Two packed houses at the Malta Drama Centre last weekend greeted an ensemble of African dance-drummers from the regions of the Belgian Congo. The 12 performers, from the Marsa Open Centre, performed popular Congolese dance theatre mixed with a super show of drumming.

“In African culture, the drum is a super projection of the human voice,” explained one refugee. “It represents a human force, especially when there is a need to communicate louder.”

A spokesman for the Malta Drama Centre said the project was to “celebrate the talents of the refugee artistes”, and an opportunity to show how Malta can confront prejudice and racism “through cultural connections and transitions”.