Politics will be kept at arm’s length from events connected to Valletta's designation as European Capital of Culture 2018, Parliamentary Secretary Jose Herrera said this morning as he launched the new V.18 logo and Valletta celebrated its official designation.

Valletta was yesterday officially designated as the 2018 European Capital of Culture by the European Council of Ministers.

Dr Herrera said the country will be celebrating several anniversaries in the run up to 2018 – including the 50th anniversary of Independence.

The chairman of the V-18 Foundation, Jason Micallef, said the V.18 team will work together with other organisers of various events to build on the good that was already there.

He urged the Maltese and Gozitans to take ownership of the European Capital of Culture event.

Celebrations today included a short performance inspired by Mattia Preti’s The Martyrdom of St Catherine at the Palace.

A recycled percussion workshop was held on the Palace square. Just outside the Chamber of Commerce, French photographer Sebastien Cailleux is juxtaposing children’s drawings and their photographic portraits.

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