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PAGE02.pdf
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PAGE03.pdf
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PAGE20.pdf
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PAGE06NEW.pdf
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25/04/2014
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3600 BC
750 BC
The Temple Builders Die Tempelbauer Les constructeurs des temples I costruttori di Templi
218 BC The Romans Römer Les Romains I Romani
The Phoenicians Die Phönizier Les Phéniciens I Fenici
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MILESTONES MEILENSTEINE ÉTAPE IMPORTANTE PIETRA MILIARE
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60 AD
870 AD
Christianity Christentum Le Christianisme Il Cristianesimo
1090 AD
The Arabs Die Araber Les Arabes Gli Arabi
The Norman Conquest Die normannische Eroberung La conquête normande La Conquista normanna
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1565 AD
1530 AD
1798 AD
The Great Siege Die Große Belagerung Le Grand Siège Il Grande Assedio
The Knights of St. John Die Johanniterritter Les Chevaliers de St. Jean I Cavalieri di San Giovanni
1800 AD
1974 AD
Republic Republik La république La Repubblica
* Image:Heritage Malta • Bild: Heritage Malta • Image:Heritage Malta • Foto:Heritage Malta
The French period Die französische Periode La période française Il periodo francese
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Arrival of the British Ankunft der Briten L’arrivée des anglais L’arrivo degli inglesi
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1940 AD
World War II Zweiter Weltkrieg La deuxième guerre mondiale La Seconda Guerra Mondiale
2004 AD
EU Accession EU-Mitgliedschaft L’accès à l’UE L’accesso all’UE
1964 AD
Independence Unabhängigkeit L’indépendance L’Indipendenza
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PAGE12.pdf
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12 l 13
Holy Pageantry Image: Statue of Christ laid to rest, Mosta © IMPACT PR
The predominant Catholic belief of the Maltese is shown at its best during Holy Week leading to Easter. The climax of this religious celebration of faith is reached on Good Friday when in most towns and villages one finds the live pageants showing the passion of Christ all the way to his crucifixion. Historical records show that this tradition dates back to the end of the 16th century where it started in Rabat by the Guild of St Joseph linked to the Franciscan Minors. In fact the Rabat pageant is one of the most popular amongst both locals and visitors to the Maltese Islands. When visiting these pageants, one can see the solemn feeling and dedication which the participants put into this annual event. These processions are organized in about 19 localities across Malta and Gozo and you will find people in biblical and historical costumes, altar boys, members of the clergy, bands playing funeral marches and children carrying either the symbols of the passion or tablets showing quotations from the Bible about the passion and death of Jesus Christ. Main attractions are the life size figures carried shoulder-high depicting the various stages of the passion.
Top: Rabat Procession © IMPACT PR
The solemn and macabre atmosphere is then turned into a joyous and triumphant celebration on the following Sunday when the church celebrates Christ's resurrection. The climax of the celebration is the procession with the statue of the Risen Christ and the traditional run with the statue in the main streets of various towns in villages accompanied by bands playing joyous marches.
Image: Statue of Risen chris, Mosta © Victor J. Caruana
Sheltering The Tarxien Temples After years of intensive preparatory work, the first of two arches was erected over the Tarxien Temples in a massive operation which involved several cranes and the expertise of professionals which included engineers, architects, archaeologists and specialised technicians. These arches form part of the protective shelter being built over the Neolithic remains of this World Heritage Site. The shelter, consisting of a metal frame with a specialised fabric stretched over it, will protect the temple remains from elements such as the sun and rain, effectively breaking the heating/cooling, wetting/drying cycles which are most harmful to the soft globigerina limestone. This will ensure long-term effective protection from the major causes of deterioration.
Images: Various details of the Tarxien Temples; also showing the arches built to shelter this World Heritage site Š Heritage Malta.
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The works on the protective shelter are the last of a long list of activities on this particular site which include conservation-related studies, three-dimensional documentation, archaeological excavations as well as the building of a new and extended walkway which is fully accessible. All of these works were carried out as part of the Archaeological Heritage Conservation Project, partly funded through European Regional development Funds (Cohesion Policy 2007-2013), which also included major works on conservation and visitor facilities at Ä gantija and St Paul's Catacombs.
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A PLACE IN THE SUN Malta and Gozo are becoming increasingly popular locations for the purchase or rental of second homes. Situated at the very heart of the Mediterranean Sea, with easy access from all major cities in Europe, North Africa and neighbouring states, the Islands have many advantages to offer, including the following:
WHY MALTA
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• An excellent climate with pleasant all year round weather. • Genuinely friendly and hospitable people who will make it easy to integrate within the local community. • Very low levels of crime which make Malta one of the safest places in the region. • A member of the European Union since 2004, Malta is an independent republic enjoying political stability. • English is one of the two official languages of the Islands and is spoken fluently by everyone. • The Island boasts a high standard of hospital and medical services, both private and public. • Excellent schooling, often exceeding international standards, with a choice of English-speaking schools and University. • A relatively low cost of living. • A stable property market offering a wide variety of properties in all price ranges, and good prospects for capital growth. These, together with an abundance of historical and cultural attractions, crystal clear seas, a variety of sporting facilities (including world class diving) and a lively calendar of events, make these Islands a favourite for those seeking their dream ‘Place in the Sun'. Moreover, the residency conditions are very attractive and include a favourable tax regime and the absence of Rates or Council taxes.
