Nicholas de Piro writes:

It is difficult to think of Maurice de Giorgio ‘resting in peace’. If he reads this from his now ethereal realm, I feel he may well reminisce his earthly span and see the pointlessness of the expression. The Pearly Gates have opened to a man who did not like to rest: his life was a permanent activity and his fair reward of eternal life must allow him some movement in the heavens.

Ever since I have known Maurice he was creating. In order to fairly evaluate his potency in accomplishment and success let us consider that he could have been a journalist – a critic able to influence people’s opinions.

As an industrialist he forged ahead as a respected and both intelligent and gifted businessman.

One can only imagine what his potential would have been as an impresario with his creativity let loose.

As a politician he could have turned the gutter into an oasis, the overlooked into a treasure.

There was the designer instinct at the heart of this man and he always had the ability to manipulate style and fashion into finesse and delicacy.

I do not believe he ever ran a restaurant but if he had it would have been the best and certainly the most exciting.

Maurice has lived his life as an aesthetic gourmet, a diplomat in dealing with people and indeed an artist. He was all of these things.

Maurice gave so much to Malta. Much of the success of Fondazzjoni Patrimonju Malti reflected his abilities.

In the costume, furniture, sedan chairs, silver and jewellery exhibitions he shared Malta’s elitism with the masses and showed clearly that the wonderful beauty of our crafts was created by sometimes very humble working hands.

Maurice cared, encouraged, raised standards and always shared.

Malta owes him a national salute and sheds a tear at the thought of losing him.

His inspiration will live on as his work survives at Patrimonju, Palazzo Falson and in the hearts of a grateful nation.

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