Sunday Circle (August 2017) by Times of Malta

AUGUST 2017 – ISSUE NO. 271

A CULT L OF LT SECRECY? pag age ag ge 20

MALT LTA LT TA THROUGH A DIFFERENT LENS pag age ag ge 30

HIGHER EDUCAT A ION AT SPECIAL pag age ag ge 36

AMBASSADOR

BÉATRICE LE FRAPER DU HELLEN

Celebrating the taste of France / page 6

CONTENTS boutique grow exponentially in just under three years. Here, they share their experience of breaking gender expectations within the professional world.

COVER STORY 06

IN CELEBRATION OF FRANCE Invited to tea with French ambassador Béatrice Le Fraper Du Hellen, Iggy Fenech discovers the true meaning of Goût de France and chats to French celebrity chef Julien Duboué.

BEAUTY 11

NOURISHMENT FROM NATURE Ramona Depares experiences the new Collistar Natura range.

SEXUALITY 12

A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE From coming out to loneliness, six men who identify as gay reveal their personal stories connected to life and some of its rites of passage.

THE ORDER OF SECRECY Freemasons are viewed with fear and suspicion, the secrecy that surrounds the order often leading to mistrust and outward hostility. Two senior members of The Grand Lodge of Malta try to explain why this is undeserved and why there’s nothing underhand about Freemasonry. Words by Jacob Sammut

H I G H E R E D U C AT I O N SPECIAL 36

PEOPLE 26

INTERIOR DESIGN 16

CONTROVERSIES

BREAKING THE PROVERBIAL GLASS CEILING Katja Abela Cassar and Paula Agius Vadala have seen their award-winning architecture

THE LURE OF THE SEA Windsurfing pioneer and sailing veteran and all-rounder Edward Woods reminisces about the good times riding the waves and talks about how we need to take better care of our environment. Words by Ramona Depares.

PHOTOGRAPHY

FROM HUMBLE BEGINNINGS TO A BRIGHT FUTURE Prof Henry Frendo traces the illustrious history at the University of Malta and tells Johnathan Cilia why the future is bright. EXPLORING ALL OPTIONS There was a time when creative subjects could not be pursued at tertiary level in Malta. This has changed with the advent of specialised institutes and courses. But is it essential? Iggy Fenech speaks to two Mcast lecturers and a freelance artist to find out. CULTIVATING THE FOURTH AND FIFTH ESTATE The incubator for tomorrow’s film, design and journalism stars just got a major overhaul. Media and Communications head of department Ġorġ Mallia explains how the new undergraduate course has been transformed into a hands-on experience that will find students prepared to take on the world of work.

H E A LT H 56

THIS PUBLICATION IS BEING DISTRIBUTED AS PART OF:

REDISCOVERING MALTA Malta’s stunning landscapes take centre-stage for German photographer Fritz Grimm, who shares his story with Iggy Fenech right after his debut exhibition in Malta.

NEW BROOM SWEEPS CLEAN Dr Jean Paul Demajo brings us the latest from the world of dentistry.

REGULARS 03 A word from the editor 04 c Style 55 Paparazzi

Send your letters to: Ramona Depares, executive editor, Sunday Circle, Allied Newspapers Ltd, 341, Strickland House, St Paul Street, Valletta, VLT 1211, or email: ramona.depares@timesofmalta.com. The executive editor reserves the right to edit letters for clarity and where space is limited. For advertising enquiries email: renee.mdecesare@timesofmalta.com or call: 9947 7193. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole, or in part, is strictly prohibited without written permission. Opinions expressed in the Sunday Circle are not necessarily those of the editor-in-chief or publisher. All reasonable care is taken to ensure truth and accuracy, but the editor-in-chief and publisher cannot be held responsible for errors or omissions in articles, advertising, photographs or illustrations. Unsolicited manuscripts are welcome, but cannot be returned without a stamped, self-addressed envelope. The editor-in-chief is not responsible for material submitted for consideration.

A WORD FROM

the editor

It’s supposed to be a quiet month, when nothing really happens and everyone just flops around on the beach or – better still – flops around in a cooler country. But things aren’t quite following the natural order, it seems. Hot on the heels of a historic vote, which saw marriages between gay couples finally being recognised by our country (way to go Malta, now let’s make some effort vis-a-vis women’s rights too, please, yes?) Iggy Fenech interviews a number of people about their experience coming out, how it affected their lives, family relationships and the dating scene in Malta (spoiler alert – shares a lot of similarities with the straight scene) and more. It’s poignant, funny, and touching and do read it for a better understanding about how gay people feel everything exactly the same way straight people do. Onto style and arts – this month we meet two ladies who are bringing new meaning to the marriage between commerce and art, transforming interior spaces into something wonderful, while thumbing their noses at the glass ceiling. Theirs is a story of inspiration that yes, we can all achieve our dreams if we set our mind to it (with some cooperation from the fates, of course). Onto a topic that many would consider more serious – freemasonry. Despite many members revealing their identity (including celebrities) internationally, in Malta the organisation is still considered by the majority as highly secretive and suspect. Two members speak to one of our writers in an attempt to dispel these beliefs – will they convince you? This month we also bring you a special section dedicated to Higher Education as right now most teenagers are deciding about what road to take next when it comes to education. On the sports front, don’t miss out on our interview with Edward Woods – his is truly the perfect for sport for the season, though he will argue that it’s a sport for all seasons! Windsurfing is fun, exciting and certainly a different kind of sport from what we’re used to. Edward is one of the pioneers, introducing competitions and a more serious approach to the sport in Malta, so read all about it on this issue. There’s more, of course. Our cover personality this month is the wonderful Béatrice Le Fraper Du Hellen , ambassador to France. She takes us on a tour around the enchanting French residence in Żebbuġ, introduces us to French celebrity chef Julien Duboué, who explains what the taste of France is all about. There’s also style, shopping, personalities, features, summer fun and more. I hope you enjoy the magazine and I wish you a relaxed August!

PUBLISHER ALLIED NEWSPAPERS LTD. EXECUTIVE EDITOR Ramona Depares PUBLICATION SALES MANAGER Renée Micallef Decesare DESIGN Joseph Schembri COVER Béatrice Le Fraper Du Hellen Photography: Chris Sant Fournier EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTORS Johnathan Cilia, Iggy Fenech, Ramona Depares

STYLE Delicata classic wine festival Wine coins will be the common currency at this summer’s Delicata Classic Wine Festival, exchangeable for glasses of delightful Maltese wines. Each one of the four wineand-joy filled evenings promises to be as magical as ever with a great line-up of wine, food and music. The 16th consecutive edition takes place over four nights, from August 10 to 13 at the Upper Barrakka Gardens in Valletta, from 7 pm till midnight. There will be over 20 different wines to be sampled. Vintages of nine Delicata award-winning brands will be served from as many stalls spread along the garden’s periphery. To try the Delicata wines, all one has to do is to purchase a little wine purse for €15 at the entrance gate of the Upper Barrakka Gardens. The wine purse comes filled with 24 wine coins and complete with a souvenir glass which is for the wine lover to keep. Otherwise entrance is free of charge. Live cooking stalls will be serving a tempting variety of both traditional Maltese and international dishes to tease a wide range of palates while Mireille Bonello will compere the live entertainment. Every evening there

will be a double-bill starting with an opening-night concert on Thursday by WaterWings and Red Electrick. The Busker and the Spiteri Lucas Band will perform on Friday, Planet Seed and The Crowns will play on Saturday, and Cash & Band and The Travellers will bring the wine event of the year to a close on Sunday. Delicata Privilege Card holders can use the fast track facility provided they pre-book and pay online through Delicata’s website. www.delicata.com

stylish swimwear

summer fab

Calzedonia sponsored Events by Martin at Sky Beach Intercontinental which kicked off early last month. The stylish new rooftop beach club provided the perfect backdrop for the Calzedonia models who enjoyed themselves in and around the fabulous infinity pool while showing off stylish swim and beachwear from Calzedonia.

Parfois’s latest collection is created for the independent and free spirited woman. Bringing this red folk collection to the fashion line – a perfect addition to your festival outﬁt for Summer events from dusk till dawn. A collection that includes earrings, rings & bracelets to make your party apparel fun and adventurous! For the classical midst Summer night occasions, Parfois introduces ‘The Pearl out of the Shell’ Collection to ensure your most elegant evenings are brought alive with lustrous and satiny pearl accessories.

protect your vision Protect your eyes from the sun and see better with Vision Opticians. Too much exposure to the sun’s UV rays has been linked to eye damage which can cause temporary vision loss. vision opticians are oﬀering a 20% discount on sighted sunglass lenses, photomatic and polarised lenses all with full uv protection. Visit one of Vision Opticians 8 outlets. For more info call 23811801 or email info@vision-opticians.com.

3ina opens store in valletta Beauty Brand 3INA has announced the opening of their fourth store in Republic Street, Valletta. 3INA landed on the beauty scene just over a year ago with the aim of shaking up the ‘one size ﬁts all’ approach to the cosmetics industry – other stores are located at The Point, Pama and Qormi. 3INA carries a whopping 600 products, but The Longwear Lipstick has been a hero product from the start and now makes up 8 per cent of sales. All 3INA products are cruelty-free and manufactured in Europe; the 3INA girl is bold, brave and celebrates individual beauty, craving newness to fuel her creativity. For more information on our stores please visit https://www.facebook.com/3INAMalta.

4 Sunday Circle ∫ AUGUST 2017

CIRCLE PROMOTION

The new Squadron 53 – perfect lines Nothing was left to chance when it came to designing and building the Squadron 53. Every precisely-placed curve, every elegant edge, every understated shade of colour has its place in the grand scheme of things. And simply because absolute attention to detail and a genuine appreciation of quality go hand-in-hand. You have just to run your hand over the perfectly matched grain of the 53’s woodwork, or take in the graceful arch of its swept flybridge, or immerse yourself in a

Alberto Mancini. All this while maintaining

submersible bathing platform; Harmon

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Karden audio upgrade; marble upgrade

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COVER STORY

PHOTOS: CHRIS SANT FOURNIER

6 Sunday Circle â&#x2C6;« AUGUST 2017

COVER STORY

In celebration of

France

INVITED TO TEA WITH FRENCH AMBASSADOR BÉATRICE LE FRAPER DU HELLEN, IGGY FENECH DISCOVERS THE TRUE MEANING OF GOÛT DE FRANCE AND CHATS TO FRENCH CELEBRITY CHEF JULIEN DUBOUÉ.

From the limestone used to build it to the citrus trees

from the Landes region of France – a star performer

that grow in its garden, the Résidence de France in

on TV Show Top Chef and author of French cookbook

Żebbuġ is decidedly Maltese. Yet, as soon as you walk

Sud Ouest – to create its menu for the evening’s meal.

through its doors, the Maltese identity of the building

And, it was a few hours after our tête-à-tête over tea,

becomes dotted with the trinkets, books and

that Chef Julien was to serve the annual Good France

memories that feel distinctly French. A reminder, after

dinner with his own take on the classical French dish

all, of the role the Ambassador of France to Malta

Sauce Maltaise, inspired by the orange trees within the

Béatrice Le Fraper Du Hellen plays between the two

traditional walled garden of the résidence.

nations… And this marriage of cultures, I’ve come to

“There are never enough occasions for people to

discover, is also the reason why, each year, Goût de

get together and share something with one another,”

France (Good France) is celebrated across the world.

the Ambassador tells me. “Food does that. After all, a

“The idea behind this event is for food, cuisine and recipes to become a catalyst for mixing cultures and exchanging ideas; for getting to know one

lonely meal is not fun and not good for your health, either! “Also, it’s important to keep in mind that, when

another around a meal, but also getting to know each

we talk about a traditional French dinner, it is not so

other’s cultures through ingredients and ﬂavours. Yes,

much about the menu itself rather than about sharing

we can do that by travelling but what about travelling

a pleasant time with your family, friends and relatives,”

through France, or India, or Malta, without leaving our

she adds. “I mean, what do you do when you want to

kitchen?” Madame Ambassador tells me.

get to know a person, be it on a personal or a

Based on an idea by French chef and restauranteur Auguste Escoﬃer had in 1912, Good France has seen up to 2,000 chefs across the globe

professional level? You invite them to lunch or to dinner, of course… At least, that’s my advice!” This idea of sharing through the medium of

serve a French-style dinner simultaneously. The idea?

eating is so important to the French that, in 2010,

To honour French cuisine, the innovation that deﬁnes

UNESCO inscribed it in its Representative List of

it, the values of quality, sharing, and enjoyment which

Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, solidifying

it holds so dear, and to help grow our respect for one

the world-known phenomenon of the ‘repas à la

another and the environment

française’.

