The Embassy of Spain in Malta recently hosted over 50 students of Spanish from three Maltese State Schools at the Embassy’s residence, at what has become an annual day of open doors at the Embassy to celebrate the Spanish language.

Participants this year came from St Theresa College, Girls Junior Lyceum, Birkirkara; St Maria Regina College Girls Secondary, Mosta and St George Preca Girls Secondary Lyceum, Hamrun.

In welcoming the students, the Spanish Ambassador, Felipe de la Morena, referred to the importance of the Spanish language, spoken by over 500 million people, and the remarkable growth in the use and learning of Spanish worldwide. He also praised the teachers and Spanish language assistants for all their efforts.

Alessia Cilia Portelli and Antoinette Zammit, members of the Department of Spanish and Latin American Studies at the University of Malta spoke of the BA Hons. in Spanish and Latin America Studies and the Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) in Spanish, and in particular about the opportunities that learning Spanish offer to students in Malta.

Finally, a third-year student, Sarah Darmanin spoke about her personal experience as a learner of Spanish, why she felt attracted to the Spanish language and culture, and her plans for the future.

Following the speeches, the secondary schools participated in a talent show, followed by a number of team games related to the Spanish language and culture. Kelly Marie Cassar Hili, a young student of Spanish from St Maria Regina College Girls Secondary, won the first prize of the Talent Show by playing two Spanish songs with an acoustic guitar and singing them accompanied by one of the Spanish language assistants, Fedra Vicente López.

The second prize went to Samoa Attard, Britney Spiteri and Marilyn Scicluna from St George Preca Girls Secondary Lyceum who danced to the song Ponte las pilas while the third prize went to Samira Axiak and Christa Ellul from St Maria Regina who sang and danced to a Spanish song.

Regarding team games, St George Preca Girls Secondary Lyceum won the first prize.