The second conference on Mikiel Anton Vassalli (1764-1829), an academic and patriot, will be held on October 15 at 7 p.m. at San Anton Palace, Attard.

This conference has become a biennial event organised by the Ghaqda tal-Malti (Università) for those interested in Maltese and its history.

Vassalli is regarded by many as the first great scholar of the Maltese language. In this year's conference, Henry Frendo will speak about the rehabilitation of Vassalli.

Horace Vella, who translated into Maltese Vassalli's long introduction to his Maltese grammar, published in Latin in 1791, will also address the conference. Dr Vella has analysed Vassalli's Latin, thereby providing for the first time details on the academic prowess of the father of the Maltese language.

President Eddie Fenech Adami was briefed about the conference at a meeting with a delegation from the Ghaqda tal-Malti (Università) and the Institute of Linguistics. At the end of the meeting, Dr Fenech Adami was presented with a copy of the book Dawl gdid fuq Vassalli (New Light On Vassalli), the first collection of studies jointly published by the Ghaqda tal-Malti (Università) and the Institute of Linguistics.