The consulate of the Czech Republic in Malta this year marked Czech National Day in an unusual form, and thoroughly in keeping with the sober mood demanded by the tragic floods which devastated Prague and other parts of the country last August, leaving so many victims and homeless - and millions of euros in damage to the country's churches and cultural buildings and museums.
On October 24, the honorary consul of the Czech Republic and Mrs Tonio Casapinta, together with Dr Jarmila Krejcikova, minister-counsellor at the Czech Embassy in Rome, which also covers Malta, welcomed the President of the Republic and other distinguished guests who filled the Chameleon Suite of the Corinthia Palace Hotel, Attard, for a special evening.
This took the form of a charity concert in aid of Vizè 97, the Dagmar and Vaclav Havel Foundation. The concert featured Maltese and Czech musicians and singers, and, appropriately, music by Maltese and Czech composers, followed after the interval by Ma Vlast (My Country, also the title of a famous symphonic suite by Bedrich Smetana), an impressive video showing the damage wrought by the floods in Prague.
In the first part of the concert, the Trio Solaris, made up of Godfrey Mifsud (clarinet), Sarah Frendo (viola) and Eric Azzopardi (piano), performed Hommage à Manuel de Falla by Charles Camilleri, while Eric Azzopardi played Sonatina Classica by Nicolò Isouard. Soprano Marita Bezzina sang four songs (Kanti Popolari) by Joe Friggieri, set to music by Charles Camilleri, while Godfrey Mifsud played Three pieces for Clarinet by Ivana Loudova, a Czech composer.
Pianist Sarka Knezetova then accompanied well-known soprano Eva Depoltova, from the National Theatre of Prague, in a performance of Moravian Folk Poetry by Janacek, Love Songs, Op. 83, Nos. 1, 5 and 7 by Dvorak, the air of Marenka from the third act of Smetana's The Bartered Bride, and the famous air of Rusalka from the first act of the opera of the same name by Dvorak.
After the interval, Mr Casapinta thanked President de Marco and all the guests for turning up in such numbers for the evening, which was marking Czech National Day (which falls on October 28) in such an unusual way.
He said that the floods had caused extensive damage to the cultural institutions - for example the entire costume wardrobe, scenery and props of the National Theatre had been destroyed by the floods, as were the basements of palaces and museums. The UNESCO World Heritage town of Cesky Krumlov had also suffered extensive damage.
Mr Casapinta expressed his gratitude to Mro Professor Charles Camilleri for putting the programme together, and for planning a cultural Czech-Maltese Week for next year.
The money collected during the interval, he continued, amounted to over Lm2,800, and will be forwarded to Vize 97, a fund set up by President Havel and his wife.
Mr Casapinta said that he wanted to put on record the Czech authorities' gratitude to President de Marco for his generous gesture in hosting in Malta some 30 Czech children from one of the villages outside Prague which had been hit by the floods.
In reply, President de Marco said that he had intended to visit Prague on August 13 at the invitation of President Havel (who had been in Malta a short time before), but when he learned of the floods he had asked President Havel to postpone his visit after visiting Italy. But then he decided to cancel the visit, since Prague was covered in mud and he would thus have been unable to appreciate its beauty.
However, he decided instead to ask President Havel to send 30 children, under the auspices of his foundation, to holiday in Malta, in order to express the Maltese people's solidarity with the people of the Czech Republic.
President Havel's term will soon expire, but people-to-people contacts will remain, President de Marco said. The children came and enjoyed themselves very much in Malta. They will surely keep memories of their visit here for a long time.
President de Marco paid tribute to President Havel, "who had suffered so much for his country, to which he brought so much lustre". He was sure the Czech people would overcome the crisis caused by the flood damage.
The President then presented gifts to all the performers of the evening and to Mro Camilleri.
The evening ended with the playing of the two national anthems.
3/11 Regiment RMA (T) Association's memorable reunion
The beautiful and large new hall of the Malta Union Club in Sliema was the venue last Friday week of an emotional, excellently attended, reunion of former commanding officers, officers, warrant officers, sergeants, and other ranks who, both during World War Two and in peacetime, at various times served in the former regular (and later Territorial) Royal Malta Artillery regiments - the 3rd Light Anti-Aircraft, the 11th Heavy Anti Aircraft, and the then later amalgamated 3/11 Regiment RMA (T).
The organisers of the event were the hardworking committee members of the 3/11 Regiment RMA (T) Association. The association was celebrating its 30th anniversary, and those attending very quickly found themselves in the right reminiscing atmosphere through a small exhibition mounted in the hall with photos, newspaper cuttings, copies of old regimental orders, and other memorabilia.
