Pink (November 2017)

issUe157∫ november2017

Step into the secret style garden A snApshot of the lAbels, the look & free spirit @ the pink fAshion show

COLLECTIVE MORAL INJURY how to heal a hurt society

USING THEIR WRITING TO BRING ABOUT CHANGE stories of five murdered female journalists

The fine art of tea pairing FINDING THE RIGHT BLEND FOR ARTISAN CHOCOLATE

LEARNING ABOUT MY MOTHER’S SILENT ILLNESS Dementia’s disproportionate impact on women

INSIDE

November 2017

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FEATURES 14 PrivateEye from social butterfly to silent Daughter deals with mother’s dementia 21 InFocus murder, the ultimate form of censorship Executed female journalists and the abuse they faced 26 WomensWorld discover your talent Be it aerospace engineering or tattoos 35 ArtyFacts seeing the world through kids’ eyes Growing up with the culture of going to the theatre

FASHION 42 ShowStopper flower girl Flowing along the Pink catwalk 52 TheUniform the slow fashion movement Style using sustainable materials 55 FashionStory femininity and beauty Fashion for feeling like a real royal

HEALTH & BEAUTY 62 InThePink health food – an orthorexic’s heroin?

Deadly obsession with ‘pure’ food 69 PinkShrink collective moral injury Addressing a nation in mourning 73 ParentingTips assertiveness and freedom of speech in kids Teaching them to form part of a functional society

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REGULARS 11 EditorsNote 12 MailShot 31 WomanKind the warrior princess Sichelgaita 58 ThinkPink health, beauty, fashion, events & things 75 GirlTalk you never really know, do you?

Not everything is what it seems 80 RelationTips importing Aloha Not just a word but a pleasant way of life 84 TableTalk spelt it out Spelt pasta with chayote and butternut squash 87 FoodForThought tea for two Pairing the right variety with the perfect artisanal torrone 91 WomenOnWheels drive small, think big Smart Fortwo cabriolet 95 StarGazer the future is pink Horoscopes 97 SnapShot the other side of the baddie Izzy Warrington

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COVER Photography Noella Agius ∫ Styling Marisa Grima [marisagrima.com] ∫ Hair Cynthia Demanuele from Screen Professional Salon, San Gwann ∫ Make-up Chris Attard from Franks, using Guerlain ∫ Model Ida @ Supernova MM, wearing coat, €119; trousers, €69, both Oltre ∫ bag, €149, Furla ∫ Location Sherries Estates.

8 ∫ Pink November 2017

EDITORSNOTE

I wrote this editorial for the last issue of Pink, but pulled it at the eleventh hour to honour executed investigative journalist, Daphne Caruana Galizia instead. Crippling news of her murder had just broken.

Since then, I have heard and read countless similar versions of what I wanted to say.

And to top it off, in this issue, Helen Raine from Hawaii also writes about the Aloha way of life in the Pacific island she inhabits [RelationTips on page 80], further emphasising my point about the sorry state we are in.

It all boils down to respect. Or, in our case, the lack of it.

This is Malta’s problem, essentially: the lack of basic common decency; the lack of regard for others.

It dawned on me the other day, when I encountered one frustrating situation after the other and that cloud followed me all the way home, where I couldn’t park close by because yet another disrespectful person chose

to take up two spaces for his one car…

No one cares about the consequences of these little actions. But are they really that ‘little’? I would argue they are rather significant… and symptomatic of the nation’s attitude to fellow natives. We live in an egoistic bubble and couldn’t care less whether our small acts of negligence could cause bigger issues for others.

It’s no longer embarrassing to admit that you’re only interested in your personal well-being, whether this has an impact on others, or not. The other day, a builder told me point-blank that everyone should look out for their own patch and to hell with the rest. He couldn’t wait to shaft his neighbours by building over their properties because it suited him, and he didn’t hesitate to say this with a sense of pride and bravado.

I retired into my shell, gutted, because when people brazenly talk like this, even if you would expect no better, it is hugely demoralising.

But how can you expect the builder to act any different and stay out of the if-you-can’t-beat-them-jointhem game when others in ‘higher’ places are doing the same and no one is setting an example.

If the person patronising an event and even delivering the opening speech arrives

one solid hour late, what sort of model of respect to other mere mortals is that conveying? I didn’t get up and leave on that particular occasion out of respect – the key word – for the people whose show I was there to watch.

But I had zero interest in that speech at that point and, instead, my mind drifted into analysing what could have impeded the person making it from arriving on time – despite the chauffeur-driven car, which meant no issues with parking like everyone else had to face.

I wondered… Maybe it was caused by some tragedy, God forbid; or maybe it was a question of not having mastered the art of getting dressed for an occasion in a jiffy. Possibly, it was the result of a wardrobe crisis, or a bad hair day.

Maybe the answer to the mystery was even simpler: a laissez-faire attitude.

Or could it be that it was beneath the person to sit and wait like the rest of the audience until the show started, so it was calculated and coordinated to arrive when it already had?

Whatever the case, it’s not what I call a grand entrance.

And again, it’s symptomatic of the dismal state of the nation.

Busy people, if that is the case, need to get their act together. They need to

decline invitations, or cut corners. I’m surrounded by busy people and most of them make it with far less assistance.

Punctuality is not my forte and this will sound rich coming from me, but then again, I’m hardly the guest of honour and can slip into the crowd unnoticed.

Nevertheless, that evening, I, for one – and I hate to bring myself into the picture, but will make an exception – was bathing my daughter at 7pm and had her in bed, sound asleep, according to our routine, by 7.30pm, after which I slipped on some clothes, flat shoes de rigueur to make walking a mile [if necessary] faster, lifted my look with a stroke of shocking red lipstick, ruffled my hair to stand on end, and was seated in place at 8pm.

