Thursday, 14th August 2008 - 10:49CET

Non-alcoholic student parties 'a success'

Big 'non-alcoholic' parties for language students have proved to be a success, the Federation of English Language Teaching Organisations (FELTOM) said.

The parties are held by the federation in open, non-residential areas and have an average attendance of 1,700. They have been held at Gianpula, the Marsa Sports Club, Buskett and the Aquacentre Beach Club, featuring some of Malta’s top DJs. The activities are held under the supervision of social leaders and animators from FELTOM’S member schools, with security and first-aid facilities at hand.

"FELTOM parties enforce a strictly ‘no alcohol’ rule which doesn’t stop them from being highly successful and very popular among the students who enjoy the possibility of meeting and interacting with many other students of different nationalities attending other schools," the federation said.

"FELTOM has always been at the forefront of trying to reduce the impact students may have on residents. The activities it organises are held on the outskirts of residential areas specifically to limit any possible disturbance while at the same time promoting fun-filled but alcohol-free activities for students."

Language students have been often criticised in the press for rowdy, sometimes drunk, behaviour.

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Article © Allied Newspapers Ltd., printed on Sunday, November 22, 2009. This article is for personal use only, and should not be distributed.

Comments

Joe Morana (on 14/8/08)

Another FELTOM publicity stunt to deflect the public's criticism from the very serious social and community complaints made almost daily by local populace! Perhaps a course in social graces would go a long way, rather than offer language instruction as an excuse to booze, binge, and party the summer away!

Miriam Cassar (on 14/8/08)

Well done FELTOM! I have written many letters in the press to raise awareness about the fact that teenagers should never be allowed to drink alcohol and party with adults. In all EU countries, adulthood starts at age 18 and you will never find 16 year olds drinking alcohol with adults as it's the law in Malta. Our present laws abuse our children in more ways than one. This is the second piece of good news this summer which will favour our children. The other being that of not consuming alcohol in the streets of Paceville. Maybe, one day parents will wake up to demand appropriate laws to protect our children's health and best interest. Until then we have to rely on initiatives by foreign experts and the commercial communuity, to come up with ways in which to safegaurd our children's health thus minimizing the numerous abuses they are facing. Hopefully no adults will be admitted to these parties!

Gavril Flores (on 14/8/08)

@ VFarrugia
I agree with you. Sedqa organised such paties last year with some of the best local DJ's but it seems that i the long run they werent a success. I think it was a marketing problem and such parties can be subcontracted to experienced event organisers which already built a name for gd parties, (eg subsidizing non alcaholic parties).

FELTOM organises two parties per week and I think its a good idea to open at least one of them for locas, at least duing low season where efl numbers are lower. This can be done against a fee which is usually paid by the school in case of the efl.

David Magri (on 14/8/08)

The parties may actually be non-alcoholic, but I will bet every cent that a good number of the students arrive at these parties already drunk!! It's a known fact that teenagers nowadays go to specific bars where alcohol is bought at reasonable parties, get thrashed, and then go to these so called 'non-alcoholic' parties. These drunk students wouldn't buy alcohol even if it was available!! Those who actually tend to buy alcohol from these parties (when alcohol is available) are those that don't mind spending money on over priced drinks!

Andrew Azzopardi (on 14/8/08)

Basically the same concept as the 'school disco' in the 1970s, though beer used to be available there.

Ivan Scicluna (on 14/8/08)

What I, and many others, would like to hear from FELTOM is their comments on the "offical" parties that are being held in places like Golden Bay on an almost a daily basis. Hundreds of students commandeer the public beach to the detriment of local and foreign families who visit this beach in the evening. The music that is blasted out drowns all attempts at conversation, balls are kicked or punched all over indiscriminately and many a time, people simply have to pack up in disgust and go back home; chased away from a public beach by these so-called EDUCATIONAL parties. A question or two come to mind here; are these parties covered by a legal permit and, if so, who is authorizing them? What about the rights of the local and tourist population who want to enjoy the beach in the evening breeze for some peace and quiet? Is anyone defending these rights?

V Farrugia (on 14/8/08)

Great idea. How about organising similarly big, non-alcoholic ( I hope that they are cigarette and drug-free as well) for local minors? A lot of them go to Paceville, where they aren't let in legally into clubs, so they remainin the periphery, unsupervised, causing mayhem. They need entertainment, yet there is nothing organised for them. If similar big parties are organized at least once weekly, these children will still have the entertainment they want, they will be in a protected environment, and hopefully, if the parties are advertised to be 'cool' enough, it will clear Paceville and St Julians of unattended and unsupervised minors.

Non-alcoholic student parties 'a success'

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