The association's president, addressing the guests, recalled the values of national loyalty and military discipline, and the inspirational motivations of keeping former comrades regularly in touch through reunions, commemorative services, and other events, which had inspired, and still do, those at the helm of the association.
The association's anniversary also had the support of President Guido de Marco who, unable (through indisposition) to attend as scheduled the Friday evening reception, invited the following Thursday the committee members and spouses to the Palace.
Responding to the association's president Walter Debattista's address of thanks for the invitation, Professor de Marco expressed his full agreement with the association's plea for some form of national effort for total rehabilitation of Fort St Elmo. This, he said, not only was these regiments' home for many years, not only an integral part of Malta's own history at the times of the Order of St John and the Great Siege, but was also a veritable jewel of military architecture.
It was a shame that it was now in the state it is in and, the President opined, it should be a matter of inspiration also for the whole of the people of Valletta to do something about returning it to a state of conservation and utilisation.
The 3/11 Regiment RMA (T) Association will, as in every year, again be holding its annual commemoration of deceased comrades this month.
Banquet dinner celebrates Trafalgar Night
An unprecedented 148 retired Royal Naval officers and guests gathered for a banquet dinner in the Portamaso Suite of the Hilton Hotel on Monday to celebrate the 197th anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar and to commemorate the life of Admiral Lord Nelson.
Lt Cdr C.A.M. Bennington, president of the Royal Naval Officers' Association, presided over dinner, which was also an opportunity for association members to welcome newly arrived staff of the British High Commission.
As well as the High Commissioner and his wife Anne, also dining were Deputy High Commissioner John Hillman and his wife Pushpa, First Secretary Jeremy Hart and wife Penny and Third Secretary Miss Ravinder Hans. Also invited as senior guests were Mr and Mrs Anthony Tabone.
The guest speaker for the evening was Lieutenant Charles Oswin, RN, who captivated the audience with his after-dinner talk on the life of Lord Nelson and offered the toast to "The Immortal Memory".
Toasts were also drunk to the President, Professor Guido de Marco, and Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
Also present, and adding a distinctly naval flavour to the proceedings was the newly appointed Commanding Officer of HMS St Paul (the Malta Sea Cadet Corps), Captain P. Camilleri, RMR, together with other Sea Cadet officers from HMS St Paul and their wives plus an immaculately turned out group of young sea and marine cadets.
Micallef - Abdilla
The marriage took place recently at St Francis Church, Hamrun, between Denise Micallef, daughter of Mr Alfred Micallef, BA, and Mrs Micallef of St Venera, and Daniel Abdilla, son of Mr and Mrs Frank Abdilla of Sta Lucija.
Nuptial Mass was celebrated by Fr Richard S. Grech, OFM. Mrs Audrey Galea, M.Ed., B.Ed. (Hons), LTCL, the bride's sister, and Mr Nigel Cassar, the groom's uncle, witnessed the wedding ceremony. Mr Edmund Bartoli, the bride's uncle, carried out the duties of best man.
The bride was attended by Miss Maria Abdilla, the groom's sister, as bridesmaid. Rachel Brincat, the groom's cousin, and Sara Anne Galea, the bride's niece, were flower-girls. Alan Michael Abdilla, the groom's cousin, was pageboy.
A reception was later held at Villa Marija, l/o Zurrieq.
The couple are spending their honeymoon in Tenerife, Canary Islands.
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People
Kurt Camilleri was recently awarded the prestigious Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE) status in routing and switching after successfully completing the required qualification and lab examinations in Brussels.
The CCIE programme focuses on current technologies and real-world applications to consistently identify candidates with the highest level of internetworking expertise.
Mr Camilleri graduated in Electrical Engineering from the University of Malta in 1997. For the past three years he has been working as a technical team lead for @Home Benelux, a Broadbank Internet Service Provider operating in the Benelux region.
He has also worked as an independent consultant in the foreign enterprise market where among other projects he was involved in the redesign of Kennisnet, the largest education internetwork in the Netherlands linking more than 11,000 schools via terrestrial and satellite communications.
His main interests are optical networks, network security and content delivery with a focus on knowledge creation tools.
Mr Camilleri, who is currently reading for an M.Sc. at Cranfield University in the UK, is married to Lorraine German.
Appreciation: Rina Fava
The passing away of my dear friend Rina Fava shocked not just her family but indeed all those who had the pleasure of knowing her. It is difficult to believe that somebody who was so vibrant, so very much alive, is now gone. Nevertheless, she will never be forgotten by any who knew her.
