Night of the stars

We did it. After months of detailed planning, hard work and in the last days praying for dry weather, last Saturday we held the debut night of Malta's edition of the Notte Bianca.

The festival was a huge success. The tens of thousands who flocked to the capital city proved once again we do have an audience for cultural and arts' events. They also proved that culture and the arts are not only a justified end in their own right but also a means for increased business.

As early as this week, we shall be analysing what worked perfectly, what could have worked better and what needs to be changed. We shall be talking to those who participated in this year's edition to get their views, we shall be talking to visitors who came to Valletta and we want to talk to those who did not make it to see what elements can be added to this festival.

It is difficult to find the most gratifying moment from among the many I had touring the multifarious events from early Saturday evening till the early hours of Sunday morning. From seeing the joyful relaxed expression on people's faces as they moved from one event to another, to listening to the Prime Minister's enthusiastic support for such initiatives and later witnessing a huge crowd listening to an open air concert in the early hours of the morning, the festival offered all of us involved in its organisation a number of emotional highlights.

Writing this article the day after the event I have but just one thought in mind: To thank all those who made this event possible. In the early months of this year, I had asked the Malta Council for Culture and the Arts to look into the possibility of staging this event in Malta. The council responded by sending Mary Ann Cauchi to witness first hand what happens in similar festivals abroad. What a wonderful choice that was from day one! Mary Ann followed up this visit with a report of how this event can be adapted for Malta. Her proposal was accepted and between those early days and last Saturday, Mary Ann worked relentlessly to bring to life this project. So my first thanks go to Mary Ann and her dedicated team and to the council members and executive director of the MCCA for taking on this event with such determination and professionalism.

I would also like to thank Paul Borg Olivier, mayor, and the Valletta local council for their constant support. These large-scale events can only be successful if the central government, local government, the business community and the residents work together.

A good part of the business community of Valletta participated in the event by keeping their shops open till the late hours of Saturday evening. I am glad to see they made good business. They all helped to inject life into the city.

I had the opportunity to thank some of the police officers on duty as I toured the events. I would like to again thank the Police Corp, the Civil Protection Department personnel and the ambulance staff for their invaluable support.

My heartfelt thanks then extend to the performers and artistes.

I want to thank the media for the extensive coverage they gave us, the sponsors who gave us financial support, the employees, both from the public and private sectors, who worked literally from sunset till dawn.

Above all I want to thank the public that thronged the city in thousands and thereby extending the most effective support to this event.

I can promise you that following this success, Notte Bianca will become an annual event on our cultural calendar and we will also make it a point to organise other large-scale events throughout the year.

You were the real stars of the show.

Dr Zammit Dimech is Minister of Tourism and Culture.