Like me, there would have been others who would have juggled much more. But I suspect that, soon, no one will bother. Because if standards aren’t upheld in public life, most of the Maltese will be secretly happy that they have carte blanche to follow suit. And to hell with everyone else!

Let’s face it, the blogger who kept the authorities – as they themselves have admitted – on their toes and in check is out of the way now. Things can only get worse!

November 19, 2017 ∫ Pink is a monthly magazine ∫ Issue 157 ∫ Executive editor Fiona Galea Debono ∫ Publisher Allied Newspapers Ltd ∫ Printing Progress Press Ltd ∫ Production Allied Newspapers Ltd ∫ Contributors Chris Attard, Adriana Bishop, Maria Cachia, Edward Curmi, Mary Galea Debono, Cynthia Demanuele, Marisa Grima, Caroline Paris, Helen Raine, Stephanie Satariano, Virginia, Tamara Webb, Shelley Von Strunckel ∫ Design Manuel Schembri ∫ Photography Noella Agius, Matthew Mirabelli, Chris Sant Fournier, Jean Claude Vella, Mark Zammit Cordina ∫ Advertising sales Veronica Grech Sant [2276 4333; veronica.grechsant@timesofmalta.com].

THIS PUBLICATION IS BEING DISTRIBUTED AS PART OF:

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© 2017. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole, or in part, without written permission of the publishers, is prohibited.

Pink November 2017 ∫ 11

MAILSho

THE LETTER THAT TICKLED PI HYPOCRISY ALL AROUND US Some ‘me’ time today on Sunday, September 17. It’s 9.30pm. I just picked up September 2017’s issue of Pink magazine. To be honest, I went through most of the articles and even the adverts with nothing in particular really capturing my full interest. However, PinkShrink

by Dott. Edward Curmi, entitled The Double Face, intrigued me. So, I decided to read the first few paragraphs and see what happens. As it were, I read it all. What an eye-opener! The article speaks about the ever-increasing phenomenon of hypocrisy, which is all around us. As Dott. Curmi suggests, let’s take politicians, to whom we give our votes to elect them to govern our country as correctly as possible.

Alas! How quickly they deceive us with all their hypocrisy once they are elected. How many of us have, one day or another, experienced some form of injustice, or personal hurt through the sheer hypocrisy of work colleagues, or even friends, and worse still, from members of the family, who say one thing in front of us and then do absolutely the contrary behind our backs. Probably I will be researching more about this subject, and that means that as far as I am concerned, Dott. Curmi's article tickled me pink. Thank you all.

CONNIE CUTAJAR, VIA E-MAIL

The writer of the letter of the month wins a Liu Jo Gold eau de parfum from Chemimart; PLUS a selection of Deborah Milano make-up products from A.M.Mangion Ltd.

WrItE I AND WIN

ASK FOR HELP WHEN YOU NEED IT Dear Pink, I find your magazine very informative, as well as appealing since you cover many different topics of interest to me. Being a parent of two infants, the article ParentingTips in the September issue, ByeBye Beauty Sleep, was of particular help to me. Thomas Dekker defines sleep as that golden chain that ties health and our bodies together.

Therefore, having a disrupted sleep pattern disrupts one’s lifestyle too.

This has a negative ripple effect on the baby, or the toddler, who feels the stress of the parent. The fact that, nowadays, we are blessed with professional sleep coaches is a godsend. So, when we need support, let us make use of it and not procrastinate. In return, we will be happier mothers and also improve our relationships with those around us. Let us not be afraid to ask for help when needed.

MARITA CILIA, VIA E-MAIL

HAS THE WORLD GONE CRAZY? Dear editor, this is just to tell you that if you were a politician, I would most probably like you to be the one to take decisions for my country. I like your magazine opening article [EditorsNote]. I was meant to write in a few months ago and then I read the September issue and thought I have to write in now, though September has come and gone. Anyway, all I want to say is how good it is to hear someone like you voicing what is happening in our beautiful island. Is it because we are dealing with Maltese, or has the world gone crazy? Keep up the good work!

SUE DEBATTISTA, VIA E-MAIL

EASY AND DELICIOUS Dear Pink, I have certainly realised that great ingredients make great food. I have just read the recipe A Nutjob [TableTalk, September 2017] and I was compelled to prepare this dessert. The recipe teaches the wonderful uses of different fruits and nuts like almonds, cashews, dates and mango. No sugar is added, but honey is instead used to give the mixture a sweet palate. It takes only a few minutes to prepare the ingredients for the recipe and no cooking is required. As Maria Cachia described, it is a “fruity, nutty, healthy dessert.” It’s also easy and delicious – give it a try!

LARA TANTI FARRUGIA, FROM BUGIBBA

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We want to hear from you. Send us your feedback on Pink and any stories that may have touched you in some way, and you stand a chance of winning Emporio Armani’s Because It’s You eau de parfum from Chemimart; PLUS a selection of Deborah Milano make-up products from A.M.Mangion Ltd. Write to Pink, with your contact details, at Allied Newspapers Limited, triq l-Intornjatur, Mrieћel, BKr 3000, or send an e-mail to pink@timesofmalta.com Correspondence may be edited for length and clarity. If prizes are not claimed within two months, they will no longer be available.

