Top Italian singers at Valletta Waterfront

Claudio Baglioni, Riccardo Cocciante and Gianni Morandi - three of the greatest names in Italian music - are performing together in a free concert at the Valletta Waterfront on August 25 to celebrate the fifth anniversary of the O'Scià project, a show conceived and promoted by Baglioni to make institutions, political parties, the media and public opinion aware of the migration phenomenon.

It is a case of "great Italian music in favour of integration between all the cultures of the Mediterranean area".

The night is also being hosted by TV personality Fabrizio Frizzi, and special guests include Ivan Grech from Winter Moods, Ivan Filletti and Ira Losco.

"O'Scià is growing," says Baglioni, explaining that he began alone from the beach of Lampedusa, hoping that music would help people to reflect on one of the most painful and complex issues of our time.

"After a few years, the plea of O'Scià was spread by 150 of the greatest names of Italian and international music and show business: such unprecedented support for such a unique phenomenon encouraged us to pursue this direction," he said.

Now in its fifth edition, O'Scià has become a foundation that aims to make its commitment become even more incisive and deliver its message of solidarity, Baglioni continued.

"The idea is to send out an invitation to accept integration between cultures to all those realities that, like Lampedusa, live the difficult condition of being a door towards Europe for those who search in our countries what their own countries deny them: hope for a future."

The concert in Malta is the first important step, but not the only one, in this direction, Baglioni said. Among its future goals, the Foundation intends to take O'Scià also to Libya and to the Canary Islands.

For the 2007 edition in Lampedusa in September, O'Scià has had the honour to receive the patronage of the Italian President of the Republic; the blessing of Pope Benedict XVI; the aegis of the Senate and of the Chamber of Deputies; of the Prime Minister; of the vice-president of the European Commission, Franco Frattini; of various ministries; and of prestigious international organisations.

The event, organised by NNG Promotions, has been realised with the support of the Italian Interior Ministry and the National Heritage and Culture Ministry, as well as the co-operation of Malta's Justice and Home Affairs and Tourism and Culture Ministries.