Body and Soul, an exhibition of drawings by Milena Kunz-Bijno, was inaugurated at the Manoel Theatre last week.

The opening ceremony was attended by Malta International Art Biennale president Dame Françoise Tempra, Italian Cultural Institute director Dr Rosanna Cravenna, Malta Biennale vice-president and former Museums director Fr Marius Zerafa and Manoel Theatre artistic director Tony Cassar Darien.

Also present were German ambassador Georg Merten and Libyan ambassador Ali Mohamed Saleh Najem.

Italian-born Milena started her painting career at a very young age, and later on worked with Casorati, Roll and Spazzapan.

Being married to a German diplomat (former German Ambassador to Malta Gerhard Kunz) and travelling from India to South America and back to Europe, she found her artistic style by merging together Eastern and Western cultures. For the artist, the meeting point between these two proved to be the unfolding of human awareness.

Milena is known for her nude studies, some of which she has brought over to Malta. However, she is best-known for her Angels and for other works, including Carnevale Veneziano and Verdi, exhibited at the Manoel Theatre's atrium.

During the exhibition opening, Mr Cassar Darien thanked the artist for her contributions, while Ambassador Merten, insisting he was speaking as an art lover and not as a diplomat, invited all present to take a closer look at the paintings.

Ambassador Saleh Najem expressed pleasure on hearing about a planned Malta Biennale satellite show in Tripoli early next year.

The evening ended with a reception at Dame Françoise's residence in Mgarr, where the guests celebrated Milena's talent as well as Fr Zerafa's 50th anniversary of his ordination in Rome.

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The president of the Maltese Association of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, Dr Philip Attard Montalto, recently presented certificates to Mgr John Azzopardi, Mgr Philip Calleja, Mgr Lawrence Gatt and Mgr John Gauci, during a ceremony at the association's headquarters in Valletta.

They have been promoted by Grand Master Fra Andrew Bertie from magistral chaplains to conventual chaplains ad honorem.

Dr Attard Montalto praised the monsignors and thanked them for their contribution to the Order and to Maltese society. He described them as exemplary, dedicated and hardworking.

Consul-general honoured in US

The Honorary Consul general for Malta in Detroit, Larry J. Zahra, was recently honoured during a special presentation at the Maltese American Community Club in Oakman Boulevard, Dearborn, Michigan, USA.

Mr Zahra was honoured by Malta's ambassador to the US, George Saliba (who has since been succeeded by Mr John Lowell) and Dearborn Heights City council chair and club member, Elizabeth Agius.

President Guido de Marco named Mr Zahra as an officer of the National Order of Merit during Republic Day last year.

New educational game launched

"Challenge - the Temples & Ruins of the Maltese Islands", an educational board game on Maltese history, was launched recently at a reception at St James Cavalier, Valletta. Minister for Resources and Infrastructure Francis Zammit Dimech was the guest of honour.

The game, designed by Nikita Arnett and Lidia Oukhaneva, is a learning experience with questions being asked on our heritage and culture. "In this day and age when heritage is crumbling, it is important for us to preserve this cultural heritage," Ms Arnett said.

Printed in Indonesia on a fair trade basis with the money going directly to the people who make it, the game for up to five persons can also be played in teams. The figurines are made of terracotta and the dice are handmade of wood. If a question is not answered correctly participants miss a go.

Ms Arnett explained the game's concept and also spoke of her experiences as a dyslexic at school at a time when it was not recognised. "Dyslexia is not a handicap and we are not stupid," she added.

She thanked the sponsors: Eve Publications Ltd, Joseph Xuereb of Aw Tribu Tip-Top, St James Cavalier and the Education Minister, who was represented by Mr Frans Borg and Mr Winston Zammit.

Ms Oukhaneva, a psychotherapist at the Holistic Living Centre, spoke of the importance of education without stress. The new game is aimed to help people to put fun into learning. "Malta and Russia are very close and have a lot in common, with many artifacts from Malta having found their way to Russia following the expulsion of the Knights of St John."

Ms Arnett said that Lm1 from every game bought is being put in a trust fund for the Maltese neolithic temples. The two designers aim to print a new set of questions to add variety and more educational information.

Among the guests were Labour MP Leo Brincat, the Italian ambassador, Dr Alvise Memmo, the German Ambassador, Mr Georg Merten, Mrs Milena Kunz, Mr Alex Agius Cesareo, Malta's Ambassador to Hungary, local councillors and other guests.

Disco party at St Edward's College

Another in the series of disco parties for Senior School students from all over the island was held in the St Edward's College Hall which was set up for the occasion with special lights, professional 6K sound equipment, special effects and with super DJ Gianni in attendance. No alcohol or smoking were allowed.

Girls and boys turned up in large numbers and the majority came in fancy dress for the occasion. Starting at 8.30 p.m., the music and the dancing went on till midnight and when the DJ Gianni had to leave, Richard Cassar (Year 11) and Maurizio Baldacchino (Year 10) took over and did a good job!

A good number of those present were Year 11 boys and girls aged 15 and this augurs well as usually, at this age, the younger generation would not attend parties with no alcohol and no smoking.

Proceeds from the disco will go in the Senior School fund, from which a new DVD and new speakers have been bought for the Audio-visual room and, more recently, a new digital camera for Senior School use.

Singer of the Year Award 2002

Singer Duo Leonard and Louise have won the Models-1 International Singer of the Year Award. Last year Models-1 International successfully organised four national singers' festivals.

Participants were judged by professional vocal tutors and singers on their vocal ability, interpretation and stage personallity. Faced with tough competition from about 100 singers, Leonard and Louise managed to obtain the highest aggregate score.