12 ∫ Pink November 2017

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PRIVATEEYE

FROM SOCIAL BUTTERFLY TO SILENT Around three years ago, everything changed for Adriana Bishop. Her formidable mother became a statistic, joining the 1.5 per cent of the population suffering from dementia. Her whole family’s lives, not just her mother’s, changed irrevocably. Living with this silent illness, she is struck by its disproportionate impact on women: the vast majority of patients with dementia are female; and 70 per cent of unpaid caregivers, usually family members, are women too.

M

y mother Mary was 75 when she was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s three years ago, but it seems like a lifetime now. I look at her photos from before the diagnosis and compare them to today and I almost do not recognise her.

I miss her, and yet she is still here with me. In fact, she is sitting right next to me as I write this, unaware that she is the subject of my writing. She used to cut out and collect every single article I wrote back in my journalism days. I doubt she will be able to read this now.

The regression has been relatively quick and heartbreaking, and the learning curve for us, especially for my father, has been equally steep. I define dementia as a cruel silent illness. My definition is not based on any science at all; rather on my own personal observation of my mother’s condition.

She is still a beautiful woman, and looking at her photo taken at a family wedding just a few weeks ago, you’d be hard pressed to guess there is anything wrong with her. That picture is hiding countless secrets, which I will not reveal to preserve her dignity.

the right handbag to go with her outfits. More crucially, he has had to learn to keep her safe.

Her well-being has become his priority, to the detriment of his own health. He has had to give up many of his commitments and hobbies as caring for mum has become a 24/7 job. But he still stubbornly refuses any outside help. In sickness and in health, for better or for worse, he is determined to make good on his promise.

It is almost impossible to have any form of meaningful conversation with my mother anymore. I cannot ask her for advice, or discuss anything in depth. Every now and then, I get a tiny glimmer of the old mummy when she remarks on my clothes and my shoes, her fashion sense clearly still intact from the time when she was a women’s wear buyer for a department store in Australia many decades ago. For a split second, she is back; my mother who never missed a detail. And then she’s gone again, lost to the mist of this cruel disease.

There was a time when my mother would never stop talking.

She was a social butterfly, who seemed to know everyone in town and could strike up conversations with anyone.

“MY FATHER, WHO IS HER SOLE CARER, HAS LEARNT EVERY BASIC ASPECT OF LOOKING AFTER HER, FROM COMBING HER HAIR TO PAINTING HER TOENAILS AND CHOOSING THE RIGHT HANDBAG TO GO WITH HER OUTFITS. MORE CRUCIALLY, HE HAS HAD TO LEARN TO KEEP HER SAFE” As a family, we all went through different phases of dealing with the diagnosis. My mother was the first to experience anger and denial. She initially refused to see a doctor, insisting there was nothing wrong with her. Later, she would angrily refuse any assistance at home. Meanwhile, my father was confused about what was happening to his once formidable wife and found it difficult to come to terms with her change in behaviour.

We are now settled at the acceptance phase. My father, who is her sole carer, has learnt every basic aspect of looking after her, from combing her hair to painting her toenails and choosing 14 ∫ Pink November 2017

There was a time when my mother would never sit still, or stop cleaning the house she was ever so proud of. She was the quintessential traditional housewife, always fussing around her brood, ensuring we were well fed, well dressed, well cared for.

That was then; BD – before diagnosis. Everything changed.

My mother became a statistic. She joined the 1.5 per cent of the population suffering from a dementia and our lives, not just hers, changed irrevocably.

From being the main caregiver of the family, my mother suddenly became the one to be cared for and it took her and

PRIVATEEYE Adriana Bishop, her sister Suzanne Cacciottolo and their mother Mary Cacciottolo at a recent family wedding. There was no way the sisters would let her leave the house without looking her best. “You’d be hard-pressed to guess there is anything wrong with her, but this picture is hiding countless secrets, which I will not reveal to preserve her dignity,” says Adriana.

Pink November 2017 ∫ 15

PRIVATEEYE the rest of us a while to adjust to this new situation. It was especially hard for my father to learn how to cope with this role reversal.

He has had to come to grips with the basics of looking after my mother on his own as both my sister and I live abroad.

However, caregivers in general tend to be overwhelmingly female as daughters, daughters-in-law and other female relatives rally round to support their loved one with dementia.

In our case, as the disease progressed and my mother’s condition gradually worsened, my father had to take over all the tasks she used to perform, from grocery shopping to laundry, cooking and cleaning.

Most touchingly, he had to re-learn how to communicate with my mother. The woman he married 54 years ago was ebbing away.

She was, or rather is, still here, alive, with us. But her personality has changed beyond recognition and it will only get worse.

Women’s Brain Project It is estimated that every three seconds, someone in the world develops dementia. There are 11 million new cases per year globally and the term “silent epidemic” is often used to describe the incidence of this debilitating condition.

Yet what is even more striking is the disproportionate impact it has on women. The vast majority of patients with dementia, around two-thirds, are female. And 70 per cent of unpaid caregivers, usually family members, are women.

According to the World Health Organisation, in 2015, dementia was one of the top 10 causes of death for women.

In Malta, there are 6,071 diagnosed cases of dementia in patients aged over 60 years. Of these, 4,027 are female. By 2030, it is estimated that almost 10,000 Maltese will be diagnosed with dementia. That’s 2.37 per cent of the population. And 64 per cent will be female.

sort in Europe.” And the dearth was clearly felt as the infant organisation quickly snowballed, drawing support from a number of established scientists and academics.

Almost immediately, it started receiving invitations from prestigious fora, including the Lausanne Dialogue, a roundtable involving private and public sectors aimed at forging partnerships in the fight against Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.

