The Union Haddiema Maqghudin (UHM) is organising UHM Sajf 2006 opposite Fra Ben in Qawra this weekend as part of the activities to mark its 40th anniversary.
This is the sixth edition of UHM Sajf and it has been planned on a bigger dimension than usual, said UHM president Gaetano Tanti when speaking to the media in Qawra yesterday afternoon.
The festival started yesterday evening and will run until tomorrow. The activities will be a live spectacle of light and music in an environment of a Maltese feast, said Mr Tanti. “It is an occasion for us to meet various families and have a good time together,” he added.
UHM secretary general Gejtu Vella said that the union would like to take this opportunity to discuss ideas and issues with people attending the festival, in order to sustain the union’s work throughout the year – that of protecting workers’ and pensioners’ rights.
The social and economic aspects of the country require much dedication, for the benefit of our children, said Mr Vella, while adding that UHM has grown considerably over the past 40 years.
However, he expressed his concern over the fact that everything tends to take a political slant in the country. “It is everyone’s country and in order for it to grow and prove successful, we must all work together. It must not be a question of them, us and the others,” Mr Vella insisted.
He added that “we should now take advantage of the fact that we are European Union members, and being the smallest country in the union, we should all pull the same rope. Let’s stop thinking in terms of what we can gain as individuals. Let’s not be partisan and parochial in our approach,” said Mr Vella.
He said that UHM has grown to be the second largest union in the country, adding that the results obtained over the years by an increasing number of people joining the union speak for themselves.
Mr Vella insisted that the union’s success as an independent union is the result of the credibility it managed to achieve among a large number of people and this is due to the fact that the union is always there for workers, pensioners and their children.
“There is a strong need for independent unions in the country, as happens in the rest of Europe, because the primary importance is to come up with proposals for the country to improve”, said Mr Vella.
Today’s activities for UHM Sajf include shows by the Big Band Brothers, Nadine Axisa, Olivia Lewis, Cats dance group and the popular team from the television programme Zinners.
Tomorrow’s activities will include the participation of Malta’s representative at this year’s Eurovision song contest, Fabrizio Faniello, among other local artistes. The festival will run from 8pm onwards and will include children’s activities. Seating facilities will be provided for everyone.