On the final night held at the Crowne Plaza, Sliema, they gave an excellent interpretation of We've got tonight.

The duo were presented with a trophy, a free photo session and a trip to Tunisia.

Cuschieri - Chircop

Married recently at Our Lady of Sorrows parish church, St Paul's Bay, were Ritienne Cuschieri, daughter of Mr and Mrs Anthony Cuschieri of St Paul's Bay, and Kevin Chircop, son of Mr and Mrs Philip Chircop of Mosta.

Nuptial Mass was celebrated by Fr Tonio Mifsud. Mr Stephen Cuschieri, the bride's brother, and Mr John Bugeja witnessed the wedding ceremony. Mr Anthony Azzopardi was best man.

The bride was attended by her sister Ms Karen Grima, and by flower girls Martina Bezzina and Therese Borg. Andrea Galea Musù was the ring-bearer and Isaac Chircop was pageboy. Mr Pierre Galea Musù and Mr Michael Chircop were ushers.

A reception was later held at the Coastline Suite, Coastline Hotel, Salina. The couple spent their honeymoon in Austria.

People

Dr Daren Caruana has been awarded the Marlow Medal, annually awarded by the Faraday Division of the Royal Society of Chemistry, for his contribution to electrochemical techniques.

The award, which consists also of a £500 prize for the most meritorious contributions to physical chemistry or chemical physics, is made on the basis of publications on any subject normally published in the Journal of Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics.

Dr Caruana graduated in Biochemistry from the University of Warwick in 1990. He obtained a Ph.D. in Electrochemistry from the University of Southampton, specialising in enzyme-based biosensors and microelectrodes, under the supervision of Professor Phil Bartlett.

He worked with Professor Joe Bannister at the University of Malta working on environmental electroanalysis. He later moved to the University of Texas, in Austin, to work with Professor Adam Heller on DNA chips. He returned to the UK to work with Professor David Williams at the University College in London on solid-state gas sensors for ozone measurement.

Dr Caruana was appointed lecturer in Chemistry at UCL in 1999.

Since at UCL, he has started an interdisciplinary research group to continue his work in bioelectrochemistry, and to investigate the electrochemical properties of ionised gases.

His gas phase electrochemistry work represents a novel area of chemical research with the basic rationale of considering the ionised combustion media as an electrolyte.

He has developed a two-compartment electrochemical cell composed of two individual flames, essentially similar to a traditional battery made up of a positive terminal and a negative terminal. The ultimate goal of this work is to apply other essential applications, and to develop new strategies and analysis for electroplating and for using electrodes in gases and not in liquids. The advantage is that there will be no need of dangerous chemicals which require expensive disposal.

The President and Mrs de Marco's engagements April 7-12

Tomorrow
11 a.m. The President receives Russian ambassador Valentin S. Vlasov at the Palace, Valletta.

Noon The President receives Vittoriosa mayor John Boxall, accompanied by the councillors.

Tuesday
10 a.m. The President receives Federation of Industry president Anton Borg, accompanied by the newly elected committee, at the Palace, Valletta.

12.30 p.m. The President receives International Maritime Law Institute director Professor David Attard.

Wednesday
11.30 a.m. The President receives Apostolic Nuncio Mgr Luigi Conti, at the Palace, Valletta.

7.15 p.m. The President inaugurates an exhibition in connection with Holy Week at the Duke of Connaught's Own Band Club, Birkirkara.

8 The President attends a reception hosted by the president and council members of the George Cross Island Association on the 61st anniversary of the award of the George Cross to Malta, at the Malta Union Club, Sliema.

Thursday
10 a.m. The President receives Model European Parliament Foundation secretary-general Anna van Sminia, at the Palace, Valletta.

Noon The President receives Angelo Dalli, lecturer at the University of Malta and Research Associate at the University of Sheffield, and is presented with a joint Maltese-Australian study about the Maltese language.

Friday
9 a.m. The President attends Mass on the feast of Our Lady of Sorrows at Ta' Giezu church, Valletta.

Saturday
11.30 a.m. The President and Mrs de Marco vote in the general elections at Dun Frans Camilleri School, Hamrun.

For your diary

A bazaar is being organised at the Little Sisters of the Poor, Hamrun, on Tuesday from 9 a.m. to noon and from 1.30 p.m. to 5.30.

The annual general meeting of the King's Own Malta Regiment Association will be held at the association's club, Castille Place, Valletta, tomorrow at 6 p.m.

Caritas co-operators are organising a morning activity at the Inter Continental Hotel, St Julian's, on Wednesday. The activity starts with a welcoming coffee at 10 a.m., followed by a spring window box and planters presentation by Mary Mangion at 11 a.m. Mass celebrated by Mgr Victor Grech will be held at noon, followed by lunch at Harruba Restaurant at 1 p.m.

For bookings contact Marielouise Mifsud (tel: 2133-0471), Mary Darmanin Demajo (2131-3486), Josephine Farrugia (2132-0016), or Phyllis Ciappara (2134-2910).

The International Wives' Association is holding the April bazaar at Dar l-Emigrant, Valletta, on Wednesday from 9.30 a.m. to 11.30.

Ward U Zghar is organising a talk on drugs, led by assistant police commissioner Michael Cassar, at Centru Hidma Socjali, on Wednesday at 7 p.m.

A Mission Bazaar at Kings Shop, Tower Road (opposite Wanderers Club), Sliema, will be held until Sunday from 9.30 a.m. and 1.30 p.m. There will be big bargains.

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