For this year’s Good France celebration, the French Embassy in Malta invited Chef Julien Duboué,

“It is not so much the food itself which was recognised,” Madame Béatrice continues. “It is the

AUGUST 2017 ∫ Sunday Circle 7

COVER STORY

to diabetes, and another on sustainable cooking as a follow-up to the Paris Agreement on climate change. “In my case, I committed the Embassy to using a compost equipment in the French résidence in Żebbuġ, and to creating a kitchen garden,” Madame Béatrice adds. Good France has also given a podium for the French Embassy to embark on a partnership with the lecturers and students of the Institute of Tourism Studies (ITS), with the Chef of the Résidence cooking a superb French menu tradition of spending long hours round the dining table swapping

alongside students at the ITS restaurant. Students also got the

stories and debating the latest news… In fact, many-a-box-oﬃce-hit

opportunity to create a chocolate Arc de Triomphe with world-

in France, including Amélie, gained their fame through buche à

famous chocolatier Andre Farrugia, as well as a Tour Eiﬀel made

oreille or, as the English put it, word of mouth.”

from sugar.

On the evening of the Good France dinner, the ambassador

“In a country like Malta, where the hospitality sector is

even chose to award Tonio Portughese, Chairman of PBS,

thriving, we are privileged to be a part of such a project,” she

the Légion d’honneur (the highest French decoration) for two

continues. “We are looking forward to seeing even more Maltese

reasons. Firstly, for his long-standing cooperation with the French

students go to France to study terroir cuisine and to seeing French

Embassy and, secondly, because he regaled the table with

students come to discover the local cooking scene in Malta. It is a

reminiscences of his favourite French thinkers, actors and directors.

win-win situation both for them, and for all of us food lovers!”

Food, as it goes, is simply a reason to sit down; exchanging ideas, however, is the main aim. Through Good France, in fact, the French Embassy has kickstarted a number of cooperation and practice-sharing projects, including one that focuses on healthy food, particularly in relation 8 Sunday Circle ∫ AUGUST 2017

As Madame Ambassador puts it: “Good France is the promise of healthy, environmentally-friendly – yet gourmet – meals for years and years to come! A seemingly gastronomic endeavour that has acceptance, tolerance and friendship at its core.” https://mt.ambafrance.org/

COVER STORY

Q&A

with French Celebrity Chef Julien Duboué What inspires your passion for food?

Chef Julien Dubou

My family hails from the South West of France, and we’re all food lovers. My father has raised ducks, quails and pigs for years, and he also has a little farm where he grows crops. To me, food is not just something I eat, it’s a lifestyle, and I’ve already started teaching my daughter about food… In fact, I often take a fistful of a particular herb to her and ask her to name it. I still use the produce from the area I was raised in in all five of my restaurants in Paris, and I love creating new, conceptual dishes. I simply love everything about food and I eat all day long!

What are your favourite ingredients and how do you like using them? Espelette Pepper: Named after the city it’s derived from, it’s the most expensive spice in France. It’s incredibly versatile and can be used with both fish and meat. I grow it in my garden and use it instead of the traditional black pepper. It can also be dried, ground and used as a powder. Duck: We eat a lot of duck where I come from, and my favourite is duck breast that’s still attached to the bone. I like cooking it on a barbecue fuelled with wood. Lemons: Lemons are great in desserts, sauces and juices; they also give a great taste to chicken and pork!

Outside of France, which country’s cuisine would you say is your favourite? Five years ago, I travelled through Vietnam for three whole weeks and I’ve adapted many recipes I discovered while there. One of them was of the traditional pho, which I now cook with homemade duck stock, smoked duck, Espelette pepper and chives. AUGUST 2017 ∫ Sunday Circle 9

COVER STORY

aside. Place the vine shoots on a barbecue

Rasped white garlic

France – an event that brings many

and, once hot, place the duck breasts on

100ml dry white wine

countries closer to France and vice versa.

top. Once cooked, cut into slices and brush

100ml water

How can food do this?

with the Balsa-coing Quee Sauce. Pre-hear

40g Parmesan

the oven to 180°C (Gas-mark 6), place the

1tbsp lemon juice

French chefs, as well as great non-French

vine shoots at the bottom of a casserole

300ml liquid cream

chefs, cooking French food. Each of them

dish, top with the duck breasts, and bake

4tbsp champagne

undoubtedly gives French food his or her

for a further 3 to 4 minutes.

1tbsp chopped scallions

You are currently in Malta for Good

All over the world, there are great

Salt

own twist, creating fusions between diﬀerent cuisines and bringing cultures together. Good France celebrates that – and with up to 2,000 chefs worldwide taking part, we’re all spoilt for choice!

RECIPES

RISOTTO DE CŒURS DE PALMIER ET RIZ SAUVAGE SOUFFLÉ

Two to three days before making the risotto,

SERVES 4

pour the rice into a frying pan heated at

“It was at the buﬀet of a hotel in Punta

180°C for a few seconds before draining on

Cana, Dominican Republic, that I tasted

a sheet of absorbent paper and adding salt.

fresh palm hearts for the very ﬁrst time.

boil the wild rice for one hour. Drain, spread out and let dry until it crusts. On the day,

To make the risotto, cut the hearts of

MAGRET DE CANARD FERMIER DES LANDES RÔTI À L’OS ET VINAIGRE BALSAMIQUE DE COING

They were served as a salad and oﬀered a

palm into small dice the size of rice. In a

crunchy, silky and juicy texture… A long

sauce pan heat up the shallots over a

way from what they taste like when

medium heat before adding the butter,

canned. It was such a revelation to me that

whitened garlic and salt. Add the hearts of

I immediately made every eﬀort to get

palm and allow to sweat for 5 minutes

SERVES 4

them to Paris!

before adding the white wine and water.

“My father has been raising ducks for over

“When cooking them, I like to leave

Leave to cook on a low heat for 15 minutes,

twenty years, and he always cooks duck

them crunchy, and a risotto was a great

stirring regularly. Before turning oﬀ the heat,

breast with the central bone still attached.

way of ensuring that. It became an instant

add the grated Parmesan and lemon juice.

Nevertheless, I used to ﬁnd these too dry

success with my customers, most of whom

for me so, when I opened Afaria [one of

had never tasted this product fresh before.”

In a bowl, whip the cream and mix into the champagne. Pour a spoonful onto the risotto, and sprinkle with ﬁnely-

Julien’s restaurants] in 2007, I decided to grill the breasts with the bone on instead of

Ingredients:

making a conﬁt out of them. I use vine

100g wild rice

shoots that do not blaze when they come

500g fresh palm hearts

Translation of recipes courtesy of Antoine

in contact with the duck fat but, rather,

60g shallots

Le Marc, press attaché, French Embassy to

absorb it. By using good fuel and these

50g butter

Malta.

shoots, a great, smoky taste can be obtained.”

Ingredients: 2 duck breasts attached to central bone A handful of vine shoots

For the Balsa-coing Quee Sauce: 50g quince paste 5tbsp balsamic vinegar 1tsp whitened garlic Salt & pepper

To make the Balsa-coing Quee Sauce, mix the ingredients in a bowl before blending. Set aside. To make the magret de canard, rub in salt and pepper on the breasts and set 10 Sunday Circle ∫ AUGUST 2017

chopped scallions and grains of wild rice.

CIRCLE PROMOTION

Nourishment from nature RAMONA DEPARES EXPERIENCES THE NEW COLLISTAR NATURA RANGE. When it comes to facial care, I need all the help I can get. My skin

targeted towards 25+ yearr

is, to put it kindly, prone to problems, which means that I tend to

olds. I started using this cream eam

choose my products with the same level of care that other people

when the heat had already y set

put into choosing a school for their children. Which is why when I

in, which is usually a problem em

was oﬀered the opportunity to test the new Collistar Natura range,

for my skin. Creams that are re

I was excited and wary at the same time. Excited, because any new

properly nourishing make my

discovery that helps me solve my skin’s illusion that it’s still 15-

skin shiny; those that give me a

years-old and that breaking out in zits is ﬁne, is great by me. Wary,

matte look do not oﬀer enough ough

because I was only too well-aware that the whole thing could

moisturising action. This one ne

backﬁre, with my skin staging protests. I’ve used many an

rose to the challenge: by midday

expensive, luxurious brand that didn’t work for the particularities of

my skin was still matte and d also

my skin, so I was aware that the brand’s sterling reputation was not

felt soft, as opposed to

necessarily an indication that it would agree with me.

stretched.

Collistar Natura comes with two strong

The range also includes des a

selling points. The products use natural

Precious Essence Oil that iss like a P

ingredients, as the name implies, with a heavy

sserum. Here, I was even more ore

use of Italian stevia. But there’s another

wary than with the cream. While w

unique aspect to the range: one of its

aware that using the right oil a

products is customisable, a DIY version of

essences can be beneﬁcial even e

your favourite scrub, moisturiser or mask.

ffor oily, acne-prone skin, I had

But more details about this later.

never yet met with an oil that n hat

I’ll start with the

didn’t make me break out. I decided d

Extraordinary Infusion

tto take the gamble, starting g out

Cream, a lightweight

using it twice a week. It absorbs u bsorbs pretty fast, leaving the skin

cream that sits very

plumper than usual. I didn’tt really need to follow it up with a night p

beautifully on the

cream – the oil on its own oﬀers enough moisturisation and in the c

skin. Created for

morning I wake up with skin that feels fresh, rather than ‘bed tired’. m

use as an anti-

Those with dry skin may need to follow it up with the Extraordinary T

ageing

IInfusion Cream or the Transforming Essential Cream.

moisturiser it is

Which brings me neatly to the latter. This is one of the range’s biggest selling points: a moisturising cream that can be r used on its own, but that can also be combined with a variety of u natural ingredients to target specific problems. Add yoghurt, leave n on o face for 10 minutes and you have a very effective brightening mask. My skin tends to get dull, so I’m using this mix once a week. I m also like a good scrub so, twice a week, I add sugar and give my a face a good rub/massage with the mixture. The result is beautifully f smooth and clear. These are my two favourite combos, but there s are a others to try. Verdict? The Collistar Natura range gets my vote – I will definitely reuse. d

AUGUST 2017 ∫ Sunday Circle 11

SEXUALITY

A differ ent perspe ctive 12 Sunday Circle â&#x2C6;« AUGUST 2017

SEXUALITY

FROM COMING OUT TO LONELINESS, SIX MEN WHO IDENTIFY AS GAY REVEAL THEIR PERSONAL STORIES CONNECTED TO LIFE AND SOME OF ITS RITES OF PASSAGE.

