Maltese taught at European School in Luxembourg

Maltese students attending the European school in Luxembourg were treated to a pleasant surprise last week when they sat through a lesson in their mother tongue for the first time.

This was possible after the secondment of a Maltese language teacher to the Luxembourg school by the Ministry of Education. The same should now happen in Brussels, the other major European school attended by Maltese students.

The European school in Luxemburg caters for the children of Maltese parents currently working with the EU institutions in the Grand Duchy. As the number of Maltese staff has increased significantly since Malta joined the EU, the number of Maltese children attending the European school has also grown steadily.

The announcement was made during a reception hosted by Malta's representative at the European Court of Auditors, Josef Bonnici, on the occasion of the 42nd anniversary of Malta's independence. About 130 Maltese nationals based in Luxembourg turned up for the occasion.

In a short address, Prof. Bonnici said Maltese identity had been strengthened by independence as well as EU membership. He said the Maltese language remained an important facet of the island's national identity.

Prof. Bonnici said that the other aspect which has helped to mould such a strong Maltese identity was Malta's rich history.

"Each epoch has left its mark and influence on the Maltese but the end result was a unique Maltese identity, a composite of different influences but yet quite distinct from any single one of them," Prof Bonnici said.

Around 200 Maltese live in Luxembourg, including spouses and children of EU officials and others working in the private industry.