Heard in the hive

Egyptian pianist Ramzi Yassa, who recently gave a solo performance during a recital, sponsored by Bank of Valletta at the Manoel Theatre in Valletta, recently paid a courtesy visit on President Eddie Fenech Adami at the Palace.

Mr Yassa was accompanied by BoV CEO Tonio Depasquale, Manoel Theatre artistic director Tony Cassar Darien and the Egyptian Ambassador Fatma Etman el-Zahraa.

During the meeting, Mr Depasquale, on behalf of BoV, described how Mr Yassa's performance was a classic example of how corporate businesses could extend themselves to the artistic world even across cultural boundaries. In fact, Mr Yassa's concert was made possible thanks to a close collaboration with BoV's representative office in Cairo and the Egyptian Ambassador, he said.

Mr Yassa's performance during the BoV recital featured works by Schubert, Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, Chopin and Liszt.

Vodafone and X-fm team up for football prize

Tonio Galea of Dingli will this week enjoy the fantastic experience of watching the Champions League matches between Juventus and Real Madrid in Turin and Milan versus Manchester United in Milan.

Mr Galea won this all expenses paid trip, including flights, accommodation and match tickets, after taking part in a competition organised by X-fm and Vodafone Malta Limited.

Over the last few weeks, X-fm 100.2 and Vodafone held The Clash of the Titans Champions League Combo Competition. Contestants were given 30 seconds to prove to X-fm Breakfast Show host Carlo Borg Bonaci and the Nescafé Big Breakfast crew that they could be a great sports commentator. They were judged and seven finalists were chosen.

The final of this competition took place on Wednesday, when Mr Borg Bonaci was joined in the studio by popular local footballer Ian Ciantar. Mr Ciantar was interviewed and the finalists were asked to call up and answer seven questions based on football and the interview. Mr Galea was the first finalist to answer all questions correctly.

"Vodafone and X-fm are renowned for offering competitions with the greatest prizes," Vodafone Malta's brand manager, Alison Bezzina said. "This week's Champions League encounters have captured the imagination of thousands of Maltese football fans and Tonio was skilled enough to win this opportunity to watch four of the best teams in the world in the space of just twenty four hours.

"I am certain that the experience will be thoroughly enjoyable and I am equally certain that Vodafone and X-fm will continue to team up to offer more great competitions in the future."

Bank of Valletta supports Zejtun libraries

Bank of Valletta's Zejtun branch has recently supported two libraries in the locality through a donation of books. Albert Pace, manager of BoV's Zejtun branch, presented a collection of publications to the library of Zejtun Secondary School and another series of books to the library of the local council. These donations underline BoV's commitment to play an active role within the local communities in which it operates.

Presenting the books at the local council, Mr Pace said: "The BoV Zejtun branch is pleased to support local organisations in their educational initiatives and in the promotion of arts and culture within the community of Zejtun. We believe that our role extends beyond providing financial services to the residents of our locality.

"Indeed, the books we are presenting to the local council together with those we have donated to the school library will continue to build on the educational resources available within our community. We believe that by supporting such local initiatives, we are positively contributing towards the educational and cultural enrichment of our community."

The mayor of Zejtun, Joe Attard, thanked Bank of Valletta for the generous donation towards the local council's library. "This library has been recently refurbished and upgraded, and only recently re-opened to the public. These books donated by the bank will enrich our collection for the benefit of the Zejtun community," Mr Attard said.

Also attending the presentation ceremony were Marica Ellul from the BoV Zejtun branch and councillor Reuben Abela and executive secretary Reuben Seychell from the Zejtun council.

Rehabilitation committees meet the President

The members of the three rehabilitation committees recently met President Eddie Fenech Adami to discuss the problems in historic towns and to update him on the projects being undertaken.

The rehabilitation commitees' role is to advise the Minister for Resources and Infrastructure Ninu Zammit on the three rehabilitation projects taking place.

The three delegations were led by executive co-ordinator of the three rehabilitation projects Dr Ray Bondin and the Ministry for Resources and Infrastructure Permanent Secretary Tony Mifsud.

Dr Bondin explained that the Valletta restoration work continued in St John's Co-Cathedral and the Palace, among other places, while Hastings Garden is being upgraded.

In Floriana, Sarria church is being restored and paving works are being carried out in Mdina.

In Vittoriosa, the ditch is being upgraded and the armoury is being restored.

In Conspicua and Senglea public spaces were being upgraded and in Kalkara, the Salvatur Chapel is being restored.

Architect Konrad Buhagiar is chairman of the Valletta and Floriana committee, Professor Denis de Lucca is chairman of the Mdina committee and Paul Vella Critien chairman for the Cottonera committee.

Dr Fenech Adami thanked the members for their volountary work and stated that the rehabilitation projects, together with the local councils, have upgraded dramatically and conserved the historic towns.