The way we experience life is as personal as our thoughts and feelings; after all, the way we see the world is a product of our choices, circumstances and challenges. What connects us, however, are the similarities we share: our nationality, our social class, our mutual experiences and, in some cases, our sexual orientation. Here, six anonymous men share with us their memories and observations on gay life in Malta. The reason behind their anonymity, however, isn’t to protect their identity but rather to free them of the limitations their identity may have otherwise imposed.

On growing up “Ironically, I didn’t feel unaccepted because I was gay but because I liked to read instead of playing football.” “My childhood, thinking about it, consisted of going to MUSEUM, church and school, playing, and reading books, with the latter not really being something typical for most of children of my generation in Gozo. My mother did try to send me to football practice once, and to learn an instrument at a band club, but I preferred to stay indoors reading. “People always ask me if I realised I was gay at a young age, but I have no recollection of any moment where I had a realisation. I always say it must have been during puberty. Of course, I remember being interested in the male figure (i.e. shirtless men on television: Hello, Brad Pitt!), or in magazines, but I don’t remember ever having any qualms about it. Interestingly, a lot of the various people whom I was close friends with then, or hung out with most, all seem to be coming out as gay lately. “Coming out to my friends was difficult, even though I did have a friend who was already out – to us, at least. I forced myself to do it on MSN – to a gay friend first and a then-self-declared pansexual girl after and, of course, felt better for it. Some people did not believe me, because I did not have mutual gay friends on Facebook, and did not act or dress a certain way, and it took a day or two for it to sink in. “I felt different from everyone else at the time, however, and I still do. I don’t really identify with most people, and some of it does come from being gay. Ironically, I didn’t feel unaccepted because I was gay but because I liked to read instead of playing football. I was afraid of people learning I was gay, but I never had any problems with me being gay… I never attempted to date girls, or talked about girls with ‘the straightees’. The only problem was that there weren’t any other visible gay people, so there were many unrequited crushes on straight guys, which was pretty sad. Thank God for AXM and Grindr, nowadays.”

AUGUST 2017 ∫ Sunday Circle 13

SEXUALITY

On coming out

minority group on a tiny island, the pressure may be bigger. These

“She feared that I wouldn’t find a job and that I would contract

days, I feel comfortable with my own self. I still enjoy wearing make-

HIV. She still does.”

up and the occasional heels. Living abroad has, admittedly, made

“I do remember that day, it was a Sunday… Thankfully, I still had some alcohol left in my system from the night before. My mother had just given me a lift home and, after she had parked the

things easier. There is less staring when I go a bit overboard with my bronzer. “Surround yourself with people you can trust. I found and still

car and I had explained to her that: “No, I did not get my best friend

ﬁnd great support from other mothers who are more open than

pregnant,” the other dreaded sentence for most Catholic,

mine. The relationship with my mother has also grown stronger,

conservative mothers was blurted out. I was 18 at the time and she

even though we still do not talk about me being gay over dinner or

feared that I wouldn’t ﬁnd a job and that I would contract HIV. She

the phone… Ever, in fact. However, you grow to realise that being

still does…

gay is only part of your identity; a colour in the rainbow of colourful

“Fears which, when I look back, were somewhat justiﬁed. But I

qualities and abilities which make your entire persona.”

was adamant to be true to myself and to the people I love most. That was six years ago, and since then, things have not always been

On dating

easy for her, especially when she learnt – from a newspaper article –

“It’s like we’re window-shopping for Mr Right, swiping or tapping

that I had become an activist and was working in the ﬁeld of HIV.

as we go along, and that can be pretty dehumanising.”

The more she threw tantrums, the more I wanted to be there for others who were on a similar journey. “None of my then closest friends expected me to come out

“I started dating girls – two in total – when I was 12, and guys at 13, so I knew I wasn’t straight from a very young age. I’ve had a few relationships since then… All unsuccessful, but I’m doing okay.

when I did. I don’t however, wish that I had done it diﬀerently. Trust

The dating scene in Malta can be very tedious. With such a small

your gut, I always say! In hindsight, I know that it was their

island and a small community, it’s quite limited. Everyone knows

friendship that helped me get through the early, most turbulent

each other and so you might end up going out with an

phases of this journey. Yes, it is a journey for, as much as we have to

acquaintance’s ex-boyfriend quite often. Dating apps also don’t

come to terms with our identity, parents have to come to terms

really work if you’re looking for something long-term, since most

with the now shattered dreams they had built for us.

people on Grindr are mostly after a one-night stand, though there

“One’s behaviour changes over the years. When younger, one might feel the pressure to conform to a particular ‘type’ and it being a

are some exceptions. “Having said that, I wouldn’t know if this is diﬀerent or similar to the straight dating scene but, from what I hear from my female friends, it isn’t really that much better. You’ll still go out on dates

14 Sunday Circle ∫ AUGUST 2017

SEXUALITY

with disappointing people. The only plus side in the straight dating scene is that there’s a larger dating pool. “Being single, however, isn’t only about dating. You can go out, meet friends, drink a wee bit too much, and have a fantastic evening, with no man ever making an appearance, so it’s not all bleak and dark. Sometimes, on rare occasions, you might even bump into someone and start something. The uncertainty of it all gives you time to adapt to diﬀerent situations, too… The number one thing that matters is that you’re happy with yourself and that you surround yourself with people who love and

however, is that when one

care for you, such as friends and family.

looks past this much-vaunted

“Often, however, it does feel like we’re all chasing people who are interested in others. Even with the rise of dating apps, it’s like we’re window-shopping for Mr Right, swiping or tapping as we go along, and that can be pretty

need for immediate sexual gratiﬁcation, what remains is a primordial desire for intimacy and meaningful connections. While casual sex oﬀers

dehumanising. It’s little wonder that a lot of people feel lonely and

instant physical intimacy, it often results in a profound sense of

unhappy. Though, I don’t let that get me down.”

loneliness, knowing full well that he won’t even make us a cup of coﬀee and will unceremoniously kick us out of the house by 7am. I,

On loneliness

like some other self-aware men, have come to believe that what

“The contemporary approach to gay dating is often soul-

most men on Grindr and at the gay club require isn’t cocaine or a

destructive and superficial.”

dark-room… No, what they really need is a hug.”

“Very often, the lives of gay men are portrayed as a series of endless parties, mesh tops and hedonism. Others prefer to present

On being married

a politically-correct, hetero-normalised, suburban vision of gay life

“We simply look forward to growing very old together.”

involving mythically-stable relationships, baking, babies and dogs.

“We decided to get married after the Civil Unions Act was

The truth, however, is that both these images are caricatures of

introduced. We had been together for so many years, it was

what gay life truly is for many men.

amazing to ﬁnally be able to tie the knot and have our relationship

“What many choose not to speak of is the crippling loneliness and desire for intimacy we experience, remaining silent out of fear of seeming needy, inconvenient, unglamorous… The contemporary

oﬃcially recognised by the State – and to also get to celebrate our love for one another with our closest friends and family members. “See, although our love was always strong and we didn’t need

approach to gay dating is often soul-destructive and superﬁcial; a

anybody’s stamp of approval to make it work, it felt – and was! –

series of rejections and impossible standards of youth and

very unfair that for many years we didn’t have the option to legalise

obsessive, perceived masculinity. While homosexual men have

our relationship. We have never been discriminated against

staged entire crusades in the name of acceptance, rights and

personally – our families and friends obviously know about us – but

freedoms, the brutality of the dating game is most apparent on

not being able to formalise our relationship meant that there were

Grindr and Tinder: ‘How fem [feminine] are you?’, ‘No fat, no fem’,

many issues that we worried about.

‘Be masculine and toned’, and ‘Masc4Masc’ [masculine for

“What would happen if one of us was seriously ill in hospital?

masculine] are the mantras I, like many others, am faced with on a

Or to our joint possessions should one of us die? You never know

regular basis.

what could happen in life, and by being married many of those

“You see, gay men are indeed men. They don’t check out your

issues have now, thankfully, been solved. Now we simply look

monstrous brain or your exquisite taste in mid-century, modern,

forward to growing very old together, and to continue living in a

faux bamboo tables; they check out your bottom. The irony,

country where everyone has equal rights and is treated equally.”

AUGUST 2017 ∫ Sunday Circle 15

SUCCESS STORIES

BREAKING THE PROVERBIAL GLASS CEILING KATJA ABELA CASSAR AND PAULA AGIUS VADALA HAVE SEEN THEIR AWARD-WINNING ARCHITECTURE BOUTIQUE GROW EXPONENTIALLY IN JUST UNDER THREE YEARS. HERE, THEY SHARE THEIR EXPERIENCE OF BREAKING GENDER EXPECTATIONS WITHIN THE PROFESSIONAL WORLD.

Paula Agius Vadala and Katja Abela Cassar.

Worst is when we are called ‘pupa’ or ‘qalbi’, though we try to make a non-issue out of it 16 Sunday Circle ∫ AUGUST 2017

SUCCESS STORIES

In the space of less than three years, you can say that Katja

beautiful paintings – this inspired me to want to combine the

Abela Cassar and Paula Agius Vadala have more than proven

two forms – creating a functional space that yet looks

themselves to be a dynamic duo, rising up the ranks of their

beautiful too. Becoming an architect was an obvious choice,”

architecture business from a one-roomed oﬃce in Sliema,

Katja adds.

followed by a short stint occupying slightly larger premises in

Being an all-female architectural practice, the

Attard and, currently, making the last minute arrangements

conversation inevitably takes a direction towards gender

prior to their move to larger oﬃces in Siġġiewi, shortly after

equality in the industry. Though they have been lucky and

winning the Young Architect of the Year Award last year.

haven’t had any serious episodes with any of the workers

Katja and Paula became acquainted some six years

they hire with, they do encounter some resistance from men

ago when both were reading architecture at University. Since

who do not take kindly to receiving instructions from the

Katja was one year ahead of Paula, their paths only crossed

opposite sex.

brieﬂy just enough to make them aware of each other’s

If commissioned work is not produced to satisfaction

existence. Fast forward a few years and Paula joined the

and has to be redone, a frequent accusation they are

architectural ﬁrm Katja had been working at for a year and a

subjected to is that they are “over-reacting” – a term that

half. They hit it oﬀ immediately – started chatting, and

their male counterparts do not have to put up with. “Worst is

haven’t stopped since! – “that was all work-related of course,”

when we are called ‘pupa’ or ‘qalbi’, though we try to make a

quipped Paula!

non-issue out of it,” Paula smiles wryly.

Talking to the two women, it comes across very clearly

Despite this, their gender is something they have

that architecture was the profession they were destined to

turned to their advantage. Both women feel that their gender

head towards, having had a serious desire from an early age,

gives them that innate ability to encourage clients to open up

to create spaces that combine functionality with harmony.

in a way that they get a better understanding of the clients’

“Architecture was a profession that captured my imagination and interest from a very young age. I always knew that my career path would lead me towards design. I

expectations. And, of course, the decision to set up shop was a dream for both. “It all started when, one day, Katja voiced her thoughts

would spirit away the interior design magazines my parents

about setting up her own practice. Seeing how well we

bought, spending hours on end looking at every detail and

always worked together, having both the same values and

concept in awe and dreaming of one day creating similar

ambitions, it made sense to team up and take the plunge,”

spaces myself. It always made sense to me that the

explained Paula.

architecture of a space, together with its interior should work in harmony together,” says Paula. “My father was a big inﬂuence in my career choice.

Although they were working on some very interesting projects, Katja and Paula felt the time was right. Leaving the security of their jobs and handing in their resignation was not

Apart from being an engineer by profession he is also an

an easy task but nearly three years down the line, they have

artist, who has throughout the years created some very

not looked back!

