President George Abela recently visited Newark School in Sliema. Seventeen children from Poland, Georgia, Italy, Greece, China, Spain, Libya, France, Sweden, the UK and Romania read a welcome message to him.

A number of foreign interns with a connection to Newark and their teachers from France, Norway and the Netherlands also got the chance to speak to Dr Abela and this generated interest from foreign media.

The school choir welcomed the President with a number of songs and for the first time a poem, specifically written for the occasion by Frances Borg Saydon, one of the teachers at the school, was read out.

Dr Abela heard about the projects the school was involved in, among which was the Dinja Waħda project. He was also briefed by the principal about what was being done in the field of environmental studies.

To mark the occasion, the President presented the school with a number of books. He also spoke about the importance of art, including music, and said he was impressed with the choir.

Dr Abela also signed the guest book and the children were then treated to a party in the school yard.