“Our mission is to identify specific needs related to women’s brain health and advocate for focused research and precision medicine to address sex- and gender-specific phenomena in mental health,” says Dr Schumacher Dimech.

Women’s Brain Project as such does not restrict itself to dementia, however, the initial response has seen the main focus of its work directed primarily towards this sector.

“We were overwhelmed with the positive response we received right from the start. However, the first scientific journal we approached turned down our paper on sex and gender differences in Alzheimer’s on grounds that the topic was too controversial and feminist. This is not a feminist topic,” Dr Schumacher Dimech insists.

“Women are at a higher risk of several mental diseases. Apart from Alzheimer’s, they are twice as likely as men to be diagnosed with depression and anxiety disorders, which are more persistent in women. The risk of stroke is higher for women, with over 60 per cent of related deaths occurring in females. Symptoms are also more severe and women experience a steeper decline, either because the ‘mechanism’ is different, or because they are diagnosed later.”

Timely diagnosis is key. Women generally tend to be diagnosed much later than men because they fare better in dementia tests, based on communication skills in which they tend to naturally excel. Women also tend to postpone seeing a doctor when the early signs of dementia manifest themselves and are then misdiagnosed.

“WOMEN ARE AT A HIGHER RISK OF SEVERAL MENTAL DISEASES. APART FROM ALZHEIMER’S, THEY ARE TWICE AS LIKELY AS MEN TO BE DIAGNOSED WITH DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY DISORDERS, WHICH ARE MORE PERSISTENT IN WOMEN” There are many reasons for this gender bias in dementia. Old age is female. With more women than men aged over 80, the prevalence of women with dementia is much higher and increasing year by year. It is a fact that more women live with dementia than men and they experience more severe symptoms.

However, despite all the statistics indicating a disproportionate prevalence among women, female dementia patients are rarely the subject of research on the topic. A report by Alzheimer’s Disease International pointed out that there is very little research on the gender issues of living with dementia.

Women’s Brain Project is trying to change this. Launched in Switzerland in 2016, it was founded by a small group of scientists from different disciplines, including Dr Annemarie Schumacher Dimech, a health psychologist, originally from Marsascala, who is now a research officer at the Interdisciplinary Competence Centre for Ageing at the University of Applied Sciences in St Gallen.

“Women’s Brain Project is an unprecedented initiative,” Dr Schumacher Dimech explains. “While similar organisations already existed in the US and Canada, there was nothing of this 16 ∫ Pink November 2017

“In Switzerland, men who may be in the early stages of dementia are sometimes misdiagnosed as suffering from burnout, while for women, a common misdiagnosis at the early stages of dementia is depression,” explains Dr Schumacher Dimech.

My mother refused to see a doctor initially and we had to cancel several appointments until we managed to convince her to get properly checked. It seems she was not the only one.

“Early diagnosis is so important,” emphasises Dr Schumacher Dimech. “The process of dementia starts 10 years before diagnosis and long before any symptoms become apparent. That is why the promising research about new diagnostic techniques, such as with biomarkers, is so vital.”

The effects of caring for a patient with dementia should not be overlooked either. “Women are more negatively affected by caregiving than men,” continues Dr Schumacher Dimech.

“It takes an enormous toll on their physical as well as mental health. Caregivers often go on to develop mental diseases such as depression and anxiety. Many women quit their job or work reduced hours to look after their relative with dementia and this,

PRIVATEEYE “Spouses show greater emotional distress because they lose their partner before he or she dies. They grieve the relationship before they grieve the person,” says Dr Schumacher Dimech.

“Psycho-educational intervention for caregivers is, therefore, a must. This kind of support is very helpful. It empowers them and reduces stress.”

Women’s Brain Project advocates for “differential research for equal treatment” pointing out that the impact of gender and sex on the risk of mental diseases, their symptoms as well as on drug response is currently neglected in both preclinical research and clinical trials.

“Most drug trials are done using male mice,” explains Dr Schumacher Dimech. “We’ve been told unofficially that female mice are too unpredictable. Therefore, some drugs are developed based on trials with men, but are used more by women. Then certain side effects that had never cropped up in trials start manifesting themselves.

Women need to be included in trials.”

Drug research and development is not purely a scientific process, but also a social one. “We need to look at the issue from different angles. Social scientists and medical doctors tend to work separately. They need to collaborate more closely.

It is useless developing a drug if, for some cultural reason, people won’t take it,” Dr Schumacher Dimech points out.

Global Alzheimer’s and Dementia Action Alliance [GADAA] notes that the stigma surrounding dementia exists universally and extreme forms of discrimination can lead to the abuse of older women.

“In Africa dementia patients are hidden from society, or treated like witches and may even face punishment like stoning. In India, the stigma is so huge that women with mental disorders are thrown out onto the streets where they are subjected to horrific abuse. Education and increasing awareness at all levels are crucial,” says Dr Schumacher Dimech.

Meanwhile, Women’s Brain Project is forging ahead with its discussion agenda, continuing Health psychologist Annemarie Schumacher Dimech. to raise awareness among fellow scientists, academics and also the public.

In December, it is hosting its first internaof course, has serious repercussions not least on their income. tional forum on women’s brain health in Lausanne, which will Most pensioners close to the poverty line are women. Female see another Maltese academic, clinical psychologist Prof. carers are also at a higher risk of developing stress-related Angela Abela, on the panel. The forum will bring together psychiatric problems and tend to feel more shame than men.” experts, patients and caregivers to discuss the role of sex and Patients with dementia can live for a very long time with this gender in the treatment of brain and mental diseases. debilitating disease – on average 11.9 years with disability in “This forum is a first of its kind worldwide. Apart from individuals aged over 60 years. Needless to say, such a long creating more awareness, we want to improve networking period of caregiving is very demanding. between different disciplines, from regulators to policy makers, But the most heartbreaking part of caring for an individual the pharmaceuticals industry, artificial intelligence experts with dementia is watching the irrevocable regress; watching and doctors. But we are also including patients and caregivers them slipping away; their brain function slowly shutting down because, ultimately, this is about them, for them,” Dr Schumacher while outwardly seeming ‘normal’.