Miss Malta in Beirut

LindseyAnne Galea, 17-year-old Miss Malta, of Swieqi, has launched her international commitments with a visit to Beirut, during which she was interviewed for leading TV station The NewTV.

During the interview she described the Miss Malta pageant, organised by GM Productions, as spectacular. To complement the interview, producer Tania Wazan also aired a video of last November's beauty pageant which was held at the Sir Temi Zammit Hall of the University of Malta.

During Ms Galea's one-week stay she was invited as a guest of Raymond Beschara, Consul for Malta in Beirut, during which Domenico Gargano, director of Italia Imports in Malta, organised a traditional costume and fashion show. During her stay Ms Galea also dined with famous Lebanese singer Durinc Hadshiti. Ms Galea was also interviewed during a morning show.

Before taking off to Beirut, Ms Galea was welcomed at the Seabank Hotel by general manager Trixie Van Der Kooi, who presented Miss Malta with a trophy in recognition of her winning the Miss Malta title.

HSBC rewards sales force for successful 2004

HSBC has organised an awards ceremony and gala dinner for its financial services sales force.

Some 100 bank employees together with the HSBC's senior management team and representatives of the bank's product providers attended the event.   

Twenty-four individuals received prizes and awards, both of a performance nature and also related to other categories, such as the best team player, and the most admired salesperson. Recognition was also given to the product providers.

The evening began with welcome drinks and dinner at the Portomaso Suite of the Malta Hilton.

This was followed by an address from Martin Scicluna, HSBC's head of Wealth Management, in which he discussed the highlights of the past year, and by the awards presentation ceremony.

"The evening was a phenomenal success and reinforces the excellent team spirit that we have in our Regulated Sales Force" Mr Scicluna said.

The President and Mrs Fenech Adami's engagements March 7-13

Tuesday
8.30 a.m. Mrs Fenech Adami attends breakfast hosted by the Malta Cancer Foundation on the occasion of Womens's Day, at the Phoenicia Hotel, Valletta.
11 The President receives the Commission for the Promotion of Equality for Men and Women on the occasion of International Women's Day at the Palace, Valletta.
4 p.m. Mrs Fenech Adami hosts tea on the occasion of Women's Day at Verdala Castle.

Wednesday
10 a.m. The President presents the letters of credence to Dr Michael Refalo, Maltese High Commissioner to the UK, at the Palace, Valletta.
11 The President is interviewed by Steve Mallia of The Times on the occasion of the first anniversary in office.
Noon The President receives a courtesy call by Martin Galea, the new president of Din L-Art Helwa and Martin Scicluna, outgoing president.
8.30 p.m. The President hosts a reception on the occasion of the annual conference of the European Association of Faculties of Pharmacy.

Thursday
10 a.m. The President is presented with the letters of credence by Cha Young-Jai, Ambassador of South Korea, at the Palace, Valletta.
11 The President is presented with the letters of credence by Ngam Yahya, Ambassador of Mauritania.
Noon The President is presented with the letters of credence by Dr Saad A.E. Elshlmani, Ambassador of Libya.
1.30 p.m. The President and Mrs Fenech host a lunchoen in honour of the newly accredited ambassadors of South Korea, Mauritania and Libya.

Friday
10 a.m. The President receives a group of French people from the Association Realities et Relations Internationales accompanied by the former French Ambassador to Malta, Jacques de Beausse, at the Palace, Valletta.
10 Mrs Fenech Adami presides over a Malta Community Chest Fund working committee.
11 The President is presented with a publication by Stephen Calleya entitled Euro-Mediterranean Relations.
1.30 p.m. The President inaugurates the 50-hour bicycle marathon in aid of Muscular Dystrophy Group, Equal Partners, St Theresa Institute (Zurrieq) and St Francis de Paule Institute (Birkirkara) at the Dun Guzepp Zammit Lyceum, Hamrun.

Saturday
7 p.m. The President and Mrs Fenech Adami attend an opera and musical programme at the Sliema Philharmonic Society with the collaboration of Sliema council, at the Auditorium, Sir Temi Zammit, University of Malta.

Choosing your wedding gown

Wedding gown shopping is fun. As soon as you fix the wedding date you can start looking around.

When visiting the shops, you will realise that you probably have to try on more than one different style. While the consultants at the bridal salons will definitely tell you at first glance which style suits you, the following tips are good advice to take into account when choosing your dress.

1. A sleek bodice will enhance a full or ornamental skirt. Do not be tempted to try and "balance" the amount of fullness of the skirt unless you are actually after an hourglass silhouette.

2. A bride in a strapless gown must cover her shoulders for the church ceremony. Use a shawl, bolero, a jacket, a coat, a collar, detachable sleeves or long full veils.

