The Victoria 125th anniversary celebrations organised by the Victoria council throughout the past year came to a grand finale with four concerts, a Ġieħ il-Belt Victoria award ceremony and a visit by President George Abela.

The closing celebrations kicked off with the visit of Dr Abela, who congratulated the Victoria council’s initiative to commemorate this special anniversary.

In Victoria mayor Samuel Azzopardi’s words: “The city status, which was natural for hundreds of years – granted by Queen Victoria – was finally officially affirmed.”

The activities continued in Independence Square with a peformance by the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Mro Colin Attard, which came to a close with Tchaikovsky’s 1812 and an aerial fireworks display befitting the occasion.

The first edition of Rockastra was performed by the La Stella Band Club under the guidance of guest conductor Mro Sigmund Mifsud.

The Malta Philharmonic Orchestra also gave another performance to inaugurate the 16th edition of the Victoria International Arts Festival under the directorship of Prof. Joseph Vella.

The fourth concert was the sixth edition of Leone Goes Pop, under the guidance of resident conductor Mro Attard, with the participation of Eurovision Song Contest singer Gianluca Bezzina and other guest artists.

For this year’s special occasion, the Victoria council honoured the following people for their services in the community: missionary Sister Scholastica Grech, former mayor Robert Tabone, biblical scholar Fr Egidio Mizzi and Archpriest Emeritus Mgr Dr Joseph Farrugia.