Rina was endowed with a unique personality - outgoing, cheerful and fun-loving - yet dependable and efficient. Such was her charisma that the Kanaklabb, which she ran for many years, soon became "Il-klabb ta' Rina Fava" to all the lady members who enthusiastically renewed their membership year after year. She was so warm and friendly, tolerant and kind, that she was very popular with all those who knew her but, above all, she was an exemplary Catholic.
While consoling myself in the knowledge that she is now in the warm embrace of God Almighty who, in His Mercy, spared her a long, painful death, I would like to extend my sincere condolences to her husband, whom she nursed so lovingly these past few years, her children and their spouses, grandchildren, brother and sisters, all of whom enjoyed such a good, loving relationship with her, and ask them all to unite with me in saying, "Till we meet again, Rina dear!"
by Ms Lina Thake of Birkirkara
For your diary
The International Wives Association is holding its monthly Swop-Shop at Dar l-Emigrant, Castille Place, Valletta, on Wednesday from 9.30 to 11.30 a.m. All are welcome.
A card party in aid of the Little Sisters of the Poor will be held at the Preluna Hotel, Sliema, on Wednesday from 10 a.m. For booking phone Blanche Martin on 2133-0387.
S.I.C.E.C. is organising a video presentation about Roswell and Area 51, followed by a discussion chaired by Timmy Zammit on Thursday, November 14, at 7 p.m. at the YTC, Merchants Street, Valletta.
The Rehabilitation Centre for the Physically Handicapped at Corradino, Paola, is organising a coffee morning and tombola on Thursday, November 14, at 9.30 a.m. at the Best Western Les Lapins Hotel, Ta' Xbiex. Tickets at Lm1.20 may be obtained by phoning 2169-3863 or 2143-6421.
The annual Christmas Sale in aid of the Dar tal-Providenza, the Residential Home for Persons with Disabilities at the Dar tal-Providenza, Siggiewi, will be held on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, November 15, 16 and 17 from 9.30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
There will be a shuttle bus service every half-hour from 9 a.m. from Siggiewi to Dar tal-Providenza and back during the sale. Persons wishing to donate goods for this sale can phone the home on 2146-2844 or fax 2146-7925 by not later than November 9.
President and Mrs de Marco's engagements - November 4-10
Tomorrow
10 a.m. The President receives Mr Anthony Borg Cardona accompanied by the auditors of the Malta Community Chest Fund at the Palace, Valletta.
11 The President receives the president and executive council members of the General Workers Union.
12 p.m. The President receives Dr Austin Gatt, Minister of Justice and Local Government.
5.30 The President unveils a commemorative plaque on the occasion of the 150th anniversary at the Malta Society of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce in Valletta.
Tuesday
11.30 a.m. The President receives Dr Austin Sammut, newly appointed chairman of the Public Broadcasting Services, at the Palace, Valletta.
5.45 p.m. The President receives the president and committee members of the Peace Band Club, Naxxar, on the occasion of its 140th anniversary.
6.30 The President presides over a meeting of the Commission for the Administration of Justice.
Wednesday
9.15 a.m. The President receives Dr Lawrence Gonzi, Acting Prime Minister, at the Palace, Valletta.
12 p.m. The President receives Ms Fatma Elzahraa Ibrahim Etman, Ambassador of Egypt.
7 p.m. The President presides over the annual Grant Thornton Award at the Le Meridien Phoenicia Hotel, Floriana.
Thursday
10 a.m. The President pays an official visit to Paola.
6.30 p.m. The President receives Dr Toomas Savi, Speaker of the Estonian Parliament, at the Palace, Valletta
Friday
1.30 p.m. The President and Mrs de Marco host a luncheon in honour of Dr Toomas Savi, Speaker of the Estonian Parliament, at San Anton Palace
7.30 The President inaugurates an exhibition of paintings by Pawl Carbonaro set up by the Bank of Valletta Arts Committee at the BOV Centre, Sliema.
8 The President and Mrs de Marco presides over the Malta Community Chest Fund charity ball organised by the Radisson SAS Bay Point Resort.
Saturday
6 p.m. The President inaugurates an exhibition of paintings by Mario Cassar in aid of Arka Foundation at the Curia, Republic Street, Victoria, Gozo.
7.30 The President attends the Zaghzugh/a tas-Sena 2002 organised by the OASI foundation at Ta' Cenc Hotel, Gozo.
Sunday
9.15 a.m. The President and Mrs de Marco attend a concelebrated Mass marking Remembrance Day at St John's Co-Cathedral, Valletta.
10.45 The President lays a wreath at the War Memorial on the occasion of Remembrance Day.