3. A wide neckline or an off the shoulder design will enhance beautiful shoulders.

4. The simpler the bodice, the less it will draw attention to full busts.

5. If you have a very curvy figure, select a gown with detailing in the bodice or in the skirt; never in both.

6. A plunging neckline will show off your bust line; however, it ought not to be the only noticeable feature in your gown.

7. If your legs are your best feature; choose a sheath with a slit, or an angled hemline.

8. A long, swanlike neck is shown to best advantage when the bride wears a choker, or when the gown is designed with a high-neck cut-out neckline.

9. Want to be daring without showing too much? Wear a dress with a plunging back, or a backless gown.

10. Choose a shade to flatter the natural colour of your skin; so don't wear make-up to fittings.

Remember that the time of day will have a bearing on the ultimate result; so try on dresses during the same time-band as your wedding.

This article has been brought to you by TheWeddingSite.com, courtesy of Weddings and Homes magazine. Visit www.TheWeddingSite.com for more wedding planning articles. For more information phone 9947-8987 or e-mail: mario@theweddingsite.com.

People

Dr Marilyn Casha, MD, MSc.(Wales), was recently conferred with the degree of Master of Science (Acute and Chronic Pain Management) from the University of Wales, College of Medicine.

The training was organised by the Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care of the Heath Hospital, Cardiff.

During this training, importance was given to the multi-dimensional approach to pain management, including professional and ethical issues as well as specific teaching on management of pain due to common and rare actiologies such as complex regional pain syndromes and fibromyalgia.

Dr Casha successfully presented her final dissertation entitled Opioids in Chronic Non-Malignant Pain - a Maltese Perspective, in which this controversial topic was discussed with reference to both local and international practice.

Dr Casha is currently working in the Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care at St Luke's Hospital.

She is the daughter of Mr and Mrs Alfred Gauci of Balzan, and is married to Cardiothoracic Surgeon Aaron Casha. They have a daughter, Hannah-Marie.

FR JOSEPH SULTANA, recently obtained his Licenciate in Biblical Science from the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome.

Born in Xaghra on May 21, 1976, Fr Sultana attended Fr Matthew Sultana Primary School in Xaghra and continued his studies at the Ninu Cremona Secondary School and Sir Mikelang Refalo Complex in Victoria.

In September 1994, he attended the Sacred Heart of Jesus Seminary in Victoria, where he obtained a BA in Theology in 2001.

During the formation course, he spent a year at St Angela parish church, Detroit, in Michigan, USA. He was ordained priest by Bishop Nikol Cauchi on June 20, 2001.

In September 2001, he went to work at the Nativity Parish in Rome and attended a course to obtain a Licenciate in Scriptural Studies at the Pontifical Biblical Institute. His thesis deals with the Apocalypse Book.

RUTH GRECH was recently awarded an MSc. in Applied Environmental Economics from the Imperial College of the University of London.

The title chosen for the dissertation was "The Estimation of the Environmental Kuznets Curve for Air Pollution Emissions."

Ms Grech is currently employed at the Economic Policy Division, Ministry of Finance.

For your diary

Caritas Co-operators are holding a day at the Suncrest Hotel, Qawra, on Wednesday. There will be coffee at 10.30 a.m., a talk by Arnold Grech on properties and benefits of honey at 11, Mass led by Mgr Victor Grech at noon and lunch at 1 p.m. For more information and bookings contact Marilouise Mifsud on 2133-0471, Josephine Farrugia on 2132-0016, Mary Darmanin Demajo on 2131-3486 and Phyllis Ciappara on 2134-2910.

The Lions Club, St Paul's Bay, is organising an introduction and wine tasting session at the Suncrest Hotel on Wednesday at 7.30 p.m. To participate, phone 2146-3681, 2141-5134 or 2157-1199.

Ward u Zghar is organising a pasta night in Mtarfa with chefs Ray and Robert, on Saturday at 8 p.m. For tickets, at Lm2 for adults, Lm3 for guests, 50c for children aged seven to 12 and Lm1 for youths aged 13-17, phone 9947-2868. Bookings by Wednesday.

The Grupp Arkeologiku Malti is organising a long walk in Siggiewi on Sunday. The group will meet near Siggiewi church at 2.40 p.m. and will go to Salib ta' l-Gholja and Wardija ta' San Gorg. The walk will be cancelled in case of rainy weather. For more information phone 7948-7544.

A reunion is being organised for St Edward's past students born between 1975 and 1986, on March 19. The evening will commence at 8.30 p.m. with a candlelit Mass in the chapel celebrated by an Old Edwardian, followed by entertainment, featuring Gianni and Ivan Filletti playing live and Jjoy, Nicklove and DJ Jean, in the main hall. Money collected during Mass as well as a percentage from ticket sales will be donated to tsunami victims. Tickets cost Lm10 per person and are available from D'Amato Record Shop, Sliema, Gigi's Concept Cafe (tel: 2135-9865), Kurt Micallef (9922-2092), and Matthew Warrington (9944-5437).