AUGUST 2017 ∫ Sunday Circle 17

SUCCESS STORIES

A frequent accusation they are subjected to is that they are “over-reacting” – a term that their male counterparts do not have to put up with Choosing the name of what was going to be their identity was

being one of the most universally-preferred colour, by those wishing

the next step. “We wanted to come up with a name that would not be

to convey reliability, trustworthiness and communication – three

just another architectural practice, but a brand that could also evolve

words the encompass our work ethic,” recalled Paula

into a design brand,” enthused Katja. “It had to be short, memorable,

Atelier Maison’s ﬁrst week of work consisted of preparing and

something simple but clearly deﬁnes what it was going to be all

working on a photoshoot of Katja’s place in Dingli. This was a perfect

about”.

way of showcasing their work which was eventually featured in one of

Over a lunch break, Japanese and French words and phrases kept cropping up. Their quick creative minds led to Katja saying ‘Maison’ – meaning house and home. Paula added ‘Atelier’ – being a

the local architectural magazines. This led to the ﬁrst enquiries which then evolved into new projects. Although a young outﬁt, they still have managed to build an

studio or workshop used by an artist or designer – to the mix. A

interesting portfolio of projects, needless to say there are always

quick swap of words and Atelier Maison was founded.

some favourites and to date the renovation of an executive ﬂoor is the

“Atelier Maison had a good ring to it and, more importantly,

project they are most satisﬁed with. “The client respected our vision

made sense for the kind of practice we wanted to create. We chose

and it turned out exactly how we wanted” said Katja. Their eﬀorts on

our logo using a handwritten font on a classic blue background. Blue

this project won them the coveted Young Architect of 2016 Award.

18 Sunday Circle ∫ AUGUST 2017

SUCCESS STORIES

When asked as to whether there any particular aspects of their background and upbringing that shaped their design principles and philosophies, both agreed that Arch. Lino Bianco and Arch. Joe Galea, two of their University tutors, were a big influence on their approach to design and detailing. “The first few years of work experience can shape the kind of architect you become and we were lucky enough to work in a practice where design and detailing were an integral part of the process, giving us experience in the area” reminisced Paula. “While we were both always interested in these aspects, going out into the working world teaches you to produce things that are both practical and beautiful. So, you have to discipline yourself and think about the more practical things and how they are going to be manufactured”. Katja and Paula draw their inspiration from Louis Kahn, one of the greatest 20th century US architects, known for combining Modernism with the weight and dignity of ancient monuments. “We love the way he uses materials with light.” Luis Barragán, Mexico’s revolutionary architect, known for his emphasis on colour, light, shadow, form and texture, is another inspiration, for the way he introduces colour to his materials with colour. Both iconic architects produced spaces that were warm, welcoming, and earthy, and their work is very tactile and relatable, which makes one feel the materials used by just looking at them. “This is something that we strive to achieve,” underlined Katja. “When shaping a project, we work towards producing spaces that bestow a feel good factor, this is achieved by means of a thorough understanding of materials, light and colour. Colour affects the mood of a space. The level of detail we go into also contributes to the overall function of the space” emphasized Paula. In an era where computer generated imagery and visualisations have taken over, one wonders whether there is still a place for model making or sketching designs by hand, Katja explains that “When we begin working on a design proposal, the first thing we do is grab a pen and paper and we begin sketching. It helps with getting a feel for the project and the space you are dealing with. Unsurprisingly, a lot of clients still ask for computer generated visuals, which of course also play an important part of the process, yet sketching can be just as, if not more effective”. So, what is next for these young sassy ladies? “It is in our nature, that when designing, we go into a lot of detail and more often than not end up custom making a lot of the furniture of an interior. It would be exciting to get into furniture design and product design one day,” mused Katja. Given the combination of zest and determination the duo possesses, this last goal does not seem far-fetched at all. AUGUST 2017 ∫ Sunday Circle 19

CONTROVERSIES

Many famous personalities were alleged to be Freemasons: Oscar Wilde

The order of secrecy FREEMASONS ARE VIEWED WITH FEAR AND SUSPICION, THE SECRECY THAT SURROUNDS THE ORDER OFTEN LEADING TO MISTRUST AND OUTWARD HOSTILITY. TWO SENIOR MEMBERS OF THE GRAND LODGE OF MALTA TRY TO EXPLAIN WHY THIS IS UNDESERVED AND WHY THERE’S NOTHING UNDERHAND ABOUT FREEMASONRY. WORDS BY JACOB SAMMUT

20 Sunday Circle ∫ AUGUST 2017

CONTROVERSIES

Mark Twain

Clark Gable

At the first mention of Freemasons or anything related to them,

could be seen and left as monument to their great achievements.

people freeze and shrink within. Their imagination immediately fills

Work that is still present till this very day.

their heads with images of witchcraft, devil worship, sexual rituals

“The name itself is self-explanatory. The founding fathers of

and anything else that we might usually see coming out of horror

the Freemasons were nothing more than builders. Great craftsmen

movies or thrillers.

who built great temples and monuments, be it a cathedral or

The Freemasons – an organization that is often viewed as a

church, throughout Europe and the Middle east. Hired by kings

cult – is veiled in mysteries and secrets. Or, at least, that is what a

and lords, these structures would show the greatness of the lord

lot of people believe and it is this fantasy that shades the truth of

but also, more importantly, how devout they were to God. In time

what being a Freemason really entails. And, while Freemasons are

the community would grow, and would consist not only of masons,

looked upon with suspicion pretty much everywhere, being one in

but also of bankers, iron smiths, carpenters and artists. All these

Malta carries an even bigger taboo, mostly because of the strong

people from different walks of life were to play a very important

influence that politics and religion carry.

role in order to achieve the final aims of the organisation.

I met up with two senior members of The Grand Lodge of

“As with everything else, things change and evolve and that

Malta to try and understand what Freemasonry really is. This is

is exactly what happened to Freemasonry around 300 years ago.

what they said:

From the original form, a new form was born, known as Universal

“A good place to start off would be to go back and

Freemasonry, that brought with it its own rules. Our rules are

understand where it is that Freemasonry comes from. A touch of

numerous, but for one to become a Free Mason one of the most

our history, as it were. It can be said that the roots of Freemasonry

important rules is to believe in the Supreme Being, and by

can be found all the way to the building of King Solomon’s Temple,

supreme being I mean the existence of the one God.

and the Knight’s Templar, but we do not need to go that far in history. Let us, instead, go back to when the Free Masons’ work

“Whether you are Catholic, Jew or Muslim, if you believe in the one God, then there is the chance for someone to become a

AUGUST 2017 ∫ Sunday Circle 21

CONTROVERSIES

“Another myth is that a Freemason considers himself above the law, which is an absurd insinuation” member of the fraternity. This rule already disproves the malicious

“This leads to one of the reasons Freemasons tend to be so

idea that FreeMasonry is evil, or that members are, as a lot often

secretive. This is not a secret order that we are talking about, but

call us, non-believers. In fact, the Holy Bible is the main book used

more like an order with secrets – the main reason being to protect

in the induction and other ceremonies related to Freemasonry. We

the identity of members. After all, it’s not only the Church that

refer to it as ‘The Volume of the Sacred Law’ but, in fact, it is a

looks askance at Freemasons – political parties in Malta also

regular and common bible found in a lot of the Maltese Catholic

disapprove. This is a massive difference when compared to the

households.

approach of other EU leaders. Former French president Francois

“Another rule is that a member has to abide by the law of

Hollande himself visited the historic headquarters in France on the

the Land. Another myth is that a Freemason considers himself

300-year anniversary. He also recalled that while it may be true

above the law, which is an absurd insinuation. It is a must that a

that the Freemasons had not benefitted from the benevolence of

member follows the law of the country, which leads us to the other

the public authorities, he still believed that the order would always

rule which goes very much hand-in-hand with this one. Members

be there to defend the Republic of France.

are expected to be honourable and righteous at all time. “How does one become a Freemason? Of course, it doesn’t

“Sure, it’s a different country with different politics, but it remains a mystery why a group of people should be targeted.

happen just by asking. A scrutinising board must first go through

Freemasonry is only as secret as we want it to be. In Europe, the

the application and the history of the applicant. The applicant

structures are visible to all, with admittances to museums and

must be of good conduct, and, only once he is approved, is he

libraries. Will things be changing in Malta any time soon? Well, we

brought in front of the other members of the lodge for a vote. In

certainly hope so and we are working on that in the short-term.

most cases, a single rejection would void the application. However,

We want the order to be more in the open, and even to start

once fraternity membership is achieved, the new Freemason will

teaching people more about what Freemasonry really is. And, of

start his journey into the order.

course, to start killing off all the myths that have been created.

“Many wonder what being a member entails. What is it, exactly, that Freemasons do nowadays? Well the main idea behind the organization has always been, and remains to this day, to aid the fellow man. When tragedies occur, such as earthquakes or hurricanes, you will find them aiding in every way possible. For example in the UK, Freemasons have been helping the Red Cross for years, besides aiding the London air ambulance, among other things. Little is ever heard about the work the Freemasons do, mostly because it tends to be very low key as we do not typically enjoy boasting about our achievements and work. “So, the second question arises. Why are we labelled so negatively? Freemasons have been persecuted for years and the most recent massive witch hunt against us took place during World War II. Around 200,0000 Freemasons were killed during the holocaust. There is still a great dispute between the Roman Catholic church and the Freemasons internationally, with two of the major disputes being that Freemasons embrace a naturalist view of creation and that they do not give importance to one particular religion over another. In fact, any person joining the Free Masons is immediately excommunicated by the Roman Catholic church – which is a big problem, especially when one considers that most Freemasons are actually Catholic.

Duke Ellington

22 Sunday Circle ∫ AUGUST 2017

Peter Sellers

Freemasonry is only as secret as we want it to be. In Europe, the structures are visible to all

CIRCLE PROMOTION

A cut Above the rest IT’S THE PEAK OF BBQ SEASON AND CHOOSING YOUR PREFERRED CUT OF MEAT A IS SERIOUS AT BUSINESS! A VISIT TO THE BUTCHER’S DEPARTMENT AT GREENS SUPERMARKET IS A MUST FOR THE REAL MEAT-LOVERS WHO KNOW THEIR STUFF. Whether it’s a laidback evening on the beach, or a

Scotch Brand, which is one of the best cuts that one

more sophisticated aﬀair by the pool or on your

could ﬁnd. the sausage selection is equally vast and

terrace, nothing beats a good, old-fashioned bbQ to

is the perfect way to kick oﬀ your summer food

make the most of the Maltese summer. And we all

event. there are a number of english style sausages

know what the most successful bbQs revolve

available from cumberland to many others. And, if

around, right? that’s it: meat. Lots of it and of

you need advice about which cuts or meats work

excellent quality, unless you want to ruin your

best for your requirements, or even some cooking

reputation as a bona ﬁde Maltese citizen.

tips, the experienced butchers will be very happy to

enter the butcher’s Department at Green’s supermarket. If you’re a meat lover, this is your go-to

help! Greens have also introduced the organic meat

shop all year long, of course, not just for the summer.

selection which includes a variety of meats such as

but when bbQ season is in full swing, it becomes

rib-eye, top side and rump as well as corn-fed and

even more imperative that you visit the right butcher

organic chicken. All meats graded A, which is the

who can oﬀer just the right cuts that you’re after!

highest of standards.

