[attach id=386588 size="medium"]Mario Philip Azzopardi. Photo: Darrin Zammit Lupi[/attach]

The Association of Performing Arts Practitioners yesterday called on the government to reconsider the appointment of Mario Philip Azzopardi as the new V18 artistic director after comments about Islam which he made on Facebook.

The association said it had noted Mr Azzopardi’s apology and the fact that Fondazzjoni Valletta 2018 and the Minister for Culture, Owen Bonnici, had dissociated themselves from the remarks.

It said that while Mr Azzopardi made the remarks in his personal capacity, they did not fit well with his proposed role as artistic director of the Valletta 2018 project.

“V18 is a major international event which is specifically entrusted with the task of promoting cultural diversity, as well as reflecting the various aspects of the Mediterranean culture, and which aims to bring about change and understanding within society through creativity and dialogue.

“APAP feels that Mr Azzopardi’s comments as made on a public forum, repeatedly and with much vigour, make him a highly unlikely candidate to attain such an ambition.”

APAP said Malta risked losing a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to fast track the development and “professionalisation” of the cultural industry sector if bad choices were made at this crucial stage.

It therefore called on the government and the foundation to reconsider this appointment.