The Department of Architecture and Planning of the University of Bologna and the Works Division of the Ministry for Resources and Infrastructure have organised an interesting international conference on the theme: Malta baluardo d'Europa: disegno militare e fortificazioni a Malta in età moderna.

The conference, held in the castle of Bertinoro, Italy, attracted a large number of academics and restoration experts on military fortifications from Italy, France, Portugal, England, Swizerland and Malta.

The Maltese delegation included Professor Denis De Lucca representing the International Institute for Baroque Studies at the University of Malta who presented a paper on "Relations between Malta and Italy on the early 17th century: the role of Count Vertova".

Architect Vincent Cassar, director general of the Works Division, Hermann Bonnici, research assistant in the International Institute for Baroque Studies and senior architect in the Restoration Unit, who presented a paper on the restoration of Maltese fortified works, Stephen Spiteri, superintendent of fortifications, who presented a paper on the 16th century fortifications of the Knights in Malta, and Dr Albert Ganado, who delivered a lecture on the maps of the Malta fortifications 1530-1798.

Other participants in the Bertinoro conference included Professors J. Quentin Hughes, Carlo Monti, Giampiero Cuppini and Teresa Colletta, who together with other distinguished participants highlighted some hitherto unexplored issues concerning the building of the Malta fortifications and their significance in the context of military activity in Baroque Europe.

The conference was concluded with the presentation to the University of Bologna of Professor De Lucca's book entitled Giovanni Battista Vertova: Diplomacy, Warfare and Military Engineering practice in early seventeenth century Malta, published by Midsea Books on behalf of the International Institute for Baroque Studies.