Dimech says.

Pink November 2017 ∫ 17

PRIVATEEYE

A national strategy “Disclosure is difficult,” points out Charles Scerri, professor of Dementia Studies at the University of Malta and author of the National Dementia Strategy. “Doctors are not trained in disclosure; in how to break the news to patients that they have dementia. When is it the right time to tell them?”

Research indicates that only a small number of doctors disclose dementia diagnosis to their patients and often relatives ask doctors not to inform the patient at all.

This raises ethical and legal concerns. “The patient is a legal entity. They have the right to know so that they can take informed decisions and plan their future while they are still able to,” continues Prof. Scerri. “Advanced directives should be introduced to safeguard patients’ wishes, but I fear the public is not ready to discuss this issue.”

Once diagnosis is made, patients have to come to terms with the profound change in their role and identity. Women, in particular, struggle with this.

“In Malta, we have a unique pattern of care,” explains Prof.

Scerri. “We see a high incidence of rotation of care, where the patient is rotated from one house to another, or from one carer to the other. It is not the best way to care for an individual with dementia, but it is the only way caregivers can cope while maintaining their own life.”

Malta is among the few countries to note in its National Dementia Strategy the role of female caregivers and to discuss the negative impact of caring stress particularly on women.

“Men and women cope differently,” points out Prof. Scerri, who lists 85 recommendations in the strategy. “Women use more emotional coping strategies and tend to give more time to a husband with dementia than a man would to a wife with the disease. Having said that, probably, gender differences in the future may change as tomorrow’s adults are more cosmopolitan and career oriented and the family nucleus shrinks.”

Malta has one of the lowest fertility rates in Europe and projections estimate that the population will drop to 350,000 by 2050. However, the population of older people will shoot up – by 2060, it is estimated that 31 per cent will be aged over 65, but the number of people aged over 80 will triple. The burden of dementia will increase accordingly.

“Dementia is the most expensive condition in the world,” Prof. Scerri points out. “Next year, it will cost $1 trillion globally.

Some 60 per cent of that cost is in informal care, which is unpaid. Countries are feeling the financial strain of dementia.”

Despite the ever-growing incidence of such an “epidemic”, research funds remain far lower than expected. “Cancer research gets 15 times as much funding globally as does dementia.

Research funding in Malta for dementia is non-existent,” Prof.

Scerri complains.

“In the past, patients in Malta faced widespread stigma and the terminology used was negative and pejorative,” he adds.

Misconceptions about the condition still exist, most significantly the misplaced belief that dementia is purely a result of old age. This can lead to delays in appropriate diagnosis and thus a delay in obtaining adequate treatment.

Could Malta see the equivalent of Women’s Brain Project forming the national discussion about dementia and other 18 ∫ Pink November 2017

mental and brain diseases? “Yes,” replies Prof. Scerri quickly.

“But we’re still a long way away. Dementia is still a relatively new discussion topic.

“On a national level, the discussion is still lagging behind.

Up till 10 years ago, any attempt at discussing dementia was met with closed doors. We have since made a lot of progress compared to other countries, but I would like to have a more open discussion on this,” Prof. Scerri continues.

Malta’s National Dementia Strategy was singled out by GADAA as being the only one to discuss gender in terms of informing national policy. Implementation of the strategy, which was launched in 2015, has already started, but is lacking manpower.

“Awareness and provision of services do not move at the same pace,” remarks Prof. Scerri. “Training of professionals working directly or indirectly with patients with dementia is lacking and takes time.”

A new three-year part-time master’s degree in Ageing and Dementia Studies opened at the University of Malta in 2016 and currently has 12 students. A second intake is expected to open in February 2018.

“One of the recommendations in the strategy was the setting up of a Dementia Intervention Team, which would visit newly diagnosed patients at home to see what services and assistance they may require. I wanted to have five such teams, but forming even just one proved challenging due to the lack of trained professionals,” Prof. Scerri says.

ABOUT DEMENTIA Dementia is a collective name for progressive brain syndromes that affect memory, thinking, behaviour and emotion.

There are over 100 forms of dementia, the most well-known and common being Alzheimer’s disease.

Symptoms may include loss of memory; difficulty in finding the right words or understanding what people are saying; difficulty in performing previously routine tasks; personality and mood changes.

There is currently no cure for most types of dementia, but treatment and support are available.

For more information about dementia, or to seek assistance, contact the Dementia Helpline on 2208 1826, or the Dementia Activity Centre on 2122 4461.

Visit activeageing.gov.mt for a copy of the National Dementia Strategy, including a version designed specifically for dementia patients.

For more information about Women’s Brain Project, visit womensbrainproject.com

Exclusively distributed by Ta’ Xbiex Perfumery Limited Tel: 21331553

INFOCUS

Murder THE ULTIMATE FORM OF CENSORSHIP

Daphne Caruana Galizia’s murder sent shock waves around the world. The news flew faster and further than almost any event in recent Maltese history. HELEN RAINE says it was the first some had ever heard of the tiny island nation – and the last they’ll want to know of it, given what the death of this formidable investigative journalist says about the state of play here.

