I'm writing this article in English but I'm thinking in Maltese. I do this while listening to a Slovene speaker translated into French and German. I am wearing a British tie, French cologne and a suit made in Italy. I also happen to be thinking of the closest Turkish kebab shop, Indian restaurant or Chinese take-away. In the past hour I met friends and colleagues from more than 30 countries, discovered weird Swedish smoking habits, heard ecstatic Roma music and tried to write my name in Arabic. Experiencing multi-tasked intercultural dialogue is quite exhausting. As a Maltese citizen, cultural complexity should not be a daunting experience because my identity is the result of dialogue through centuries of wars, conquests and migration. It is intrinsically built on my experiences as an individual and the stories of a shared past and present of different groups of people with whom I am able to change, exchange and develop.
The complex mix of 27 countries brought a multitude of identities to the European Union. Belonging to the EU is not limited to ties with one's native country but is understood as the wider sense of participating in an active way in the life of the place where you are residing either permanently or temporarily. This means a more active cooperation between EU citizens and all those staying in an EU country irrespective of their origin. During the past years I have happily come to terms with the idea that the more I share with other cultures the more I know my own. I share this view with three quarters of EU citizens. According to a recent Eurobarometer survey, 72 per cent of citizens believe that people with a different background (ethnic, religious or national) enrich the cultural life of their country.
I want to taste, smell, see, touch and hear cultures. These are the channels through which I receive the details of the environment around me and through which I communicate my own. However, such communication is not intended to help me survive some exotic trip to another continent but to engage in dialogue with the diverse cultures that exist in Malta.
Malta's long history and geographical positioning places us in a unique position to be a bridge not just between European cultures but also within the Mediterranean basin. Malta's project for intercultural dialogue entitled F.I.V.E, will invite members of diverse cultures living in Malta to collaborate on a number of creative projects through which the five senses become the common thread that unifies the actions and the experiences.
We hope to increase the awareness of the influences that various cultures have left on Maltese culture. This should foster increased dialogue and understanding with different cultures.
The year will take us through a journey of stories and music for young children, market stalls with artisans from Europe and the Mediterranean, photography workshops for youth and exhibitions tracing Mediterranean food.
These actions are being coordinating by Atelier Culture projects and developed in collaboration with Kooperattiva Kummerc Ġust, Fondazzjoni Arkeo, photographer Patrick Fenech, the Teddy Bear Concert Series and the Community of Maltese artists. Malta's ambassadors for the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue will be Peppi Azzopardi, Dr Katrina Camilleri, Renzo Spiteri, The National Philarmonic Orchestra and Inizjamed. Workshops in schools and with artisans together with informative actions in markets and television programmes will compliment the actions. School Activity packs targeted at primary schools will also be created as part of the learning and sharing experience.
This project is co-funded by the European Union and the Ministry for Tourism and Culture. Other projects are also being developed in collaboration with Local Councils, the Representation of the European Commission in Malta and the European Parliament Office in Malta. We are also calling on other partners and organisations to come forward with ideas and projects which embrace cultural diversity as a core principal in their corporate mission. We also welcome all cultural communities and minority groups to participate in this dialogue of peoples. The National Coordinating Body can be contacted on europroject@sjcav.org.
For further information visit www.dailogue2008.eu A preview of all events will take place at St. James Cavalier on February 24.
The complex mix of 27 countries brought a multitude of identities to the European Union. Belonging to the EU is not limited to ties with one's native country but is understood as the wider sense of participating in an active way in the life of the place where you are residing either permanently or temporarily. This means a more active cooperation between EU citizens and all those staying in an EU country irrespective of their origin. During the past years I have happily come to terms with the idea that the more I share with other cultures the more I know my own. I share this view with three quarters of EU citizens. According to a recent Eurobarometer survey, 72 per cent of citizens believe that people with a different background (ethnic, religious or national) enrich the cultural life of their country.
I want to taste, smell, see, touch and hear cultures. These are the channels through which I receive the details of the environment around me and through which I communicate my own. However, such communication is not intended to help me survive some exotic trip to another continent but to engage in dialogue with the diverse cultures that exist in Malta.
Malta's long history and geographical positioning places us in a unique position to be a bridge not just between European cultures but also within the Mediterranean basin. Malta's project for intercultural dialogue entitled F.I.V.E, will invite members of diverse cultures living in Malta to collaborate on a number of creative projects through which the five senses become the common thread that unifies the actions and the experiences.
We hope to increase the awareness of the influences that various cultures have left on Maltese culture. This should foster increased dialogue and understanding with different cultures.
The year will take us through a journey of stories and music for young children, market stalls with artisans from Europe and the Mediterranean, photography workshops for youth and exhibitions tracing Mediterranean food.
These actions are being coordinating by Atelier Culture projects and developed in collaboration with Kooperattiva Kummerc Ġust, Fondazzjoni Arkeo, photographer Patrick Fenech, the Teddy Bear Concert Series and the Community of Maltese artists. Malta's ambassadors for the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue will be Peppi Azzopardi, Dr Katrina Camilleri, Renzo Spiteri, The National Philarmonic Orchestra and Inizjamed. Workshops in schools and with artisans together with informative actions in markets and television programmes will compliment the actions. School Activity packs targeted at primary schools will also be created as part of the learning and sharing experience.
This project is co-funded by the European Union and the Ministry for Tourism and Culture. Other projects are also being developed in collaboration with Local Councils, the Representation of the European Commission in Malta and the European Parliament Office in Malta. We are also calling on other partners and organisations to come forward with ideas and projects which embrace cultural diversity as a core principal in their corporate mission. We also welcome all cultural communities and minority groups to participate in this dialogue of peoples. The National Coordinating Body can be contacted on europroject@sjcav.org.
For further information visit www.dailogue2008.eu A preview of all events will take place at St. James Cavalier on February 24.