For starters, the butcher’s Department at

of course, you can’t really impress without the

Greens makes this shopping bit fun thanks to the sheer amount of

right tools and even here, Greens comes to the rescue. the

choices available. check out the mouth-watering selection of

supermarket is a veritable one-stop shop for anything related to

marinated meats, if plain grilled isn’t your thing. so many ﬂavours,

cooking meat. there are disposable and non-disposable bbQ sets,

dressings and qualities of meats – both local and foreign cuts – to

tools, bbQ utensils, bbQ furniture, charcoal, ﬁre-starters, snacks,

turn your event into something special!

herbs, spices and more, so that you needn’t worry about making sure

It’s not just the marinades and dressings, of course – it’s also the sheer amount of variety in meats and cuts, with Green’s oﬃcially

that you have everything you need. With some really great oﬀers on meat cuts available on a

oﬀering one of the biggest butcher counters in Malta. there’s the

weekly basis and also the option of online shopping for all cuts, it is

tradition favourites like chicken, beef, pork and lamb. there’s turkey,

diﬃcult to beat Green’s butcher’s Department in terms of quality and

rabbit and more…all in a variety of cuts. Greens also import the

convenience (open sundays till 9pm).

24 Sunday Circle ∫ AUGUST 2017

CIRCLE PROMOTION

BBQ MARINADE INGREDIENTS 1

/2 cup olive oil

1 teaspoon sea salt 1

/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

/2 teaspoon paprika

/2 teaspoon cumin

/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 cloves garlic, chopped

CHOOSING THE RIGHT CUTS

3 tablespoons chopped onion

Meat with a lot of visible fat (marbling) usually has a more robust, intense ﬂavour than lean meat. It can be expensive and

it can also make for a chewy eating experience if not cooked

1 1/2 cups beer

/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

properly. Meat with extreme marbling is usually best when shaved thin (as in carpaccio), or chopped up (as in tartare). Inherently lean cuts (like a ﬁllet mignon, for example) are

INSTRUCTIONS • Place meat in a ziplock back and pour in the marinade. Leave

often very tender, but they tend to have a blander ﬂavour.

for a few hours before grilling, turning the bags every so

Sirloin makes a ﬁne steak or roast and is loved for its

often to cover both sides.

more robust, beefy ﬂavour and more moderate price. The rib muscle is very tender and contains a lot of intramuscular fat (marbling), making it one of the most

CHICKEN CAPRESE

desirable cuts of beef. Bone-in and boneless prime rib roasts

INGREDIENTS

come from this prime cut, as do rib eye steaks, which are cut

1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

individually from the roasts.

1 lb boneless skinless

The foreshank (arm) is very ﬂavourful and high in

chicken breasts

collagen, and is typically sold as soup bone for making soups

Salt

and stocks. The brisket (breast) is very tough and contains

Freshly ground black pepper

quite a bit of fat. If you are watching your weight, stick to skinless,

/4 c. balsamic vinegar

boneless chicken breast. The healthiest meat for the grill is

2 cloves garlic, minced

undoubtedly the skinless chicken breast; in general, choosing

1 pt. grape tomatoes,

pork and chicken over beef is a good idea if you’re counting

halved

calories. With its uneven shape and size, chicken breast lends

2 tbsp shredded fresh basil

itself to being butterﬂied or pounded to an even thickness,

4 slices mozzarella

with both methods aiding the chicken in cooking evenly and keeping it from drying out.

DIRECTIONS • In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat oil.

The Butcher’s Department at Greens Supermarket is open Monday to Saturday up till 10pm and Sunday up till 9pm. Customers enjoy free parking.

• Season chicken with salt and pepper and cook until golden and cooked through, 6 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate. • Add balsamic vinegar to skillet to deglaze, then add garlic and stir until fragrant, 1 minute. Add tomatoes and season with salt. Let simmer until soft, 5 to 7 minutes. • Stir in basil. • Return chicken to skillet and nestle in tomatoes. Top with mozzarella and cover with a lid to melt cheese.

Greens Supermarket, Triq Il-Uqija, Swieqi, SWQ2333

• Spoon tomatoes over chicken and serve.

TEL: +356 21377247 / +356 21383856 EMAIL: info@greens.com.mt

AUGUST 2017 ∫ Sunday Circle 25

PEOPLE

The lure of the sea WINDSURFING PIONEER AND SAILING VETERAN AND ALL-ROUNDER EDWARD WOODS REMINISCES ABOUT THE GOOD TIMES RIDING THE WAVES AND TALKS ABOUT HOW WE NEED TO TAKE BETTER CARE OF OUR ENVIRONMENT. WORDS BY RAMONA DEPARES. Since a very young age, I have always been in love with the sea. I grew up in Gzira, in the area opposite Manoel Island. Even now, as I look around, this place holds so many memories for me. I love the nostalgia it brings me. I remember walking down from our house, which was very close to the promenade, to spend the afternoon fishing...how old could I have been? Four years, maybe. My father was in the navy, so perhaps that is how the passion for the sea was born. At times he would be stationed on Manoel Island, which was full of navy vessels at the time, and I’d be allowed to visit. The night before I never managed to get any sleep, I would be so excited at the thought of seeing my father on a ship that I’d stay up. So yes, you can say that I’ve always been a sea person. However, when it comes to sailing I got thrown in at the deep end, immediately. Sailing is like all other sport, really. You start with baby steps, most people start practicing on a small dinghy. In my case it was the opposite; right onto a big boat, everyone rolling and me not having a clue what was happening. But it worked! Mostly thanks to Paul Ripard, a veteran sailor of course, who got me started. It was also Paul who introduced me to windsurfing. I was one of the first handful of people in Malta to start practicing the discipline. It really was not a well-known sport back then. But I took to it very well and it wasn’t too long before I gathered another handful of very 26 Sunday Circle ∫ AUGUST 2017

PEOPLE

PHOTO: MARK ZAMMIT CORDINA

AUGUST 2017 â&#x2C6;« Sunday Circle 27

PEOPLE

Nowadays we really have no excuse for polluting the environment enthusiastic people around me. In fact, things went so well that I

would love to see – more sailing in winter. We are so lucky here, the

soon introduced the idea of windsurfing competitions to Malta and

weather is very rarely against us. If you fall in the water in winter, in

the team went all over the world, taking part in several

some countries, there’s a good chance you’ll wind up with

championships and doing very well for ourselves too. We did two

hypothermia. Not in Malta. And, of course, it’s a lot more beautiful in

world championships and one European championships. I will never

the winter when the waters aren’t so congested.

forget the day Chris Ripard placed first in the Bahamas. So many great moments are tied to that sport in my mind. In a way, we were lucky to have started the sport in Malta

Congestion is definitely a problem. Have you seen what’s happening to Comino? So many boats in such a little space. We are totally ruining this gem of a place. Other countries take a very strict

when we did. At the time it was still starting to flourish, even

approach when it comes to preserving natural beauty spots. Boats

internationally. Which meant that our boys rubbed shoulders with

would have a spot to berth, but the best parts would be kept for

all the biggest names, including the man who invented it – Hoyle

the swimmers. I’d love to see this happening in Malta, too.

Schweitzer. Considering our size and circumstances, the Maltese windsurfing team did very well for itself. Some people ask me what made me pick windsurfing. Who

Then, of course, there is the rubbish problem. Everything we throw in the sea will come back to haunt us one day. We read of fish eating plastic bags, turtles dying because of this pollution...when

knows, possibly because it combines all the best elements of a

will it end? There should definitely be higher fines and better

water sport. It is like a combination of sailing and surfing, after all. I

patrolling. We need to maintain what we have, and I’m not only

still think that the feeling is the best ever. Unfortunately, water

talking about Malta, to be fair. Rubbish and pollution are a problem

sports do take their toll over the years, and a series of injuries

everywhere else.

means that I can’t really do windsurfing any more. A big shame, but there you have it. At least, I’ve had some very good years. Nowadays, the sport isn’t as popular as it used to be. People

Nowadays we really have no excuse for polluting the environment. Whether it’s domestic rubbish or bulkier refuse, there are many legitimate options to get rid of it without harming our

have taken to kitesurfing and wake-boarding, which are perhaps the

environment. Dumping it in the sea is definitely not one of them. Or

next evolution of the sport. But there’s still a good group of people

anywhere else on land, for that matter. Have we seen what’s

who, when the wind is right, can be found at Qalet Marku, riding the

happening all around the world? Before we know it, we will have

waves.

destroyed the very place we inhabit.

The sailing community in Malta is a good one. I have to say,

Of course, a love for the sea automatically instils a love for the

sometimes I feel that some people buy a boat for all the wrong

environment. I have always been highly aware of our surroundings

reasons. I’ve seen so many boats motoring when there’s a really

and I’m sure other sailors would say the same. Ah well...just another

good sailing wind. I’m always confused when I see this. One thing I

reason to instil a love for the sea in the new generation, right?

28 Sunday Circle ∫ AUGUST 2017

PHOTOGRAPHY

Rediscovering MALTA’S STUNNING LANDSCAPES - INCLUDING A TRIBUTE TO THE MUCH-LAMENTED AZURE WINDOW - TAKE CENTRE-STAGE FOR GERMAN PHOTOGRAPHER FRITZ GRIMM, WHO SHARES HIS STORY WITH IGGY FENECH.

30 Sunday Circle ∫ AUGUST 2017

PHOTOGRAPHY

It’s easy to forget how beautiful something is when you see it every day, but I have to admit that Fritz Grimm’s stunning photos have made me look at Malta from a completely new perspective. From the beautiful colours to the unusual angles, Love Malta really makes you fall in love with the Islands all over again. In a series of 16 photographs that have been printed in ultra-HD on 180cm by 120cm acrylic bases, Fritz has truly managed to capture the spirit of the islands through some of their most iconic scenes almost shot to fairy-tale perfection: the much-lamented Azure Window is a technicolour vision; St Mary Magdalene Chapel in Dingli feels like something straight out of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s Le Petit Prince; and Valletta’s balconies look otherworldly as they frame Birgu. “The only retouching I do is the removal of wires and the enhancing of colour and contrast; everything else is a matter of lighting, angle and a bit of luck,” says the photographer, who only took up the hobby professionally two and a half years ago.

AUGUST 2017 ∫ Sunday Circle 31

PHOTOGRAPHY

Before moving to Malta, Fritz had worked in Quality Management Systems in the automotive industry in Stuttgart, Germany, but a trip to Thailand in 2011 led him to meet a Maltese girl. After visiting her here on a number of occasions in early 2012, Fritz decided to make the island his home and to take up a completely diﬀerent career. Although it has been exactly ﬁve years since that faithful event, it took Fritz a couple of years to go from hobbyist photographer to professional, and it was only two and a half years ago that he turned his passion into a full-time job. Nevertheless, he’s never regretted his move to Malta. “I love the lifestyle in Malta,” he tells me. “I love the outdoors and the dramatic landscapes… Some people ask me if Malta’s size is limiting when it comes to trekking or taking photos, but it’s really not. If you ditch the car and go on foot, there are a lot of amazing sites you can discover.” Whenever Fritz sets out for a walk, he takes a camera with him, and snaps whatever catches

32 Sunday Circle ∫ AUGUST 2017

PHOTOGRAPHY

his attention, be it men bathing a horse in the sea at Hondoq

“I’ve since improved in technique, I guess, but I wouldn’t

ir-Rummien or stones atop each other in a pile at Ghar Lapsi.

call myself an artist. I love the technical side of photography,

What’s most surprising, however, is his technique,

and I do things rather logically, such as take photos from

particularly as he’s never studied photography.

diﬀerent angles and heights to ﬁnd the best shot.”

“I’d always liked good photos but didn’t always

Fritz may be modest, but those around him could see

manage to take them myself,” he explains. “I remember I had

his talent straight away. In fact, it was his friend Liana

a digital camera when they ﬁrst came out on the market, but

Waeckerli, who, after receiving some photos of herself from

I was never too happy with any of the photos… They looked

Fritz, suggested that he should have an exhibition. He was

too dull. Then, a couple of years later, a friend of mine

unsure at ﬁrst, citing ‘expenses’ and ‘venue’ as deterrents,

showed me his DSLR… I thought it was great and bought

but Liana would not take no for an answer and just three

one the next day!

months ago, she came back with a fully laid-out plan.