T

he car bomb that blew Daphne Caruana Galizia to pieces on October 16 also exposed the sordid underside of political life in Malta – and laid bare how dangerous journalism in that environment can be.

On another level, it is also an insult to womankind. The explosion that killed Daphne was the culmination of a long history of abuse, much of it misogynistic.

She is one of five female journalists to be murdered in EU countries since the Committee to Protect Journalists [CPJ] started keeping records in 1992. In line with the experience of

many women writers around the world, her gender was regularly referred to in the verbal attacks that preceded her death.

The CPJ notes that threats of sexual violence, or comments on appearance, frequently occur after a woman publishes an article, especially when it is about corruption and politics.

Tatjana Vojtehovski, a Serbian television journalist who has been critical of her government, paints a vivid picture of the form that this abuse takes: “In the past five years, I was publicly called many things. I was an old hag, a sterile, cheap Soros’ prostitute, a hooker, not f***ed enough, in need of a good prick, and destroyer of the Serbian Orthodox Church.”

She has also received death threats.

Daphne was subjected to all of this and more. The editing of online comments could be politely described as ‘patchy’ in Malta. Readers often release a volley of insults, sometimes gender related, all toxic. You can argue that allowing online comments is important for freedom of speech, but facilitating a healthy public debate is not incompatible with the removal of racist and sexist comments, threats, or vindictive personal attacks.

Pink November 2017 ∫ 21

INFOCUS

GUIDING PRINCIPLES In the UK, The Guardian newspaper has been at the forefront of the debate regarding online comments. They have 10 guiding principles, which would knock out the vast majority of the appalling comments left on some Maltese newspaper websites. The Guardian’s rules include a rejection of “racism, sexism, homophobia, or other forms of hate speech”.

It says: “We recognise the difference between criticising a particular government, organisation, community or belief and attacking people on the basis of their race, religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation, disability or age.” And while they “welcome debate and dissent”, they do not tolerate “personal attacks, persistent trolling and mindless abuse”.

The rules help to clarify that disagreement is fine; anonymously vilifying a writer for her gender, among other things, is not. This level of comment curation doesn’t happen often enough in Malta. Take the example of a single article in a major Maltese newspaper about one of Daphne’s many libel suits [in this case, the 2017 “garnishee order proceedings” related to the Economy Minister].

They include the following, copied verbatim: “stop wining [sic] and stop using the excuse of being a woman. Those who live by the gun die by the bullet”; “DCG YOU ARE NOBODY SPECIAL … THESE FLUFFY FEMALES SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED IN A CIVILIZED SOCIETY”; “What an ABOMINABLE woman! DCG is an insult to womankind!”; “Shame on this disgusting creature … There is a thing called karma and I can only hope that one day your own sons and relatives will go through the hell you gave many other people.”

At the time of writing, these are still online; all were written by men. If the Maltese press followed The Guardian’s example, every single one would have been deleted.

This might not seem all that important [and Daphne herself made light of the comments, correcting grammatical mistakes, rebutting errors and laughing at anyone having the brass neck to call her “fluffy”]. However, tolerating threats of violence and hate speech creates a less civil society. In a recent study of online comments, Leonie Rosner of the University of Duisburg-Essen notes that exposure to destructive, aggressive 22 ∫ Pink November 2017

“DAPHNE WAS A BRAVE WARRIOR, BUT IT’S NO COINCIDENCE THAT SHE WAS ONE OF THE VERY FEW TO STICK HER HEAD ABOVE THE PARAPET. IT TAKES REAL CHARACTER TO WRITE WHAT YOU BELIEVE IN AND TAKE THE BARRAGE OF ABUSE THAT COMES AFTER IT” comments “leads to an increase in readers’ hostile cognitions”.

In other words, an aggressive online environment engenders even more hostility from users. That has the potential to spill into the real world.

And there’s another reason to curb online hate comments.

The CPJ says: “The trolling of online journalists is increasingly being recognised by news organisations as a problem that inhibits freedom of expression … and can discourage journalists from writing about issues that may make them targets of abuse.”

Daphne was a brave warrior, but it’s no coincidence that she was one of the very few to stick her head above the parapet. It takes real character to write what you believe in and take the barrage of abuse that comes after it.

And that’s especially true when online hate migrates into the everyday world.

RULE OF LAW There’s an uncivil section of society in Malta and the impact it has goes way beyond the online comments. The rule of law has been allowed to be ignored.

Anyone who has ever worked for BirdLife Malta, for example, will be familiar with the threats, intimidation and violence meted out on a regular basis and with impunity. All of this happens with such regularity that when yet another incident hits the headlines, people just shrug.

But tolerating these crimes makes criminals feel untouchable and vindicated; it suggests that the police believe, ‘some people have it coming to them’; and it plays a part in creating the very culture in which Daphne, an award-winning journalist, a mother, a wife and a member of a supposedly free society, is blown up.

INFOCUS THE DEATH OF FREEDOM Daphne survived the online comments, the harassment in the street, the arson attacks, the death threats, the lawsuits and the asset freezes. But, as the CPJ says, “murder is the ultimate form of censorship”.

Leaders across the free world recognise the danger Malta is in. “If journalists are silenced,” tweeted Frans Timmermans, the Vice-President of the European Commission, “our freedom is lost.” EP President Antonio Tajani described her as “a tragic example of a journalist who sacrificed her life to seek out the truth”. Spanish MEP Esteban Gonzalez Pons told German media group DW: “We failed Daphne,” adding that her killing represented a threat to European principles and a “direct threat to us all”.

