A group of visually impaired persons who attend the SPERO Centre were recently involved in a dramatized version in Maltese of On His Blindness, the very famous poem by John Milton (1604-1678).  SPERO was established with the aim to train the visually impaired.

The performance was held at SPERO's premises in the presence of the Minster for the Family and Social Solidarity, Michael Farrugia, and Justyne Caruana, Parliamentary Secretary for the Disabled and Active Aging.  It involved 10 persons who are challenged by one form or another of visual impairment, including those evident at birth, trachoma and others brought on by serious eye injuries.

Also in the audience were family members, friends and employees in the social sector.

The performance kicked off with a short personal narrative by the participants, who introduced themselves to the audience. This was followed by the dramatization of the poem Milton wrote when he went blind at the age of 43.  Choral sections were interwoven with solo passages accompanied by pared down movements.

Both Minister Michael Farrugia and Parliamentary Secretary Justyne Caruana spoke about the inspiring effect of such projects while paying tribute to the courage and resilience of persons who live with challenging physical conditions.

The performance came to an end with a question and answer session involving the audience and the participants in this innovative initiative.

The project was coordinated by Mario Azzopardi, former director of the Malta Drama Centre.