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10/07/05
World Refugee Day In Malta
Sunday Times of Malta, Sunday 10th July
Press Release – JRS, Emigrant’s Commission, Moviment Graffitti
and UNHCR
A celebration of courage to feast all senses!
Courage was the theme behind the celebration held on Saturday,
June 18 to mark World Refugee Day, 2005.
“Etnikafest”, organised by the Emigrant’s Commission, the Jesuit
Refugee Service (Malta), Moviment Graffitti and UNHCR, saw the
participation of many individuals and NGOs as well as a local
audience and immigrants from both “Dar ir-Refugjati” within Bon
Pastur Sisters Convent and the open centres.
The afternoon started rather early, for at 7 pm the Scout Group
from Attard and the bands from Furtu Selvatico and Lorenzo
Manche schools welcomed the arrival of President Edward Fenech
Adami, Archbishop Joseph Mercieca, UNHCR representative for
Malta Walter Irvine, and various other dignitaries. Their
speeches were followed by messages from Mary from Sierra Leone,
Adam from Somalia, and Yousef from Eritrea.
Third World Group set up a stand in the main square of Balzan
displaying products made by immigrants in detention and another
stand carried information on refugee and asylum issues. In the
meantime, Amnesty International (Malta Group) were present with
information on human rights, IDEAL International’s
representative was running an art workshop for children, and
various artists as well as henna tattooists and hair braiders
were present on site. A screen showed an informative PowerPoint
presentation prepared for the occasion.
Vince Fabri compered the evening entertainment which started
with a concert by “Salty”, a children’s choir from Marsascala.
Miriam Christine entertained the audience with three of her
latest songs, including Little Zee which is about her personal
experience of racism as a child.
Perhaps one of the highlights of the evening then came around
when the food tasting session was officially opened inside Good
Shepherd Home! People flocked to the courtyard and more than
food tasting all managed to enjoy a free and thoroughly
satisfying meal of African food cooked by residents of “Dar
ir-Refugjati”! Tables were available for all to sit at and this
resulted in a true exchange of cultures, with Maltese and
immigrants sitting at the same tables, spontaneously exchanging
their stories. Inside the main hall all could take a look at the
informative boards set-up purposely for the occasion, as well as
view a photographic exhibition of prints of immigrants in Malta
shot for the occasion by Albert, a Congolese photo journalist.
Meanwhile, in the main square, a short film detailing the
experience of 5 individuals in Malta was screened and following
that a highly successful themed poetry reading took place which
saw the participation of Adrian Grima and Clare Azzopardi from
Malta, and Siem and Mahari from Eritrea, while Yossef
accompanied them all the while, playing a traditional Eritrean
instrument handmade by himself.
By now, close to 10 pm, people had satisfied their hunger and so
began to venture back to the main square where Samson Leguesse
was keeping the children entertained with magic tricks. This
proved popular with the adults too, however, who flocked around
the stage in awe!
The scene was set, the feeling was ripe and the Kilimanjaro Band
took to the stage. People began to sing along to the songs they
knew and dance and clap to the African music. The Kilimanjaro
Band were sent off with a loud cheer to leave place for the
Somali Band who sang, danced and entertained all those present.
Feet were itching, bodies twitching! It was a very good send off
to a highly successful day when cultures met in an exchange of
traditions, smells, tastes and sounds.
The organisers of “Etnikafest” would like to thank the following
without whom the event would not have been possible: the
immigrants who prepared the food, Dr Paul Mifsud, Director of
Culture, P. Cutajar & Co. Ltd. (KODAK), Farsons Group of
Companies, General Soft Drinks, Wembley Ice Cream, Qronfla,
Flower Power, Zaffarese Exhibitions & Events Ltd., St. Aloysius
College, Grupp Djakonija - Attard, Social Dancing Group - Attard,
Kazin tal-Banda San Gabriel, Mrs. Lilian Miceli Farrugia, Mr.
Tony Borg, Mr. Martin Pillow, Mr. Mario Cuciardi, and Mr.
Charles Maniscalco.
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