In one of Daphne’s last messages to a friend, she said: “I get a sense of time running out.” Let us hope that her prophetic words also apply to the reign of the politicians and business people she exposed as cheats, liars and criminals. The EU is making noises about Interpol and investigations into money laundering and organised crime in Malta. Now they need to act.

The shock waves that followed Daphne’s unspeakable murder must translate into justice and change in Malta. The problem is that without Daphne around, it’s all going to be so much harder.

Four other female journalists have been murdered in the EU since 1992; all of them used their writing and media presence to effect change. Here are their stories: KIM WALL murdered in 2017, Denmark Wall was a freelancer who had worked on complex stories in countries including North Korea, Uganda, the South Pacific and Haiti. She was working on what should have been a relatively straightforward piece, interviewing the inventor Peter Madsen while she sailed on his submarine.

After Wall’s boyfriend reported her missing, Madsen initially said that he’d left her on an island, but later changed his story to say that she’d died after an accident and he’d buried her at sea. Her mutilated torso later washed ashore, and her head, legs and clothing were found by police divers.

At the time of writing, Madsen is in custody, awaiting trial for Wall’s murder. CPJ’s Nina Ognianova said: “Wall’s death on a seemingly low-risk assignment underscores the dangers that journalists face around the world.”

ELSA CAYAT murdered in 2016, France Cayat was a psychiatrist and psychoanalyst, as well as a columnist for the satirical French newspaper Charlie Hebdo. She wrote a bi-weekly piece called Charlie Divan [Charlie’s couch]. She was shot by Islamic militants during the attack on the Paris office of the paper. Her cousin claimed that she was singled out specifically when two men carrying Kalashnikov machine guns stormed the editorial meeting. Cayat died along with eight of her colleagues.

The office had already been fire-bombed in 2011 after publishing a caricature of Muhammad, as well as a spoof in which the prophet ‘guest edited’ the paper. Cayat’s brother told media outlets that she had received deaths threats by phone, in which she was told: “You dirty Jew. Stop working for Charlie Hebdo. If you don’t, we will kill you.”

JILL DANDO murdered in 1999, the UK Dando was a TV presenter for the BBC’s Crimewatch, a popular show that seeks the help of the public in cracking unsolved crimes. She was murdered with a single shot to the head outside her house in London in what was later considered an execution-style killing.

Dando had been stalked by a fan and had also received threats from a man identifying himself as Serbian after her appeal for Kosovan Albanian refugees. Eventually, Barry George, a local man, was convicted for the murder. However, some commentators cast doubt on the conviction; the murder weapon was never found, there were no witnesses and George did not appear to have a motive.

After spending eight years in prison, he was acquitted on appeal.

The case remains open; some evidence suggests that a Yugoslav group ordered her death as a contract killing.

VERONICA GUERIN murdered in 1996, Republic of Ireland Guerin was a crime reporter for the Irish Sunday Independent and was shot six times by a killer on a motorcycle in Dublin traffic. She had been sent death threats as well as more direct messages – two shots were fired into her house in October 1994, and in 1995, she was shot in the leg when she answered the door to a gunman. Her work focused on investigating Ireland’s criminal underworld, particularly drug lords. She had studied accountancy and used her skills to trace illegal monies.

Brian Meehan and Paul Ward were convicted for her murder, although Ward’s conviction was overturned in 2002. A third man, John Gilligan, was charged but acquitted due to a lack of evidence. The judge stated at the time that he had “grave suspicions” that Gilligan had been involved.

Pink November 2017 ∫ 23

WOMENSWORLD

DISCOVER YOUR TALENT When she was young, Charlene Fenech’s ambition was to be an art teacher.

Today, she is an aerospace engineer… and a tattooist… as well as Malta’s ambassador for the 2017 European Vocational Skills Week, which starts tomorrow. Experience has taught her that when you receive support and you believe in your talent, you can look forward to success. ou have been selected as Malta’s ambassador for the 2017 European Vocational Skills Week.

Why do you think you were chosen and what does this mean to you? I am truly honoured to

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my vocational education and training at Malta College for Arts, Science and Technology [Mcast], which led me to embark on two careers: aerospace engineer and tattooist, with my brand name Miss Tattooist.

represent Malta during the 2017 European Vocational Skills Week – a great initiative by the European Commission. I successfully completed

Why it is important to have a European Skills Week? What is the message behind it? And what is your message and your role as an

26 ∫ Pink November 2017

ambassador? The European Vocational

Skills Week is a European Commission initiative aiming to promote vocational education and training. This is at the heart of Europe’s future as the system embraces students and adults regardless of their background, race, culture, class, age, gender, disability etc… All are given the same opportunity to explore their talent, with great opportunities to attain good qualifications and seek better jobs in line with today’s and tomorrow’s economic needs. Under the motto #Discover your Talent, this week provides great opportunities for networking about vocational education and training in Malta. As ambassador, I am sharing my experience and encouraging students to opt for vocational education and training. This also applies to adults in employment,

The two careers of Charlene Fenech – aerospace engineer and tattooist – go hand in hand, allowing her to give vent to both her technical and artistic sides.

who wish to improve their skills through part-time and full-time courses at Mcast, or the Institute for Tourism Studies [ITS]. This important step will better their life prospects. I am also encouraging employers to engage vocational education and training apprentices as they will also benefit from this, not least by having qualified and diligent employees. These apprenticeships help students make smart choices, which lead to success in their respective careers and, therefore, in their lives. The opportunities for employability, as well as for upskilling and, ultimately, to have a satisfied workforce, increase reciprocally.