AUGUST 2017 ∫ Sunday Circle 33

PHOTOGRAPHY

Fritz’s Love Malta exhibition ran in Mdina, and then in Gozo, earlier this summer . As Fritz explains, while there were many requests to purchase the prints, he had already decided to donate the majority of them museums, art galleries and companies around the Maltese Islands that would commit to placing them in public areas. “The only thing I wish for is that people enjoy this exhibition, and that they are reminded of just how beautiful Malta is,” Fritz adds. “That is why I want them to be hung in public places later on. I think that, when we take a moment to look at an actual photograph – particularly ones of this size, rather than looking at images on a screen – we can truly become immersed in the experience.” And he’s quite right. Attending the exhibition, the pictures felt more like windows overlooking the scenes Fritz had shot rather than pictures – with the vivid colours and unlikely perspectives making even the most commonly photographed sites feel fresh!

FB.com/MaltaLandscapes

34 Sunday Circle ∫ AUGUST 2017

HIGHER EDUCATION

From humble beginnings to a bright future PROF HENRY FRENDO TRACES THE ILLUSTRIOUS HISTORY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MALTA AND TELLS JOHNATHAN CILIA WHY THE FUTURE IS BRIGHT. Just like the nation which name it bears, the University of Malta’s history reads like a legend. Going back centuries, the heart of higher education in Malta has evolved and adapted to the national changes over the years, and today stands proud as an internationally recognised University at the heart of the Mediterranean. The University of Malta attracts around 1000 foreign students today, from 92 different countries. The University today is composed of fourteen faculties, a number of interdisciplinary institutes and centres and two schools. Well over 3,000 students graduate in various disciplines annually. In academic year 2017/8 University of Malta is offering various undergraduate and postgraduate courses (Visit um.edu.mt/admissions) and late applications for most of the courses are still available online. The courses at the University are designed to produce highly qualified professionals with experience of research, who will play key roles in industry, commerce and public affairs in general. “The idea of a university college was a 16th century Jesuit idea,” explains Professor Henry Frendo, a professor of Modern History at the University of Malta. “Malta at the time was ruled by the Knights, but the Jesuits were one of the more intelligent groups around.” The Jesuits founded the Collegium Melitensia, the beginnings of what would become the University of Malta. It is no surprise what the first focus of study was. “Theology was the first faculty, if you can call it a faculty,” says Prof. Frendo. “Faculty is a bit of a modern term, it was more of a course. Theology was extremely important at that time, we are talking

The prevailing thought and culture of the era inﬂuenced the course of studies at the ﬂedgling University. “In the case of Malta you had a very Latin, Catholic, driven

of Christendom, of Catholic Europe, so that was a distinctive brand of

institution; these traits were the sinews of the University of Malta,”

the Collegium.”

says Prof. Frendo. “Don’t forget that the order of St. John was a

Alongside Theology, courses in Law and Philosophy were

military order but it was also a medical order, a hospitaller order, so

oﬀered. It had everything the a University should have for the period,

Malta had one of the ﬁrst and most successful medical faculties in

as Prof. Frendo points out.

Europe, going back to the 18th century.”

“So it did have those basic ingredients, but it didn’t have the full

The knowledge known by the hospitaliers and taught to the

complement that would qualify it as a fully-ﬂedged University of

local students helped pave the way for an illustrious medical faculty

Studies. That came later. In fact, during the reign of Grandmaster

for centuries to follow.

Pinto in 1769, the Collegium Melitensia was upgraded to a Studium

“If you look at the success stories from the Faculty of Medicine

Generale, which means a full-scale university with a number of

in Malta, in Italy, in Britain, today in the US and Australia, they have

faculties which constitute it, so strictly speaking if you want to go by

spread far and wide, so it has a good reputation,” Prof. Frendo says.

the book the University as such owes its origins to Pinto’s time, the 18th century.” 36 Sunday Circle ∫ AUGUST 2017

The University also began to create, for the ﬁrst time, an organic, educated class of Maltese people. “Prior to the University the

HIGHER EDUCATION

worldwide in different languages. Also, under the Knights there were some great surgeons like Mikiel Angelo Grima who was recognised for his worth as a successful surgeon.” The University was a catalyst for Maltese culture to flourish. “What having a university in a country means is you have a locally grown, indigenous product,” begins Prof. Frendo. “This means there is a class of people who are locally trained and home grown and have an affinity with the country as such, who have forma mentus, a mental set that is a result of that experience.” By the time the British showed up in Malta, the University of Malta was set up - something they hadn’t found in other occupied territories like India or other parts of Europe. Whereas the universities founded across the globe by the British were imperial creations, the University of Malta had very different, Latin, roots. “We are talking about by far the oldest university in the British Commonwealth...excluding Oxford and Cambridge of course,” he laughs. However, the English language would become an integral part of the identity of the University of Malta. “Imagine today,” he continues, “if the main language at University was not English, which it is mercifully, how you would have over 1000 students join a university course?” Having around a tenth of the student population coming from abroad brings many benefits to the University as well. “I think it’s considerably important to have foreign students,” says Prof. Frendo, “partly because they pay fees, secondly because they tend to decrease the inevitable tendency towards insularity in the approach. I also find from my own lectures that they tend to contribute to the discussion in class from different perspectives, so that’s an enrichment.” With the University going from strength to strength in its long story, Professor Henry Frendo is hopeful for the coming years. “I think the future is not too bad,” he smiles. “If we play our jurats and notabile made up the elite in Malta - but being a jurat was

cards properly and appreciate what we have and sustain it, the future

more a sign of social status, rather than intellectual achievement,”

is bright. There does have to be greater access to scholarships, but I

frowns Prof. Frendo. “There was very little intelligentsia in Malta prior

can tell you from the theses that I’ve examined this year, in History,

to the University. The nobility, ﬁrst of all, was a sign of social status

and also from the Institute for Maltese Studies, that some of them are

and property; a nobleman would pride himself on “non so scrive

quite good. And our external examiners are usually fairly well

perche nobile’ - ‘I can’t write because I’m a nobleman.’”

impressed as well.”

While entry to the University was only accessible to a small

Professor Frendo has another reason to be convinced about the

group of Maltese who could aﬀord to send their children - and who

future of this important national institution. “When I taught in

were inclined to do so - it quickly starting producing some renowned

Melbourne and Germany, students would get an MA for what in Malta

work. The University of Malta soon developed relationships with

they’d be awarded a BA - and I hope it continues to be so.”

universities in continental Europe, like those in Pisa, Rome, Genova,

In the coming months the University of Malta will be responding

Bologna - another centre of medical expertise - and, even considering

to evolvement of its students and surrounding community by starting

its resources, was able to leave a mark on academia.

a re-branding process that will introduce signiﬁcant changes. This

“It was a small university, but it produced some great scholars,”

process, in addition to other changes, will introduce a new logo that

points out Prof. Frendo. “Our greatest Medieval scholar, Daniel Callus,

reﬂects the outstanding history of this institution and strengthens its

was very highly respected in Blackfriars in Oxford, and published

position as prestigious University within the European continent.

AUGUST 2017 ∫ Sunday Circle 37

CIRCLE PROMOTION

LEADING THE WAY THE INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE DIPLOMA PROGRAMME AT ST EDWARD’S COLLEGE IS LEADING THE WAY IN INTERNATIONAL SIXTH FORM EDUCATION. HEADMASTER NOLLAIG MAC AN BHAIRD SHARES SOME THOUGHTS. Recently, when discussing education with some acquaintances, it came as a surprise to me, that many had misconceptions about St Edward’s College, SEC. St Edward’s College is an Early Years to Sixth Form school, offering, in 6th Form, the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP), SEC (Maltese ‘O’ Levels) in Year 11 and the IGCSE programme, also in the same year. We also employ a well recognised International Education methodology, which has withstood the test of time, throughout the entire school, namely Visual Thinking (VT). I could give you a lecture on VT however it is perhaps best summed up by a parent comment with a child in Junior school (we involve teachers, parents and students for training and improvements that we consider important); ‘I would like to also thank you for the conversation regarding the ‘Visual thinking’. As a parent and as a psychologist by profession, I believe that such pedagogy is the way forward for this generation of learners and I am glad that St Edward’s College is adopting this. I am glad that the teaching staff at St Edward’s College appreciate that children learn in different ways ...’ While recognising that an examination result, the grade or score, is the currency of today’s world we are also very aware that teaching to an examination and preparing students for the skills that will be needed for tomorrows world are not always the same. At SEC our IBDP programme, taught by experienced and caring educators, has resulted in our students being accepted by UCLA (University of California, Los Angeles), McGill University Canada , London School of Economics, Lille Catholic University, universities in France, Netherlands, Scotland, Hungary, Poland, Turkey and many more. Again I could list statistics, averages and much more but perhaps education at SEC is best summed up by an IBDP graduate from 2017 who scored in the top 1% worldwide; ‘I would like to take this opportunity to express my sincere gratitude towards St Edward’s. I am convinced that the excellent guidance offered by the College, together with the dedication of the teaching staff, were crucial factors leading to my achievements’ – Odin Mamo Haraldson You can find out more about St Edward’s College by visiting www.stedwards.edu.mt or by emailing admissions@stedwards.edu.mt AUGUST 2017 ∫ Sunday Circle 39

HIGHER EDUCATION

Exploring all options THERE WA W S A TIME WHEN CREAT A IVE SUBJECTS COULD NOT BE AT PURSUED AT A TERTIARY LEVEL IN MALT LTA LT TA. THIS HAS CHANGED WITH THE ADVENT OF SPECIALISED INSTITUTES AND COURSES. BUT IS IT ESSENTIAL? IGGY FENECH SPEAKS TO TWO MCAST LECTURERS AND A FREELANCE ARTIST TO FIND OUT.

40 Sunday Circle â&#x2C6;« AUGUST 2017

HIGHER EDUCATION

From fashion to dance, Malta’s arts scene has

Never have the options for higher education in Malta been as versatile and exciting. Gone are the days when

been booming for decades, yet artists are still often

pursuing higher education necessarily meant a career in

considered artisans… Somehow, the Renaissance

one of the traditional professions – you had law,

epiphany that artists are inventors and commentators in

medicine, architecture, teaching… well, that was pretty

their own right, has seemingly bypassed us…

much it. Nowadays, the traditional professions oﬀer

Nevertheless, there are many artists in Malta

even more extensive possibilities for higher education,

pushing the boundaries and teaching the next

with all the specialisations possible. But it doesn’t stop

generation the intricacies of the arts (i.e. not just the

there: non-traditional subjects, considered more edgy,

techniques but also the reasons why we need the arts

are also getting the professional academic treatment,

to help us progress). Here, three of those teachers and

with degree and diploma courses in the creative arts

artists discuss the importance of art in tertiary

now available both at University and at Mcast.

education.

SÉF FARRUGIA graduated in fashion design from the London College of Fashion, as well as Ravensbourne University, London. On top of being a fashion designer and an illustrator, Séf is a textiles lecturer at the MCAST Institute for the Creative Arts. “As a Textiles lecturer at MCAST, my role involves assisting incoming students with their projects, be they interior-, fashion-, fine arts- or graphics-related. The curriculum for this is based on the briefs we get to teach and so it is really subjective but – having been trained in Fashion and, more specifically, Textiles – helps me to give the students new perspectives to explore in their projects. “Although in the five years that I have been back, I have seen a rise in designers setting up their own brands, I still do not see a proper living local industry… We still have a long way to go, particularly as many people still perceive these jobs as hobbies, which is very unfortunate considering how much the fashion industry is worth worldwide. It is an industry, which, as a country, we still have to learn how to build, sustain and make it work for us. “Having said that, when I started making fine accessories, there was pretty much no one yet locally doing the same thing and while it’s been very hard, I have managed and it’s been extremely rewarding. For that reason, I would definitely tell students not to give up! “Nevertheless, I am pretty torn about whether artists should study their passion… Not everyone follows the same path and I feel that each artist and designer should follow what they think is best for them. Some people go into tertiary education and some people don’t.

