A re-enactment of the scene at the Sacra Infermeria, the hospital of the Knights of St John, is one of a series of activities lined up to celebrate the 30th anniversary since the former hospital building was transformed into the Mediterranean Conference Centre.

The outline of the programme was announced today at a press conference where Education and Culture Minister Dolores Cristina underlined the importance of the conference centre for Malta.

She said that the then government’s decision to convert the building to a conference centre was a wise one – the building remains the only one in Malta with seven conference halls with facilities for simultaneous translation.

Over the past 30 years, the MCC had attracted prestigious meetings and also hosted many concerts and theatrical performances, she said. The future looked bright, especially in the context of government plans to rehabilitate this part of Valletta and encourage the building of a hotel near by.

Peter Fenech, chairman of the board, said a year-long programme of activities will include a concert by the orchestra of well known Italian Mro Demo Morselli, a concert by Amedeo Minghi, exhibitions, competitions for schoolchildren, cultural tours and the re-enactment.

The anniversary is today.