The ambassador of Italy in Malta, Paolo Andrea Trabalza, assisted by Principal Education Officer at the Education Ministry Anthony DeGabriele, launched a competition among Maltese secondary schools to commemorate the bicentennial of the birth of Giuseppe Garibaldi (4 July 1807–2 June 1882), hero of the Italian Risorgimento and well known champion worldwide of democratic values and principles of the 18th century.

Sixteen schools, including one from Gozo, took part in the competition.

A programme to visit all the participating schools, coordinated by Mr DeGabriele, took place between 14 and 21 May. On these occasions, the ambassador was accompanied by the Italian Cultural Institute director Anna Maria Di Marco, Mr DeGabriele and Education Ministry education officer Bernadette Gerada.

The students and teachers of all the participating schools showed an impressive degree of commitment and enthusiasm and presented high-quality work on the life and personality of Garibaldi. The presence of the Italian hero in Malta in 1864 was particularly highlighted by Giovanni Curmi Higher Secondary School of Naxxar, which dedicated its exposition and representation to this event in the hero’s life.

All the participating schools will be awarded a certificate, while special prizes, donated by Middlesea Insurance, will be given to the three schools with the best performances. The first prize is Lm200, the second Lm150 and the third Lm100.

The money will be used for the improvement of teaching facilities in the department of Italian in the respective schools.

Due to the high level of participation, consideration is being given to the award of a further prize.

The prize-giving ceremony will be held on the occasion of the “VII Settimana della lingua italiana nel mondo” (VII Week of Italian Language in the World), which will take place in Malta, as well as in the rest of the world, from 22 to 27 October.