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May

 

2-4, 6 – War Horse – Film @ St James Cavalier at 6.30 pm (See http://www.sjcav.org/)

 

8 - Songs Of Love, Songs Of War – Concert for the Community Chest Fund @ Teatru Manoel at 7.30pm (See http://www.teatrumanoel.com.mt)

 

9 -13 War Horse – Film @ St James Cavalier at 9.00pm (See http://www.sjcav.org/)

 

9-27 – Dear Dom – Film in English and Maltese @ St James Cavalier for times see website (See http://www.sjcav.org/)

 

 

 

A must for classical music lovers

posted on 2 April 2012

 

The 6th International Spring Festival will take place at the Manoel Theatre from the 10 to the 14th April.  This has now become a yearly event.  In his introduction to the programme the Artistic Director Karl Fiorini notes that the Festival “brings together musicians who despite their diversity, effortlessly unite through their love of music, an international language that knows no bounds, which they re eager to impart to each and every one of us.”      An event not to be missed by all music lovers.

Read more;  http://www.teatrumanoel.com.mt/

 

 

European Capital of Culture in 2018?

 

from

In this opinion piece, Pamela Hansen analyses various Valletta projects and initiatives and expresses doubt as to whether ECOC 2018 will eventually be successful. 

read more:  http://www.independent.com.mt/news.asp?newsitemid=142157

 

 

 

 

from

Inglorious bulwarks:  Mark Anthony Falzon offers an interesting perspective of fortifications and their restoration. “Restoration is fine but it wouldn’t do to strip the walls of their mundane history and to ‘elevate’ them to some abstract notion of heritage. They may soon be a uniform colour but without the circuses and shady characters and stories they’d be, I dare say, quite colourless.”

 

 

Sustainability and Fort St. Elmo

 

from

Adoption of sustainable development principles: (see post below) In his letter to the Editor and referring to the SPED,  Godwin Cassar states:    “In determining applications for development permission it must be made absolutely clear that new issues will have to be taken into account such as energy use and conservation, air quality, CO2 emissions, biodiversity, health indicators, water conservation, etc.”

 

If this were to happen, the development control process will grind to a halt.   Processing a development application will become far too complex resulting in endless delays. 

 

There are not enough personnel within MEPA with adequate planning expertise (as opposed to experts on biodiversity, conservation, air quality or whatever).  Instead of taking a holistic view, some MEPA officers seek the refusal of an application on one particular aspect, blissful ignoring all beneficial aspects of the project.

 

I will use the development applications for the restoration of Fort St. Elmo and Carafa Enceinte to illustrate the point.  (My involvement in the project is obo the applicant).   The applications were approved recently.  During processing, MEPA officers tried to torpedo the project ( by putting up all sorts of obstacles and hurdles) on the pretext that the use of the area as a museum and ramparts walk might (and I emphasize might) increase traffic and pollution along Marsamxett Road.  These same MEPA officers ignored the significant benefits that the restoration of this important historical monument will bring.  (Incidentally, they also ignored the fact that the relocation of the police academy out of Fort St. Elmo will decrease traffic.) 

 

In the name of sustainability, MEPA was inches away from doing the most unsustainable thing possible – obstructing the investment of 15 million euros in restoration and reuse of Fort St. Elmo and Carafa Enceinte. 

 

 (comment by John Ebejer)

 

 

Dealing with Derelict Areas

 

from

Adoption of sustainable development principles:  Referring to the Strategic Plan for the Environment and Development (SPED), Godwin Cassar states in this letter to the editor , “The SPED should also require identification of areas that are derelict, having a high percentage of vacancy, having low space standards, in multiple ownership and do not provide decent accommodation, where the intervention of the government is required to acquire the property for redevelopment with the participation of the private sector and the involvement of the current owners who would benefit from a return on their holding.  It is only through this measure that one can hope to arrest the decline of population numbers in places like Valletta and the Three Cities.”

Read more: http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20120331/letters/Adoption-of-sustainable-development-principles.413452

 

 

Valletta 2018

Candidate European Capital of Culture

 

By now most people know that Valletta is Candidate City for European Capital of Culture (2018).  But what does it involve?  What preparations are being carried out?  How can each one of use get involved when year 2018 comes around?

 

Karsten Xuereb - Valletta 2018 Project Coordinator will be giving a presentation on the V.18 bid for the European Capital of Culture (2018).   This will be on next Thursday 29 March 2012 at 7.15 pm at the Exchange Buildings, Republic Street Valletta.   Everyone is invited to attend. 

 

The presentation will be the introduction to the Annual General Meeting of the Valletta Alive Foundation. 

 

 

Restoration works at Grandmasters’ Palace

 

from timesonline.com, 

Restoration works on Valletta Palace facades underway: The main façade of the Grandmaster's Palace in Valletta has been extensively restored and work is currently going on the remaining facades.

 

Read more; http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20120327/local/restoration-works-on-valletta-palace-facades-underway.413010

 

 

Church of Our Lady of Victory

 

from 

Contributors thanked… but much more needed for Our Lady of Victory Churchrestoration:    Noel Grima reports on a fund raising event organised by Din l-Art Ħelwa in aid of the restoration of Our Lady of Victory Church.  He gives a brief overview of the historical relevance of the Church.   The following is an excerpt:   “OLV is not just the first church to be built in Valletta in thanksgiving for the 1565 Great Siege victory over the invading Turk armada. It was also the first parish of Valletta, the first burial place (its crypt was the first burial place of Grand Master de Valette), also the first meeting hall for the Order’s Council, and also the first court of the city.  Even more than that, while St John’s Co-Cathedral is a wonderful monument to all that the multinational Order brought to Malta, OLV is the church that highlights the signal contributions made by Maltese to Malta’s cultural legacy. A Maltese, Ġlormu Cassar, built it and its paintings are by Maltese artists Stefano Erardi and Francesco Zahra. It is a place that encapsulates the Maltese identity, that which differentiates Malta from the other islands of the Mediterranean because only Malta is a people, a state, a nation.”

Read more: http://www.independent.com.mt/news.asp?newsitemid=141751

 

 

Art Museum proposed for the Valletta Market

 

from 

Idea brightens up cold spring night:  Architect Chris Briffa proposes an arts museum for the Valletta market.  The proposal is described as follows;  “he proposes first of all to bring the building back to the Merchants Street line of buildings by digging a series of steps down to what today is the basement of the building and turning that basement into the first level of the museum. On top, he proposes a cantilevered extension of the building jutting out to reach the Merchants Street line of buildings. This could be an extension of the museum itself but it could also house the administration offices. It could also provide shelter for open-air activities such as the showing of films, concerts and the like underneath it while people sit on the steps.  With access at the lower level, the side ditches of the building can become artistic venues where artists can showcase their creations.  The clerestory roof should be restored and the escalator fixed so that the upper levels of the museum can be opened up to the visiting public.”

Read more:  http://www.independent.com.mt/news.asp?newsitemid=141753

 

 

 



 

 

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Phone: (+356) 2123 3873
E-mail: info@vallettaalive.com


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