For your diary - seminars and meetings

• The Malta Feline Guardians Club will be hosting its 17th and 18th International Cat Shows at the Phoenicia Hotel, Floriana, today from 9.30 a.m. to 7.30 p.m. Anyone can attend and vote for their favourite cat and best decorated cage. For more information call 9999 0022.

• Caritas Co-operators are holding a day out at the Radisson Blu Resort, St Julian's, on Wednesday from 10 a.m. Activities will include a talk by Peter Dacoutros, Mass and lunch, as well as games. For more information call 2133 0132, 2132 0016, 2134 2910 or 2132 2466.

• YWCA (Malta) will be holding the next general meeting on Wednesday at 6.30 p.m. at its premises in Msida. All members are asked to do their best to attend.

• The education committee of the National Council of Women will be holding a talk entitled 'Recognising Signs and Symptoms of Abuse' on Thursday at 7.15 p.m. at the National Council of Women Centre, Blata-l-Bajda. The speaker will be school counsellor Carmen Galea. Parents and those working with children are encouraged to attend. For booking and more information call 2124 8881 or 2124 6982 or e-mail ncwmalta@ camline. net.mt.

• The next meeting of the San Ġorġ Preca Group will be held on Friday at 6.30 p.m. at the MUSEUM headquarters, Blata l-Bajda (en-trance next to Preca Library). Young couples and mature adults are especially invited.

• A reunion for ex-students and staff of the Verdala Junior Lyceum (1989-1994) will be held on Friday. Those interested are asked to call Jurgen Cucciardi on 7920 0745.

• The Association of Lyceum Past Students is presenting a concert version of Gaetano Donizetti's opera Elisir d'amore on Saturday at the ballroom of the Hotel Phoenica, Floriana, at 7.30 p.m. The producer is Joe Fenech, while the musical director is Andre' Paul Huber. The pianist Corinne Briffa will accompany the ALPS choir and soloists Karen Camilleri, Connie Francis Zerafa, Bernard Busuttil, Joe Huber and Ivan Vella for the entire concert. Tickets at €10 per person are available through secretary general Alex Borg on 2138 6812 or Joe Fenech 2141 0632. Organisers recommend early booking.

• Ward u Żgħar will be holding a walk at San Anton Gardens, Attard, on Sunday at 2 p.m.

• A card party in aid of the Little Sisters of the Poor will be held at the Preluna Hotel, Sliema, on February 3 from 10 a.m. For booking call Blanche Martin on 2133 0387.

• The Mission Fund is organising a buffet breakfast at the Selmun Palace Hotel on February 4 in aid of Maltese missionaries. Mass will be celebrated at 9.15 a.m. Transport can be arranged. For more information and bookings call 2131 3664, 2157 5351 or 9988 5078.

• The Centre of Ignatian Spirituality is holding two weekend retreats - one for married couples, and another for married couples who hold a profession. The first retreat will be held at Mt St Joseph Retreat House, Mosta, from February 19 at 6 p.m. to February 21 at 5 p.m. It will be led by Carmen and Karm Conti and Fr Vince Magri, SJ. During the retreat, which will be limited to eight married couples, par-ticipants will have time to reflect and pray together as well as to share their experiences with other couples. To book, call 2141 6916 between 8.30 a.m. and 1 p.m. or e-mail info@mtsjoseph. org.

• The retreat for married couples with a profession will be held at Manresa House, Victoria, from March 7 at 7 p.m. to March 9 after lunch. The retreat will be led by Fr Arthur Vella, SJ, and will be delivered in Maltese. To book, call 2155 6635 or e-mail manresa@vol.net.

• 'Empowering families as sustaining partners in social policy' is the theme of the 57th international conference of the International Commission on Couple and Family Relations (ICCFR) to be held from March 12 to 14 at the Dolmen Hotel, Qawra, in collaboration with the Cana Movement.

The registration fee for Maltese citizens, including lunches and evening receptions, is €100.

The closing date for applications is Sunday. For details view http://iccfr.org/en/conferences/our_next_conference.php. Completed registration forms are to be e-mailed to Ray Baldacchino at malta conf@onvol.net.