“Sweet dreams are made of this. Who am I to disagree? I travel the world and the seven seas. Everybody’s looking for something”– Sweet Dreams Are Made of This by Eurythmics.

Voices is a real happening connected with human beings- Francis Zammit Dimech

Last night, the journey undertaken by Voices for this year came to a spectacular end. The journey continues. The indefatigable ‘tour leaders’ are planning where Voices are heading to as another production will be staged in two years’ time and more after that!

I have had the unique pleasure of following this journey since its very inception, 21 years ago at St Aloysius’ College when there was a strong (even if not exclusive) link between the participants and former students of the college as well as with the Jesuit community. The journey was from its very beginning destined to go further and beyond all horizons.

The ‘journey’ concept was particularly emphasised in this year’s production. Patrons could acquire a souvenir programme in the shape of a travelogue. The presenters, Josef and Ron, make their landing on stage from an air balloon, donning different pilot attires. The stage was made up of clouds from which the 200+ choristers could give us a rendering of the different songs chosen for this year’s happening. Clouds combine together the journey theme with that of having a right to pursue one’s dreams.

I was personally tempted to attribute an additional interpretation to the theme – could the concept of cloud computing have unconsciously also been on the organisers’ minds!? Cloud computing can be be linked with the concept of sharing, as in sharing files, photos, music, videos, experiences – belonging to and engaging with the wider world to which we pertain. Going through different forms of virtual reality is another way to live one’s dreams.

But, then, Voices is a real happening – connected with human beings, their feelings, their needs, their aspirations, and, yes, why not – their dreams.

Sponsors cover the production costs and the money paid by patrons goes towards charities identified by Voices to enable them to help the most vulnerable ones live their own dreams. Antonello Gauci, chairman of the Voices Foundation, points out: “We are proud to help give flight to other people’s ambitions and dreams. All the money collected from the concerts will go towards projects that are the fruit of the imagination and determination of a number of generous people and NGOs.”

New technologies have enabled us from the comfort of our own respective dens become co-creators and, soon enough, will be empowering us to be co-producers – where we not only share dreams but also help each other make them happen by being there for each other.

Voices have been proactive protagonists of such a process and, to end as I kicked off with words culled from the Eurythmics signature song (it sends me down memory lane – to 1983!), my enthusiastic message to Voices remains as ever: “Keep your head up, movin’ on.”

Thank you.

The author is a Nationalist member of Parliament.