Scheme brings young Maltese-Australians back to their roots

Chris Abdilla, Clare Darmanin, Antoine Mangion and Marika Scicluna are four bright, well-educated Maltese citizens in their 20s, born and raised in Australia, who always dreamt of spending some months working or studying in the country where their parents came from.

Earlier this year, their dream came true through the award of a Maltese government Maltese language and culture scholarship/young business/professional traineeship/scholarship, granted to Maltese citizens or persons of Maltese descent living in Australia.

The scholarships are an initiative of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Employment and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Part sponsorships for the scholarships were provided by the Bank of Valletta in Australia and the Maltese Australian Professional and Business Association of New South Wales.

Dr Darmanin, a 24-year-old lawyer from Melbourne, spent six months at the Merchant Shipping Directorate of the Malta Maritime Authority.

Mr Mangion, 20, a final year social sciences student at the University of Sydney, followed a semester of studies at the University of Malta focusing mainly on Maltese history and Maltese language.

Both Dr Darmanin and Mr Mangion are now back in Australia where they have resumed, with renewed enthusiasm, their active roles within the Maltese communities in Melbourne and Sydney respectively.

Mr Abdilla, a 24-year-old civil engineer from Adelaide, is still serving his traineeship placement at the Roads Directorate of the Malta Transport Authority.

He is one of the star players of the Maltese Queen of Victories Band in Adelaide. Not one to miss out on band practice, Mr Abdilla spends some of his spare time playing with a Maltese banda.

Ms Scicluna, a 27-year-old physiotherapist from Adelaide, served six months at the Razzett tal-Hbiberija and even took some time off to volunteer as a physiotherapist on the Life Cycle Challenge from Paris to Madrid. She is now taking a break in Europe before returning to Adelaide.

The Maltese High Commission in Canberra earlier this month issued a call for applications for scholarships in 2005. For the first time, Maltese citizens or persons of Maltese descent living in New Zealand are also eligible to apply. The closing date for applications is Wednesday.

The High Commission can be contacted at maltahighcommission.canberra@gov.mt, telephone +612 6290 1724 or via fax +612 6290 2453.