SONGS OF MOTHERHOOD HONOURING

MOTHERS IN TIMES OF JOY, BEAUTY, LOSS, AND GRIEF.

CURATED BY ROBERTA AZZOPARDI, SONGS OF MOTHERHOOD/GĦANJIET L-OMM IS PRACTICALLY A LOVE STORY AND COMFORT BLANKET, FOR MOTHERS—BY MOTHERS. IT IS A CELEBRATION OF SOME OF THE HAPPIEST MOMENTS IN A MOTHER’S LIFE AND THE NOT-SO-HAPPY ONES THAT STILL DESERVE TO BE SUNG.

The book’s journey started with a poem that Roberta had written and published on her Instagram. “It was something of a eureka moment,” she says when I ask her what prompted her to curate this anthology. “I felt a connection with many other mothers who also write, paint or draw to express their joy and struggles with motherhood. It was such a natural transition between this awareness and the "wait - what if we collect all this in a book?" moment, that I almost berated myself at not having thought of it earlier. It's been done before but never quite like this—so many mediums, in two different languages, co-existing harmoniously together,” Roberta continues.

Whilst Songs of Motherhood is certainly one of Roberta’s proudest achievements so far, she initially saw it as a huge responsibility. “I would be sitting somewhere and reading through their submissions and thinking, “Wow, they trusted me to do something good with this,” Roberta says. “Now, seeing the book, hearing the contributors thank me for the opportunity…feels surreal. I am happy we gave them this space, but also incredibly humbled by their stories.”

Joining Roberta in this ode to motherhood is Moira Scicluna Zahra—the illustrator, and Sarah Cachia Falzon—the book designer. Moira depicts illustrations of Mediterranean flora and four female figures representing the different kinds of mothers we encounter in the book, while Sarah’s exquisite colour palette, typography, and cover design capture the heartwarming moments of joy and wonder with the more heartbreaking ones of loss and grief.

Undoubtedly, Roberta’s role as a mother to her son Benji is also a song that deserves to be sung. “I remember reading through a particularly powerful piece and wishing I had Benji close by to hold him as tightly as I could,” Roberta says. “These stories serve so many purposes—they serve to make us notice the ordinary everyday things that we take for granted. They serve to raise awareness about loss and infertility and at how widespread— but usually suppressed—they really are. In a way, these stories serve to accompany every mother on their journey, whatever her story, in the hope that they realise they're never alone with their struggles,” she continues. “In my case, the connection with so many mothers bolstered my own confidence in mothering. My struggles are echoed on many pages of the book, and it is a warm reassurance to be in such good company.”

You can purchase Songs of Motherhood from songsofmotherhood.com.mt

Facebook: @songsofmotherhood.mt

Instagram: @songs.of.motherhood

Family Days Out

VISIT THE PLAYMOBIL CASTLE AND ENTER THE WORLD OF PLAYMOBIL!

In the indoor play area children’s creativity comes alive with themes of Princesses, Police and Knight Playmobil play sets for both toddlers and kids aged 4+ to improve their cognitive skills. And in the outdoor pirate themed play area kids’ fascination reaches new levels with a pirate ship and tree house to climb, slide down and let out some energy!

Get your own Playmobil sets from the shop and keep the little ones entertained for hours!

A Maltese heritage site Is-Suq Tal-Belt is located in the Heart of Valletta, the capital of Malta!

It houses more than 15 food concepts under a roof. It has been renovated retaining the inside structure made out of iron which was one of the first of its kind in Malta! It’s so much more than just a place to buy food…it’s also a cultural hub, where people meet and enjoy Valletta’s rich culinary heritage.

+ 356 2224 2445 funpark@playmobilmalta.com www.playmobilmalta.com suqtalbelt suqtalbelt www.issuqtalbelt.com

WORDS JULIANNE GRIMA

TBWA\ANG TURNS 55 YEARS YOUNG AND THIS IS HOW THEY DO IT

TURNING 55 IS NO SMALL FEAT IN AN INDUSTRY THAT HAS CHANGED EXPONENTIALLY OVER THE PAST FIVE DECADES.

TURNING 55 IS NO SMALL FEAT IN AN INDUSTRY THAT HAS CHANGED THIS EXPONENTIALLY OVER THE PAST DECADES. A CYCLOTHYMIC INDUSTRY BUILT ON THE BACK OF TRENDS AND POPULAR CULTURE WITH THE DECISIVENESS OF A PETULANT TEENAGER. HOW HAS TBWA\ANG SUCCEEDED IN KEEPING ITSELF AT THE FOREFRONT OF THE COMMUNICATIONS INDUS TRY?

“The life of a company very much mirrors a personal journey, except of course that, in Business, surrounding yourself with creatives half your age reflects perpetual company culture evolution - and not the droll of finding yourself in the throes of a mid-life existential crises. No Sir! We’re 55 - young enough to run with wild horses and old enough to know better than to try. It’s a privileged position to know who you are. Wise enough to be in the moment, make mistakes, savor the wins and know, for a fact, that every fall will be followed by a stronger stand. It takes time to get there, to manage the fine lines between arrogance and confidence. Time, sweat, tears and generations of perseverance. A healthy sense of humour and the ability to take ourselves with a pinch of salt has been vital. This business is tough, it gets under your skin and works its way into your every waking hour. A thick skin, much patience and some grace, go a long way.”

