drill Display at the Main Square at Kalkara and the Police Band will thereafter perform a concert of popular music (6.30-8.30pm).

Socjeta’ Filarmonika G. M. Fra Antoine De Paule

8pm: The Socjeta’ Filarmonica G. M. Fra Antoine De Paule is holding a concert at Antoine de At Paule Square, Paola.

Commemorative Gold Coin

Noon: The Central Bank of Malta launches a Commemorative Gold Coin.

At the Central Bank of Malta, Valletta.

Manoel Theatre EU Celebrity Concert

7.30pm: The Manoel Theatre Management Committee is holding a special Celebrity Concert with the participation of the National Orchestra, under the direction of Maestro Brian Schembri and with the participation of tenor Joseph Calleja.

In the second half of the programme, Mro Schembri will move on to conduct what is, by common consent, Tchaikovsky’s first symphonic masterpiece – his Fourth Symphony – which encompasses a wide range of forceful emotions with an impressive gamut of orchestral effects.

Under the distinguished patronage of President Edward Fenech Adami.

At the Manoel Theatre, Valletta.

Performances at Great Siege Square, Valletta

Various performances by local artists, singers and performers.

6.30pm: Introduction by Compere Chantelle Pace

6.35pm: Andonia Mallia

6.45pm: Dario Bezzina

6.55pm: Gracia Bezzina

7.05pm: Look Star School of Dancing (Part 1)

7.15pm: Mariah Mifsud Bonnici

7.25pm: Look Star School of Dancing (Part 2)

7.35pm: Jessica Magro

7.45pm: Louieí Noir Dancing School (Part 1)

7.55pm: Graziana Axisa

8.05pm: Louie Noir Dancing School (Part 2)

8.15pm: Funkstar and Group

8.25pm: Julie Pomorski

8.35pm: Tenor Aldo Busuttil

“We are anticipating a very large crowd for this show and have planned accordingly,” EU Celebrations Committee chairman Vince Cassar said yesterday during a press conference on traffic and transport arrangement in and around the Grand Harbour.

The Valletta ring road – between the Mediterranean Conference Centre and the Sea Malta offices – will be closed from 5.30pm. Crucifix Hill in Floriana will also be closed.

All parked vehicles should be removed by their owners by 4pm, otherwise they will be towed, the police warned. Assistant Police Commissioner Alfred Abela called on employees who work in establishments in these areas to park elsewhere on the day. Fort St Angelo will also be closed on the day.

The rest of the city will be open as usual, however the public is advised to use public transport.

The last buses will leave from the Valletta bus terminus at 12.30am and will follow the regular routes. There will also be a shuttle service between the MCC and the bus terminus.

A Gozo Channel ferry will leave for The Grand Harbour from Mgarr at 5pm and it will berth at the Deep Water Quay. It will return to Gozo after the celebrations, leaving at around 12.30am.

Apart from authorised vessels, which will be berthed beneath Lower Barrakka, no other sea vessels will be allowed inside The Grand Harbour.

Medical facilities coordinator Frans Cachia said every effort has been made to cover the whole area in terms of first aid.

The Floriana and Paola polyclinics will be able to attend to serious injuries while the Cospicua clinic will be open until 2am.

First aid posts manned by St Luke’s Hospital personnel as well as staff from St John’s Ambulance have been set up within five minutes from of other.

The Maritime Squadron and the Civil Protection Department will monitor the waterside with three dinghies which will be patrolling the area.

Performances at Great Siege Square

6.30pm: Various performances by local artists, singers and performers at Great Siege Square, Valletta.

Roots of the Maltese Nationhood

7.30pm: The President, Dr Edward Fenech Adami, opens the exhibition Roots of the Maltese Nationhood. The exhibition will be open until 31 July.

At the Salon, National Museum of Archaeology, Valletta.

Organ Concert with Chorale Improvisation

7.30pm: The Organ concert with Chorale Improvisation will be held at St John’s Co-Cathedral and is open to the public.