An eventful year

What a climax to an eventful year! It has been 12 months since the first edition of Notte Bianca. Since then Malta played host to an impressive list of events. Each event had its unique appeal. Notte Bianca 2007 brought out the splendour, colours, beauty, pageantry and history of our proud nation.

We have every right to be proud: Proud of our history; proud of our heritage; proud of our artistes; proud of our customs; proud of our system of governance; proud of our cuisine; proud of our capital city and not least proud of our quality of life. All these aspects were on display on Saturday.  

We promised a bigger and better event. We delivered exactly that. After last year's edition we sought your opinions, to determine what worked and what didn't. We took into account your suggestions.

Judging from the comments I received, as I toured the various happenings, the changes we introduced were successful.

Public transport worked smoothly ferrying the best part of 100,000 people to and from Valletta. The police force, civil protection and health personnel worked together to ensure a positive experience for all.

The catering facilities were enough to provide for the needs on the night. The planning and behind-the scenes work produced the desired results.

I have already had the opportunity to thank Paul Borg Olivier, the mayor of Valletta, for his support.

An event such as Notte Bianca inevitably creates a measure of disruption to the normal life of a city. However, the Valletta local council and residents recognise the value of these events and willingly participate in full force.

Practically all the shops in the main streets of Valletta remained open. This was a welcome improvement on the first edition of Notte Bianca. The participation of the commercial community adds an important dimension to the event.

Many of these shops were packed with customers who grabbed the rare opportunity to do some very late night shopping.

I am sure that each visitor will have his or her own favourite event. Many were amazed by the festa decorations set up in Merchants Street. Like many, I was struck by the size, colour and creativity of these decorations. Beyond what is obvious to the eye, these decorations bring to the fore the labour of love of the dedicated volunteers who give up their time to keep our traditions alive. Notte Bianca 2007 was an opportunity to showcase their work, an opportunity that should be repeated in future editions.

One then could not miss It-Taqbida - a spectacular battle between the forces of good and evil, a dramatic representation of an extract from the Apocalypse where angels and demons (this is no reference to the Dan Brown novel!) struggle for ultimate control, brought to life through aerial work, fire, music, and fireworks let off by the artistes taking part, in a happening staged by Atmo and Accademia dei Remoti under the direction of Andrea Vitale and Mary Anne Cauchi.

As of today we shall be again seeking your views through a telephone survey. We want to know what you liked best and why not, what you liked least. We also welcome comments on the Ministry's website. A special word of thanks is due to the artistic director, Ms Cauchi, and her team. This year has been a taxing but satisfying one to personnel at the Ministry for Tourism and Culture. We have launched numerous initiatives. Some have longer term goals, others produce immediate results. When these results come about, it is only fair that we recognise those who contribute to the success. Thank you all.

You made us proud. Following the success achieved last Saturday, I have another dream. We can have more of a Notte Bianca atmosphere in our capital city more regularly, even weekly. Valletta will be the European City of Culture in 2018, three years after the target set by the government for achieving excellence in various important sectors including tourism. Culture and the arts are making of Malta an event oriented country that offers visitors a unique experience.

It's not only about 7,000 years of history. It's now also about a vibrant and contemporary arts' scene. I see Valletta as a centre of excellence that is promoting artistic events of the highest calibre.

Grand Harbour and other venues offer the perfect backdrop. Walking alongside the thousands of persons who came over for Notte Bianca, has given me more determination and enthusiasm. Thank you for making it happen with us.