Malta’s Embassy in Berlin has been actively working to promote investment, foster educational ties with Germany and creating job opportunities in Malta by taking a number of initiatives specifically targeting these sectors.

The embassy coordinated the visit by Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi last January.

During this visit, the Prime Minister held high-level meetings with a leading German Bank and Lufthansa Technik for discussions on their plans for expanding activities in Malta.

He also delivered a speech at the European Commission’s representation on the theme “Malta in the EU – Five Years on – Challenges and Projections”.

The embassy hosted a consultation meeting between MCAST and Fraunhofer Institutes during which the two parties discussed their future plan of action for a joint project.

The consultations led to the launching of Vocational Degree Programmes by MCAST, in collaboration with the Fraunhofer Gesellschaft.

Other initiatives, mainly regarding tourism and culture, were also taken. Ambassador John Paul Grech gave a talk about the Maltese islands to students of the Europaschule Falkensee am Gutspark who had research about Malta as a centre of interest.

The embassy also gave a presentation about Malta during the 10th anniversary of the ‘Wilkommen in Berlin’ – an organisation involving activities around the diplomatic corps in Berlin.

It collaborated with local cultural foundations and the European Commission in Berlin towards having Maltese authors and poets recite some of their works to the Berlin audience.

In July, the Embassy helped a Maltese artist decorate a Berlin Buddy Bear with symbols and visuals remnant of the Maltese islands.

In September, together with the University of Bremen it organised a ‘Malta Day’ focusing on the Maltese language.