Valletta 2020 conference this week

With Valletta 2020, the national conference, just six days away, preparations are in full swing. After last Sunday's report in The Sunday Times, the organisers were inundated with e-mails and telephone calls, all seeking more information or pledging their support. The list of supporting organisations is getting longer each day.

Edgar Mifsud, co-ordinator of the conference and director of Valletta specialist estate agency Citypro, said: "We are astounded by the interest this conference has generated. We are now acknowledging a very positive fact: there is a huge number of people and organisations who have Valletta at heart, and have their own specific ideas on what Valletta should be, and how to get there.

"The conference's Website has had more than 600 hits in such a short span of time. This conference aims to bring these people to discuss their ideas and network together. This is a prelude of better times for our capital city. Valletta is not just Malta's capital city. It is a European city and a World Heritage site. Valletta needs to rise to higher status, where it really belongs."

The conference will feature an introduction by Paul Borg Olivier, Mayor of Valletta, as well as keynote speeches by David Felice, partner at AP; Martin Scicluna, executive president, Din l-Art Helwa; Rev. Professor Peter Serricino Inglott, Malta representative to the European Convention and Valletta resident; and Luca Molinari, editor of various architectural publications, and architecture consultant for the Triennale of Milan, brought over courtesy of Mario Buontempo Tours, Valletta.

The conference will be moderated by Vicky-Anne Cremona, head Theatre Studies, University of Malta. The speakers will then be followed by workshops in the afternoon, where participants can air their views and discuss issues on the future of Valletta. The conference will end by listing the priorities for the future of Valletta. Thus, the conference will be a start, looking forward to concrete action for the benefit of Valletta.

Valletta 2020 will be held on Saturday, at St James Cavalier Centre for Creativity, Valletta. Registration will open at 8.30 a.m., and the conference starts at 9 a.m. and ends at 5 p.m.

For more information and booking check the conference's Website on www.valletta2020.org, e-mail info@valletta2020.org, or phone 2121-1435/9949-9618.

Here are some more reactions to the conference:

Finally some pro-activity is being organised in the form of a one day conference, Valletta 2020.

Valletta has a lot of history, no doubt, but it has much more future. I hope Valletta 2020 succeeds in its aim to provide a time and space for retrospective dialogue with future-spective, and lateral thinking.

Martin Pisani mpisani@optusnet.com.au

Valletta is a city for gentlemen built by gentlemen. It is a pity that it isn't in this state. Let us get together what is left and make the most of it for our sakes and for all the European heritage.

I am sure that Jean Parisiot de La Vallette is truly sorry and is turning in his grave. Let the Maltese be proud, stand up and get their act together.

Josephine R. Campbell josephine_rose_campbell@hotmail.com

Every time I walk into Valletta, I have conflicting feelings. On one side, a great sense of awe at the treasures left for us to enjoy and pass over to future generations.

On the other hand, I feel a sense of frustration at what is still needed for Valletta to flourish. Then I realise that the decision to inject the life back to the City starts with one letter - "I".

J. mallia jmallia@maltanet.net

Most countries are known through their capital city - think Paris, which clearly represents France, London equals UK and Rome equals Italy. Suggest that I would perhaps speak on the importance of establishing a communication plan to position Valletta as Malta's capital city through educating marketers who are responsible for promoting the Malta product to include photos and information about Valletta in their international marketing and advertising materials.

But the education has to begin at grass roots level through explaining the importance of including Malta's capital in all marketing communications materials which are used overseas by the various stakeholders in tourism, services and industry.

We would champion the idea of creating a brand-image concept for Valletta which can be used by all the public and private sector parties who would have an interface with the "brand".

We would explain how this brand stewardship of Valletta's image would obtain benefits for the community and how it will bring Valletta into line with other capital cities in Europe. The research carried out by IPK International clearly shows that the citybreak market is a fast-growth area of tourism, which Valletta can tap into only if it is clearly positioned.

edwin ward ed@peak.com.mt