The curriculum is based on the briefs we get to teach Sef farrugia

However, when it comes to the technical aspect of the creative world, I feel it is very important; on the other hand, no one is going to teach you how to be a creative mind, that is something you have to develop on your own.” Sef’s studio in Rabat will be opening very soon. seﬀarrugia.com | instagram.com/seﬀarrugiashop

AUGUST 2017 ∫ Sunday Circle 41

HIGHER EDUCATION

CARL CARUANA dropped out of MCAST just a year ago to become ‘a freelance Social and Visual Artist born and raised by the Internet,’ as he describes it. Since then, his art has gone on sale at CamilleriParisMode, and he’s working on his first solo exhibition. “Determination, risk, motivation, ambition, and creativity were some of the elements that lead me to drop out tertiary education. To be honest, I had always considered myself as self-taught and I still feel that this applies to me. Generally, my opinion on art swinging to an academic level gets me confused as, on a personal level, I do not feel comfortable with art being taught… “For me, being freelance allowed more room for ambition and motivation, and creative stimulation comes faster due to ﬁnancial pressures and wanting to evolve as an artist… Using my creative energy freely, and not for school tasks, has been the best thing for me. “At the moment, the actual solo exhibition I’m working on is to be delivered on Tinder as the gallery with new works, where a perusal on the judgemental relationship between the artist, their art, and the viewer gets exposed and observed as research. This is a very sketchy draft, however, so it may – and will – evolve further. “If you feel that you need to learn art, then my advice to those students is not to accept anything binary: in the creative ﬁeld, students and teachers should exchange knowledge equally. Also, do keep in mind that a creative subject does not mean you won’t have a future. Ultimately, however, creating art is innate, being an artist is man-made. Now it’s up to what you think the man did well or not.” fb.com/notrecognizedartist | behance.net/carlcaruana |

My opinion on art swinging to an academic level gets me confused as, on a personal level, I do not feel comfortable with art being taught CARL CARUANA

instagram.com/naturalmachine

MATTHEW MAMO graduated from the University of Malta with a Masters in Fine Arts in Digital Arts. Today, he is a Graphic Design Lecturer at the MCAST Institute for the Creative Arts. “Teaching the arts is challenging. In fact, although I’ll have been teaching graphic design for ﬁve years this December, and even though I tend to deliver study modules focusing on graphic design principles, idea generation and tactile graphics, my delivery method is constantly changing in response to live briefs (i.e. collaborations between third party stakeholders and MCAST) and design trends. “Such areas of study involve creative and critical thinking skills, which may be applied to virtually any task, be it maths, cooking, running a company, or designing a brand identity. This is because both these skills are concerned with generating ideas that have value via sustained dialogue and engagement. “In fact, I think that these skills should be promoted in other areas of tertiary education too… After all, being able to approach any given problem with high levels of innovation, creativity, and ingenuity is an advantage for any career. Having said that, I tend to believe that there is a diﬀerence between designers of

Such areas of study involve creative and critical thinking skills, which may be applied to virtually any task MATTHEW MAMO 42 Sunday Circle ∫ AUGUST 2017

all sorts and artists. The former work primarily through and for other people and, as a result, are more concerned with other people’s problems as opposed to their own. Designers have a responsibility to research and deliver appropriate solutions to their clients’ briefs. “It’s certainly a myth that there are no jobs in the creative industry, though. A number of my students were even oﬀered junior positions or internships during the second or third year of their studies by a number of creative agencies, including TBWA/ANG, Switch and Bloom, among others, while other students went on to work as in-house designers for private companies.”

HIGHER EDUCATION

The numbers WHAT DOES FURTHER EDUCATION IN MALTA ACROSS THE BOARD LOOK LIKE? A STUDY RELEASED BY THE NATIONAL COMMISSION FOR FURTHER AND HIGHER EDUCATION REVEALED THE FOLLOWING STATISTICS FOR THE PERIOD 2014 TO 2015.

cent of the 17 years of age cohort. By 2020, an average of at least 15 per cent of adults, more of those aged 25 to 64, should be participating in lifelong learning. During the academic

The number of students in full-time programmes has been

year 2014/2015, females outnumber their male counterparts in the

increasing overall by 12 per cent over the last seven years from

vocational strand as well by forming 53 per cent of the total.

18,602 in 2008 to 20,896 in 2015, despite a slight decrease of 2.4

Short courses, such as continuous professional development

per cent in the total number of full-time students in Further and

courses and courses for personal self-fulďŹ llment, are an attractive

Higher Education when compared to the academic year 2013-2014.

oďŹ&#x20AC;er and absorb more than 28 per cent of total students in further

From the total population aged 17 in Malta in 2015, 79 per cent are enrolled in Further and Higher Education while 21 per cent

education. In Higher Education in 2015, females represent the majority of

were not registered in any of the institutions that reported data for

students with a share of 55 per cent, whereas males represent a

the academic year 2014-2015.

share of 45 per cent respectively.

Considerable progress has been achieved in reducing Early

Females are more often enrolled in programmes in Arts and

School Leaving in Malta, namely by 13.2 per cent between 2005

Humanities (21.3 per cent) and Health and Welfare (9.9 per cent),

and 2015. Over the same period, the rate of Early School Leaving in

while males are more often following programmes in Engineering,

the European Union decreased by only 4.7 per cent.

Manufacturing and Construction (18.2 per cent) or Information and

In 2015, from all those enrolled in Further Education at age 19, 58 per cent followed vocational programmes compared to 30 per

Communication Technologies (15.2 per cent). In fact, these four subject areas register the largest gender imbalance.

HIGHER EDUCATION

cultivating the fourth and fifth estate The incubaTor for Tomorrow’s film, design and journalism sTars jusT goT a major overhaul. media and communicaTions head of deparTmenT ĠorĠ Mallia explains how The new undergraduaTe course has been Transformed inTo a hands-on experience ThaT will find sTudenTs prepared To Take on The world of work. “nowadays, the media is everywhere around us and inﬂuences our

in line with the demands of the second decade of the 21st century.

decision-making processes. To this, add the fact that society is built

we felt that students needed to be kept abreast of, for example, the

on our ability to communicate. good communications underpin

massive and impossibly fast changes that electronic media are

success, while bad communications create problems in just about

instigating. but at the same time, it was very important that students

every area of life.

have training in hands-on skills that will also help them create media

when communications started being taught and researched at the university of malta just over 25 years ago, it was speciﬁcally with the intention to prepare media and communications professionals who would lead the way in all the diﬀerent areas in the discipline.

content, of course based on the theory that must infuse any intelligent creation. The department carried out research among past and present students, stakeholders that were primarily those who employ media

prof. saviour chircop, the founding dean of the faculty of

and communications graduates, lecturers and others who had some

media and knowledge sciences, started the ﬁrst programmes in

sort of connection with the course. an in-depth analysis of feedback

communications years ago, when the area was still considered a

provided by students on all the courses oﬀered by the department

relatively minor one within university studies. under his guidance, it

was also carried out.

went on to develop into something that beneﬁted hundreds of

There were a number of clear-cut recommendations that many

students. These are at the core of most media-driven agencies today,

agreed about – for example, the need for students to have

with many of them becoming leaders in ﬁelds as far-ranging as

placements so they could practice in real-world situations what they

journalism, ﬁlm and design.

learnt in the lecture hall.

however, the greatest asset of communication studies is also

many insisted there should be a mixture of theory and practice

its greatest diﬃculty – ‘communications’ is an umbrella title that

from the start of the course. This was diﬃcult in the past, due to lack

incorporates several diﬀerent areas within it. in fact, students who

of resources, but easier now that the faculty of media and

study communications carry out in-depth analyses of areas such as

knowledge sciences is based in a state-of-the-art building with many

ﬁlm and video, journalism, marketing communications, internet

amenities that were missing in the past.

communications, graphic design and audio production. They also

of course, we are a long way away from having enough

learn core skills that prepare them to understand better, carry out

equipment to cover all needs, but we are working on it. one of the

research in, be analytical of, as well as be informed players in the

recurrent emphases that came out of our research was on the need

media’s role in society.

for students to have a modicum of specialisation by the end of their

but why the change? we felt the need to update the course to be more

46 Sunday Circle ∫ AUGUST 2017

course, given the multi-faceted aspect of their studies. when we designed the new course, we took all of these suggestions on board. on top of that we

HIGHER EDUCATION

decided to follow what is becoming the norm at the University of Malta, and which is also recommended by the Bologna process. This is that an honours degree is best served by three years of full-time study, as opposed to the four years of previous Communications courses. Besides lasting three years, the new Bachelor of Communications (Honours) degree is also a one-subject course, split into two parts. Part one comprises the first and second years, which Mallia describes as “the core years”, in which students become acquainted with all the areas that pertain to Media and Communications. For this reason, students will need to take all courses in the core areas of Media and Communications, along with specially created support courses in philosophy, psychology, sociology and English or Maltese. Students will also have the opportunity to choose a few optional courses from other subject areas that interest them. But the main thrust will be the study of communications.” The first year will encompass a bit of everything, with human communications, journalism, film studies, visual communications and graphic design, research methodologies, marketing communications, media studies, internet communications, presentation techniques, and many other topics that are being introduced. These are taken at a deeper level during the second year, by the end of which students are expected to have a solid grounding in all areas. In the third year, students can select from a large number of optional study units in order to focus on one of the topics they will have explored in the first two years. They will have a placement related to that topic, and do individual research in the form of a dissertation, along with a tutorial session run by a specialist in that area. This is not, strictly speaking, specialisation, since this is not entirely possible in an undergraduate course of this type, but students will be able to focus on the area in which they plan to find employment or specialise in later. If they want to specialise, they can go on to do a two-year master’s (taught or by research) following their undergraduate degree. Final exams have also been eliminated, since students will already have been assessed on each of their study units. http://www.um.edu.mt/maks/mediacomm/courses/bachelor ofcommunicationshons

CIRCLE PROMOTION

Committed to Providing the Best Education Learning Experience Learning a language or obtaining an academic qualiﬁcation is more

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our school is easily accessible from any part of Malta.

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eie Educational Group, was established in January 2000 and

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our success is built on a long-standing commitment to the speciﬁc

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its worldwide networks, partners with established renowned organisations, invests in its facilities and in social commitments. In a fast moving world, challenges are demanding and change is constant. Tomorrow’s future depends on today’s knowledge. Through its companies, the eie Educational Group oﬀers the

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oﬀered through eie Institute of Education (Licensed by the NCFHE

on 21332804 or info@eie-group.com

The eie Educational Group is an acknowledged leader in international education Higher Educational courses - eie Institute of

Education (NCFHE License Number 2005 - TC - 001)

Commitment to EXCELLENCE eie Educational Group, Valletta Buildings, South Street, Valletta Tel: +356 21 332804/5 info@eie-group.com www.eieEducationalGroup.com

English Language Courses - Unilang International School of Languages (EFL License Number 249/MB16)

Executive and Business courses eie Management Centre

Internship services - eie Internships Student Accommodation - eie Residences International Educational services - eie International

CIRCLE PROMOTION

Taking your career to a further level with MISCO Ever thought of taking your career to a new

qualiﬁcations which provide those reading

through workshops and sessions that focus

level? Ever felt like you’d like to move on and

for them, with opportunities for career

on close collaboration between trainer and

improve your career but require formal

development and assuming leadership roles.

participants, based on individual customised

Since 2007 MISCO has been an

practical attention and leading to recognized

qualiﬁcations which could back your move

accredited centre for management

qualiﬁcations. These level 5 award

qualiﬁcations awarded by the Institute of

qualiﬁcations also reﬂect the experience that

those professionals who want to pursue and

Leadership and Management in UK (ILM).