FLYING TIMES Malta – London 3.05hrs Malta – Frankfurt 2.35hrs Malta – Rome 1.15hrs
Malta – Amsterdam 3.05hrs Malta – Paris 2.35hrs Malta – Cairo 2.25hrs
PURCHASE OF PROPERTY BY NON-MALTESE BUYERS It is quite easy for a non-Maltese to purchase property in Malta and Gozo. Naturally, some conditions apply including certain restrictions regarding the minimum value of property that can be purchased and the use that the buyer will make of the property. Some buyers may also require a special permit.
MORE INFORMATION For further information and assistance, we recommend that you contact one of the excellent local Estate Agents who can offer professional guidance and advice to help you make the best choice.
If you are an expatriate living in Malta or Gozo...
you may regularly receive a link to the online version of this monthly magazine in your email. Simply e-mail us on: info@impactpr.com.mt
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PAGE18&19NEW.pdf
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Orphée et Eurydice at Teatru Manoel The Teatru Manoel BOV Performing Arts Festival is renewing its appointment this year. This Festival is the result of a collaborative effort between Bank Of Valletta and the Teatru Manoel that goes back over a decade. From inception, the main objective of this Festival was that of opening a window on the enticing world of performing arts, in a bid to make it more accessible to the general public. As the Bank with roots running deep in the Maltese community in which it operates, Bank of Valletta recognised its responsibility to conserve those characteristics that etch our identity as Maltese and promote the local culture. It is a result of this commitment that the Bank maintains a very active association with a lot of organisations that supports culture, especially where local talent is involved.
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Music and dance come together in this story of loss and obsession; Composed by Christoph Willibald Gluck it is based on the myth of Orpheus and set to a libretto by Ranieri de' Calzabigi. It belongs to the genre of the azione teatrale, an opera on a mythological subject. The piece was first performed at the Burgtheater in Vienna on 5 October 1762 in the presence of Empress Maria Theresa. The opera is the most popular of Gluck's works and one of the most influential on subsequent German opera. This year's opera features mezzo-sopranos Hadar Halevy and Lucia Cirillo sharing the male role of Orphée, Maltese soprano Gillian Zammit in the role of Eurydice and Francesca Aquilina playing Amour. The chorus is made up of predominantly Maltese singers accompanied by the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Philip Walsh.
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Hadar Halevy © Teatru Manoel
Denise Mulholland © Teatru Manoel
Lucia Cirillo © Teatru Manoel
Gillian Zammit © Teatru Manoel
Francesca Aquilina © Teatru Manoel
Philip Walsh © Teatru Manoel
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The Manoel Theatre © Luiz Rodriguez
This new production will be re-imagined in the Victorian era and promises to be both moving and visually striking. Artistic Director, Kenneth Zammit Tabona states, “The concept of bringing the dead back to life is one that has haunted mankind since prehistory. The mythological story of the disconsolate Orpheus bringing his beloved Eurydice back to life has inspired artists, poets and composers to further immortalise it. There are operas by Vinci, Rossi, Monteverdi and even Offenbach and many more but none of them have the innate pathos of Gluck's delicate interpretation. Excerpts like The Dance of the Blessed Spirits and Que fais-Je sans Eurydice have long become standard popular fare and it is this familiarity with the opera that inspired us at the Theatre to produce our own interpretation of this glorious Transitional opera on a stage that is eminently suitable for it. I can assure you that the production, in the hands of Denise Mulholland with stage design by Pierre Portelli and costumes by Luke Azzopardi, will leave you mesmerized, charmed and intrigued." The opera will be sung in French with English subtitles and starts at 20:00. Ticket holders can attend a pre-opera talk at 19:15. Performances are on Wednesday 16th, Thursday 17th, Saturday 19th and Sunday 20th March. Tickets available from www.teatrumanoel.com.mt, email bookings@teatrumanoel.com.mt or tel 2124 6389. There are two other noteworthy appointments in this year’s Festival. The first is the ToiToi Big Band Concert on Easter Sunday, which is a great show for all the family that features Big Band Brothers alongside PikuZi. The third appointment is with the world renowned one-handed pianist Nicholas McCarthy on the 13th April who will be performing a programme of works ranging from Bach and Scriabin to Gershwin. Bank of Valletta p.l.c. is a public limited company licensed to carry out the business of banking and investment services in terms of the Banking Act (Cap. 371 of the Laws of Malta) and the Investment Services Act (Cap. 370 of the Laws of Malta). Registered Office: 58, Triq San Zakkarija, Il-Belt Valletta VLT 1130-Malta Registration Number: C 2833
PAGE20.pdf
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Freedom Day 31st March
On the 31st March 1979 Malta was for the first time not a military base of a foreign power and became independent de facto. Malta, due to its strategic position in the centre of the Mediterranean Sea, just between Europe and North Africa, had always been occupied and targeted by occupiers' enemies. The latest of these was the British occupation under which Malta went through two World Wars as a military and naval base. During that time Malta was used as a base for troops and vessels. The significance of Freedom Day is not only tied to the tangible removal of the British base from Malta but also to the final release of Malta from foreign rule. Although this was not so long ago, Malta has come a long way from the destruction undergone in the wars and it has flourished into an independent state which has made various successes notwithstanding its insularity and scarce resources. On the 31st March, this National Day is celebrated by the parade and inspection of the guard of honour beside the Freedom Day monument in Vittoriosa and then the highlight of the day being the annual regatta which takes place in Grand Harbour in the afternoon. Images: Top left: Freedom Day Monument © IMPACT PR Left: Guard of Honour parade © DOI Jeremy Wonnacott Below: Ragatta in Grand Harbour © DOI Jeremy Wonnacott
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PAGE27.pdf
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PAGE28.pdf
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