“The success of Maltese lace-makers lies in their unity. It is now time to move forward, and take lace-making to another level – from a part-time hobby to an enterprise.”
Parliamentary Secretary for Small Business and the Self Employed, Edwin Vassallo was speaking at the opening of the Malta Lace Day. This was the fourth edition of this event, which is organised by the Malta Lace Guild.
Mr Vassallo admired the displayed works and the skills of those who were working lace on-site. He said that “interest in lace-making has been rekindled and is experiencing a newly-found popularity. There is an increasing variety in the type of lace being made, with new ideas being introduced, both from local lace-makers and from abroad. Our lace-makers are extremely talented, and are passing on skills which make Maltese lace exceptional. We need to continue nurturing these skills and also need to appreciate each other’s work. Your success depends on your unity, and membership in the Malta Lace Guild, or in the Lace Co-operative, ensures that you work together for the good of this craft. Working in a team strengthens the individual.”
He added that there is scope to turn lace-making into a business venture. “We need to make lace products more available. I have often heard people saying that they would like to buy Maltese lace, but are not sure where to find such products. You will probably disagree with this, but it is now up to you to promote your work in order to turn it into a profitable venture. We have excellent lace products available, and tourists and locals alike are interested in buying these products.”
Mr Vassallo also suggested a form of public registration, whereby a list of all lace-makers could be made available to those interested in purchasing lace. He also encouraged the Malta Lace Guild to set up a web-site, and offered the help of the secretariat in its creation. The site would not only provide information about lace-making and its history, but could also have an online shop available to all those who would like to purchase lace easily.
Also present for the occasion were the Malta coordinator of the Lace Guild, Margaret Farrugia, and the chairperson of the Malta Lace Guild, Consiglia Azzopardi. Mrs. Azzopardi thanked the Parliamentary Secretary Edwin Vassallo for being present and said that “Maltese lace-making is an art-form in its own right, with its own techniques, which, although having been influenced by European techniques throughout the centuries, has developed a technique that is uniquely Maltese. Until a couple of decades ago, lace-making was an activity carried out almost exclusively by older women who had spent their lives perfecting their skills. Nowadays, more and more people of all ages (and both sexes) are taking up this craft, attending courses that are being held at the University Gozo Centre and elsewhere. We need to work together to keep this art alive and must do all we can to re-discover this beautiful and delicate craft.”
Mr Vassallo was presented with a memento in the form of a print and a lace sample. He concluded by encouraging more people to take up this craft and once again expressed his hope that the business opportunities are taken advantage of.