MISCO has over time developed in this ﬁeld

enhance their position and develop it further

These qualiﬁcations, which are also

and also its experience in a number of areas

according to the expectations of today’s

acknowledged by the National Commission

and ﬁelds related to HR and talent

opportunities.

for Further and Higher Education, are part of

development in Malta.

and lead you to new pastures? Career advancement is crucial for all

This helped so that the notion of

the City and Guilds Group – the largest

MISCO’s ﬁrst four accredited

lifelong learning through development and

vocational awarding body in the UK, with

qualiﬁcations were designed to provide clear

training increased in popularity with a great

extensive experience in the ﬁeld of

and practical guidelines to career-minded

number of people seeking to improve their

leadership and management training

professionals and constitute a good

potential or diversify their expertise.

worldwide. ILM qualiﬁcations are available

progression opportunity for someone

for all levels, from team leaders to senior

seeking to further one’s studies to other

development and HR selection. This

managers. Assessments are based on

qualiﬁcations in leadership and

reputation is based on over 30 years of

assignments and qualiﬁcations may be

management, personal development, human

experience of providing these services

obtained for Level 3 to Level 7 on the Malta

resources management and planning and

locally and also internationally. Apart from

Qualiﬁcations Framework.

delivering a training session.

MISCO is synonymous with training,

the speciﬁc tailor made courses, which

MISCO is also an accredited Chartered

MISCO’s own accredited courses

MISCO oﬀers to a number of clients, over

Institute of Marketing (CIM) centre. CIM is

appeal to a varied audience, including those

the years, the company has oﬀered

the world’s leading professional marketing

who are aspiring and practising supervisors,

body and its courses are aimed at anyone

team leaders and managers, those who

who wants to take their career a step further

aspire to become trainers and those who are

and explore marketing as one of their

keen on self-development.

options. Their courses apply to anyone in the

If you are interested in getting to know

ﬁeld, whether one is a student, marketing

about MISCO’s training opportunities for

assistant or responsible for an entire

improved self-development visit our website

marketing department.

www.miscomalta.com or contact us on

Recently, MISCO started oﬀering its

training@miscomalta.com

very own home-grown qualiﬁcations,

AUGUST 2017 ∫ Sunday Circle 51

Closed Litter Boxes

for happy pets

The perfect solution to keep your pets happy, and your house clean

Seamless base & walls to prevent leaks

Scan to watch video

DIMENSIONS Top Cat AG50 L 59 x W 39 x H 38 cm L 23.2 x W 15.4 x H 15 In.

Lid can be tilted & fixed for easy cleaning

COLOURS 330 329

BENEFITS Stable and solid, keeps dirt inside. Seamless base and walls to prevent leaks. Side handles for easy lifting. Built-in tracking mat on lid keeps your floor clean. Large opening: from kittens to large cats. Lid can be tilted and fixed for easy cleaning. Dog and toddler proof. Easy cleaning with water and soap. Made of premium quality plastic for a long lasting use.

Sales enquiries: sales@borg-cardona.com or call 2141 4753 Find us on Facebook Royal Canin Malta for more details on our entire range.

Built-in tracking mat on lid keeps your floor clean

Lid can be tilted & fixed for easy cleaning

Side handles for easy lifting

Large opening: from kittens to large cats

CIRCLE PROMOTION

LITTER TRAINING YOUR CAT WHY YOUR CAT ISN’T USING THE LITTER TRAY & WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT

PROBLEMS WITH THE LITTER TRAY

Whether you’re wondering how to stop your cat from

There are a number of potential

urinating on the carpet or how to deter your cat from using other

problems with the litter tray itself that

comfortable parts of your house (like beds and beanbags for

could be causing your cat to avoid

example) as a toilet, in this article we’ll try to help you to

using it.

understand why this happens and what you can do to avoid it.

Some things to look out for include:

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SPRAYING AND URINATING The ﬁrst thing to consider is whether your cat is actually

Litter box management – how often and how thoroughly are you cleaning the litter tray? Litter box size – is the tray

going to the toilet outside of the litter tray, or if your cat is in fact ‘spraying’.

big enough for your cat?

AN IMPORTANT NOTE ON CAT BEHAVIOUR

recently changed the type of litter you

Litter type – have you

If your cat is going to the toilet outside the litter

are putting in the litter tray? Alternatively, if your cat seems

box, it’s important to remember that this isn’t spiteful

discouraged by the type of litter you are using then a change may

behaviour. It’s more likely a sign that something is

be needed.

wrong, either with the litter tray situation or with your

Location – where the litter tray is in the house can be an issue for your cat. If your cat is consistently

cat’s health.

using a particular area of the house to urinate or

That’s why it’s vital you don’t punish your cat.

defecate, consider putting the litter tray there.

Striking or lashing out at your cat will only serve to worsen

Negative litter box experience – if

any behavioural problems.

something has happened to scare or harm

WHAT TO DO IF YOUR CAT ISN’T USING THE LITTER BOX

your cat while in the litter box, this can lead to your cat associating that experience with the litter box itself.

As mentioned above, if your cat is using other parts of

Thus, your cat will then avoid the litter box for

the house as a toilet – the sofa, a beanbag or a bed for

fear of that experience being repeated.

example – then that’s a

Stress and conﬂict with other

sign that there is

cats – Upheaval in the house or conﬂict

something wrong.

with another feline in the home can both

The problem can

cause your cat to become stressed, which

range from an issue with the litter

can in turn cause your cat to avoid the litter tray.

box itself to a medical problem.

Your cat could also have a medical problem that could be

The ﬁrst step is to identify the problem, then you need to take

making it diﬃcult, uncomfortable or painful for your cat to pass

action to ﬁx it.

urine.

It’s important you deal with this situation quickly as it won’t take your cat to learn this new behaviour, meaning it will become more diﬃcult to get them back to using the litter tray.

If your cat is only producing very small amounts of urine, seems to have urgency when urinating (meaning they don’t have time to make it to the tray), or is meowing or crying out when they try to use the litter tray, then there could be a medical problem. Medical problems that aﬀect your cat’s ability to pass urine are very serious and can be a symptom of potentially life threatening conditions. In these situations, ensure that you take your cat to the vet as soon as possible.

AUGUST 2017 ∫ Sunday Circle 53

PA P APA AP PA RAZZII

APS Summer Events: • 1-7 It has been an eventful summer so far at APS Bank. The Farewell Reception for Chairman Emanuel P. Delia was held on July 20, with Tower Street (outside the Head Oﬃce building) transformed into a stylish party setting. • 8-15 The Summer Barbecue for staﬀ and their partners was held at The Edge, Radisson Blu Resort, St Julian’s on July 27. All present enjoyed a wonderful view, delicious food and amazing music which made it a night to remember.

APS Bank Head Oﬃce in Swatar

Outgoing Chairman Emanuel P. Delia during his farewell message

Judith Caruana, Stephanie Borg Caruana, David Lanzon, Andrew Muscat, David Galea Simone Francalanza, Daniela Debono, Daphne Farrugia, and Kirsten Brimmer Shana Micallef, Tanya Wadge and Ramona Vella

Leanne Imbroll, Stephanie Attard, Elaine Zahra and Liam Grixti

Victor Gusman, Frederick Mifsud Bonnici (Chairman), Martin Scicluna and Franco Azzopardi

Ramona Vella, Martin Seychell, Therese Camilleri Vidal, Pauline Busuttil and Rebecca Zammit

The Social Activities Committee: Ray Bonnici, Shelaine Cassar, Brandon Attard, Annabel Pisani, Marcelline Chetcuti and Daphne Farrugia

Classic Rock band Roundhouse Kick entertained the crowd on the night

Adrian Francalanza, Antonella Tabone, Jessica Gravina Zammit, Christian Gravina, Kirsten Brimmer, Alan Busuttil, Kenneth Vella, Elaine Vella, Danica Grima, Claire Portelli and Kristian Jorgensen

Emanuel P. Delia receiving a token of appreciation from Bishop Mario Grech

APS Marketing Team - Jeremy Vassallo, Patrick Aquilina (Manager), Luca Bugelli, Sophie Vella and Stephanie Calleja

Pauline Busuttil, Aldo Busuttil, Shaun Gaﬀarena, Simon Camilleri, Therese Camilleri Vidal and Rebecca Zammit

Etienne Vella, Antonella Vella, Judith Caruana, Jason Bonnici, David Micallef, Shana Micallef, Alexander Schembri and Susanne Bonnici

Ludwig Attard, Stephanie Attard, Leanne Imbroll and Francesco Imbroll

AUGUST 2017 ∫ Sunday Circle 55

HEALTH

NEW BROOM SWEEPS CLEAN Extra-oral before treatment

Do you ever wonder what it would have been like if your teeth were in pristine shape? What went wrong? Have they reached this state due to lack of care or do those genes you inherited have a part to play? Where has that left you? Besides the obvious, poor smile you carry around with you on a daily basis, what has all this done to your conﬁdence? Take this case scenario; a middle-aged patient with a history of bad teeth toiling with the idea of correcting his/her teeth. Where is the starting line? Firstly and most importantly is will power to make that call and ﬁx an appointment for a consultation.

Extra-oral after treatment

The consultation is broken down into the following main ﬁelds: 1.

Past Dental/Medical History: Listening to the patient’s past experiences puts things into perspective on why his/her teeth are in this state. What went wrong along the years gives insight

to a dentist on what must be done to radically improve the patient’s oral and mental well-being. 2. Patient’s complaints: listing all of the patient’s wishes helps the dentist formulate a dental treatment plan and present it to them. The patient’s

A CASE STUDY:

PLAN:

requests should be realistic, well addressed

A middle-aged man presents with a

Remove all upper and lower

and convincing enough to the dentist that

remaining teeth

once all the work is done, what might have

dentition in very poor state. Inﬂamed and enlarged gums as well as and very mobile teeth were present throughout the patient’s dentition. The initial investigation included a 3D CT scan.

2. Recontouring of bone and gingival plastic surgery 3. Simultaneous placement of 12 implants 4. Placement of provisional upper and

Bone levels: is there enough bone to place dental implants?

2. Periodontal status of remaining teeth: are remaining teeth in good

lower dentures 5. Planning of upper and lower ﬁxed

hygiene post-treatment? 3. Endodontic or root canal status of

Diﬀerent lines of treatment can achieve diﬀerent goals. This brings us back to the patient’s list of complaints and wishes. Will

4. The dental work involved is

Advantages and disadvantages: Listen

to what the pros and cons are. Weigh

anything but simple. It is enduring and

everything out and choose what is best for

requires dedication from both parties.

you.

reassured at all times. This nature of

to redo a root canal or does the

dental work also carries a hefty cost in

tooth need to be pulled out?

time and money but the conﬁdence

56 Sunday Circle ∫ AUGUST 2017

vary in time, expense and endurance.

boxes on the patient’s list?

Patients need to be patient and

buried teeth etc

Treatment options: Treatments may

months post-implant insertion.

root canal therapy? Is it worth trying

5. Anatomy of jaws: sinuses, nerves,

that particular treatment plan tick all the

remaining teeth: do any teeth require

4. Potential presence of pathology

converted to good patient compliance.

implant-retained prosthesis 4

health or do they require removal? Can the patient maintain good

been poor dental attendance would be

achieved is priceless! Ask your dentist.

Dr Jean Paul Demajo Dental and Implant Surgeon.