THE FOUNDER OF ASSOCIATED NEWS GROUP, LATER KNOWN AS ANG AND SINCE 2006 TBWA\ANG, JOURNALIST GODFREY GRIMA, PASSED AWAY IN 2022, HOW HAS THIS AFFECTED THE BUSINESS?

“We started somewhere, 55 years ago with nothing to our name but the ambition and smarts of one man, our founding father, Godfrey Grima, with his daughter Julianne, at the helm we continue to build on the revolving door of creatives, executives and administrators who have contributed to our every evolution, change in direction, backtrack and push. TBWA|ANG thanks every single person who has taught us, left their mark with us, designed us and even taught us the hard way. The celebrations have been memorable but the scars, life lessons”.

WHAT IS THE PREDOMINANT FEELING ON TURNING 55 YEARS YOUNG?

“This is a milestone year that we dedicate to gratitude, grace and God(frey). Thank you to our every client over the past 55 years. Through thick and thin, some have kept us afloat, some have given us a run for our money and some have taught us more than our combined degrees, even on the slowest of days

Our greatest love, McDonald’s, our partners for nearing three decades. Thank you for your on-going trust and collaboration, thank you for the magic that is the brand and the people behind those Golden Arches. What a ride, what a romance!

Thank you to BOV for giving us the opportunity to showcase our ideas in the banking industry, giving us the space to deliver work that pushes the envelope of creativity just slightly beyond those boundaries. Thank you to Bizzilla, our publishing partners who provide us with the opportunity to showcase our beautiful island and a special thank you to our partners Browns, there is no greater joy than to work with a client who is so deeply imbedded in the want to secure a healthier community”.

IN 2006 ANG JOINED THE GLOBAL COLLECTIVE, TBWA, HAS THIS BEEN A FRUITFUL

MARRIAGE?

“Joining the TBWA collective has been a gift that keeps on giving. A name that has fixed us with global sister companies who have given us opportunity for creative and intellectual challenge and growth. People who have celebrated our success and consoled our failures, a true collective of smart, generous and like-minded people who strive for excellence in an industry that can often feel competitive and isolating”.

WITH AN AGENCY BORN EVERY MINUTE, HOW DOES TBWA\ANG MANAGE TO COMPETE WITH SMALLER, DRIVEN START-UPS?

“Every courageous start-up agency that lines the horizon helps keep us on our toes. There’s no guidelines coming into this industry and definitely none to survive it. Here’s what we’ve learned along the way: Treat other agencies with courtesy and dignity, focus on what you do best, grow yourself in the direction that works for you and have the courage to plough ahead with conviction and elegance. Take calculated risks, don’t over stretch yourself financially, be prudent with your money, be generous with your talent. Be patient when plans fall through, tomorrow is another day. You’ve been here before, it will be ok”.

AT 55, DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU’VE BEEN THERE, DONE THAT, BOUGHT THE T-SHIRT? HOW DOES A 55-YEAR-OLD AGENCY REMAIN EXCITED?

“Adrenalin seekers don’t age with time, the energy is innate and youthful. 55 is the chronological age dictated by our birth date, it’s the number upon which our experience is piled. Experience puts you in the know, wise to shortcuts, to predictions to side-stepping potential potholes”.

WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED ALONG THE WAY THAT HAS CONTRIBUTED TO YOUR CURRENT SUCCESS?

“We have built our business on pillars that emanated organically from our value system, in retrospect our core values have never changed and here’s what has worked for us:

Every complex problem comes with a plethora of potential solutions, it is vital to focus on the positives. Anything we set our mind to, is there for the taking, investing in making our work dramatically excellent has been essential. Good is just not good enough. Every loss has its silver lining, a lesson to be learned.

Surrounding ourselves with people who excel in their field of expertise and giving them the space and time to find their footing has been quintessential. Developing a safe space with zero tolerance for any form of discrimination as a base for creative thinkers to feel home and productive. Being mindful of the pitfalls of micromanaging versus guiding and walking alongside, a necessary learning curve.

Money is important, clients want to save it, employees need to earn it. Keeping a watchful eye on that profit margin and sometimes having to rely on buckets of courage to make those oh so difficult

HOW DOES THE AGENCY MANAGE TO STILL KEEP FUN AS AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE TBWA\ANG EXPERIENCE?

“The world of advertising is a world that seeks to communicate brands to the community. Being an integral part of our community, helping whenever and whoever has needed, but couldn’t afford to communicate a message that mattered, has fed our sense of humanity. Providing the team with the opportunity to work on more than targets and sales, doing work that matters, where it matters, helps us feed our need for meaning and purpose in our professional