First in this year's cycle of cultural presentations organised by Din l-Art Óelwa is a highly illustrated talk by Adrian Strickland on Thursday.
His Fifty Three Days From Lourdes To Santiago will give an account of the extraordinary experiences gained last May while undertaking the Camino with two other friends.
All were attending the Order of Malta's pilgrimage with their volunteers and their sick. From Lourdes they walked the 1,000-kilometre distance to Santiago de Compostela, over three mountain ranges and across the Spanish Mesa, sleeping in dormitories, eating pilgrims' fare, meeting the strangest people from all over the world, forming a few of the 150,000 or so that participated last year to commune with nature and share in this spiritual experience, this personal renewal.
Collectively, the group of three took about 3,000 photographs. During his power-point presentation, Capt. Strickland will draw on this joint collection of photographs and tries to give some of the background and convey some of the experiences encountered, the stunning scenery and amazing wildlife, as well as explain feelings that often make the pilgrim undergo subsequent Caminos.
The talk will take place at the Judge Caruana Curran Hall, 133, Melita Street, Valletta - offices of Din l-Art Helwa - and will start at 6 p.m. Those wishing to attend are advised to be seated by 5.45 p.m.
Capt. Strickland retired from the Malta Foreign Service in 2006 and is now involved preparing tailor-made cultural itineraries for top people. As a young man he served in the territorial army until disbandment of the Malta Territorial Force in 1972.
He is a knight of Magistral Grace in Obedience in the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, where he was responsible for setting up a youth group: Volunteers Of The Order (Voto).
During the Holy Year 2000 he did a short stint as the person responsible for coordinating the activities of four first aid teams of the SMOM working in the four basilicas in Rome.
For a number of years he was a television news cameraman, receiving the Encyclopedia Brittanica Hard News Team Award for coverage of Malta's Independence in 1964.
His hobbies are art, travel and history and his extracurricular interests lie mainly in the areas of heraldry and vexillology. He designs and paints coats of arms, flags and medals and lectures and contributes articles on these subjects.
Capt. Strickland is author of A Look At Malta Insignia and general editor of Malta From The Hague In The 18th Century, in collaboration with others.