Tomorrow would have been my father's birthday. Vincenzo Maria Pellegrini, born in 1911, was a notary by profession. But my father was much more than that. He was a poet, author, playwright, translator of literary works, opera and cantata librettist, painter.

My father was a patron of the Arts. He encouraged young and established artists, poets, writers, musicians. He was also known beyond our shores. He founded the Institute for Cultural Exchanges, where he organised art exhibitions, music recitals and cultural talks. He was also a member of the Manoel Theatre management committee (1960-1971) when this jewel of a theatre was restored and brought back to life around 50 years ago.

My brother Gabriel, himself an artist and keen art lover, has created a blog in memory of our father (www.gapmalta.blogspot.com). The site now has around 100 postings and gives an insight into our father's literary career. Further postings will be uploaded and will eventually deal with our father's unpublished works.

The site can serve as a source for research, not only about our father but also other personalities about whom our father wrote. Authors or artists who have their own website or blog and wish to have it linked to this blog may contact my brother Gabriel to make the necessary arrangements.

The site also has a link to another site set up by my bro-ther, (www.focusonmalteseart.blogspot.com), which seeks to celebrate the artistic contribution of our islands to the cultural world.

A street in Rabat, where our father exercised his profession, was named after him in 2000.

He died on October 1, 1997, but his memory still lives in the hearts of his sons and daughter, his grandchildren and all those who knew him.