Do you think today’s youths tend to shun vocational education and training, and if so, why? I don’t think

so. The number of students opting for

Mcast and ITS courses are on the increase every year. Furthermore, year on year, the new courses offer further attractions. We are hearing of a number of highly successful outcomes. More vocational education and training graduates today are launching their new enterprises and, moreover, in new sectors. Employability of these new graduates in Malta is at 96.2 per cent high – the highest in all EU countries.

One in four adults in Europe is caught in a low-skills trap, unable to find employment, or progress in their career. Vocational education and training represents a way out and brings multiple benefits for both the employers and the individuals. What was your experience finding a job?

In a rapidly changing world, we have to adapt to and seek out new

WOMENSWORLD

opportunities. We have to keep in mind that we are part of Europe.

Mcast contributed significantly to what I am today. I obtained knowledge and experience through my apprenticeship with Lufthansa Technik Malta after completing my studies as a graduate. An apprenticeship of the sort gets you into employment faster. When going for my apprenticeship with Lufthansa Technik Malta, I was one of many other students who had a job ready and waiting once I successfully concluded my vocational education and training. On the other hand, another diploma in art and design landed me a second job as a tattooist. I also got my tattoo licence, following further studies in the UK. Experience taught me that when you receive support and believe in your talent, you can look forward to success.

Pink November 2017 ∫ 27

WOMENSWORLD

Aerospace engineering is quite a mouthful. What does your job at Lufthansa Technik actually entail?

Although there are similarities, aerospace engineering differs from other forms of engineering. It involves reaching targets and deadlines to deliver aircraft maintenance in time, with planned manpower required to accomplish the work in hand in the safest way and the highest quality. It is my duty as a leader to check that all targets are being reached by all team members. I am also a representative of the continuous improvement processes of my bay, where employees can come up with an idea that improves procedures and processes at the workplace. I lead the approved ideas from head of production to be implemented in the shortest time possible, with lower budgets and the highest benefits.

What inspired you to graduate with a diploma in aircraft engineering? In my

early years, I was always inspired by my father, who is a very skilled person. So, it followed that after attaining my A levels at Junior College, I opted for vocational education and training. Earlier on, I had discovered my initial talent in the arts [painting] and did a foundation diploma in art and design. Then, after once again going through the extensive courses listed on the college prospectus and seeking guidance from its counsellor, I discovered I could enrol in an aircraft engineering course.

Did you find any spokes in the wheels along the way – also because you are a woman? I cannot say I found any such

difficulties. The secret is that you must 28 ∫ Pink November 2017

be a reliable employee, who follows work’s priorities, develops meaningful relationships, creates an enjoyable and challenging work experience and aims to be a role model, both at work and through your private life. You also need to build perseverance and independence, while developing the ability to win over challenges and overcome any setbacks that come your way.

Are women naturally not as predisposed as men to come to grips with subjects like engineering, or is this just a myth? And are we managing to crush it? While in the past, women were

not as accepted as men in the higher levels of the manufacturing industry, this seems to be no longer the case. Living in a rapidly changing world, female participation is strongly on the increase.

Women are constantly reaching higher and more ambitious targets.

Are you outnumbered in what would seem to be a male-dominated field, and if so, what is the downside to that?

Yes, aerospace engineering is a maledominated field, but females are slowly but surely on the increase. At meetings, sometimes, I am the only female participant, however, I don’t recall ever experiencing disadvantages being a female employee in this sector. All employees have the necessary support to perform to the best of their abilities and achievements. Gender has nothing to do with capabilities and achievement. In fact, I am senior to a group of male employees and I feel respected at work.

If you weren’t doing this, what line of work would you have gone for? When I

was young, my ambition was to be an art teacher, but when I discovered the opportunities in vocational education and training, I enrolled in the college, which helped me discover and further my talents. Today, I am happy in my two jobs.

Any tattoos to show for it? I have three: an antique-style feather pen, which is quite colourful, writing the word Yan, the name of my son; the quote “walk by faith”, which is my life’s motto; and a small heart, which to me means to love yourself.

And what other interests do you have that are a far cry from aerospace engineering and would seem to have no connection and nothing in common?

I am very interested in how things work.

Also, I admire people who have uncommon capabilities and hobbies.

CALL TO ACTION Anyone who believes in VET can show their support by ‘liking’ the official VET Malta Ambassador Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/VET. Amb.mt/ and ‘follow us’ on Twitter @VETAmb_MT. #DiscoverYourTalent #EUVocationalSkills More information about the 2017 European Vocational Skills Week can be found on http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.js p?langId=en&catId=1261

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WOMANKIND

The warrior princess Sichelgaita is one of those people history has cruelly bypassed, and were it not for a few contemporary historians, she might have been forgotten. But MARY GALEA DEBONO makes it a point to remind readers of her courage on the battlefield and not only… She was a devoted and loyal wife, a good mother, a courageous warrior and an acknowledged diplomat. And her story could be considered a romantic interlude in medieval history.

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Venosa, a town in Southern Italy, one can still see the ruins of the 11th-century Benedictine Abbey of La Trinità and a little of the original structure of the Norman chapel adjacent to it. These two sites are featured in the book Old Calabria by the well-known travel writer Norman Douglas, who visited them in 1911.

What struck him most was that on the remaining patches of frescoes on the walls of the old church was a barely visible “queenly portrait declared to represent Catherine of Siena”.

But, he adds, “I would prefer to follow those who think it is meant for Sigilgaita.”

Sichelgaita, or Sigilgaita, as she is sometimes known, was a Lombard duchess, who lived almost 1,000 years ago. Few, if any, relics are left to remind us of this redoubtable woman, who had once played a central role in the history of the Norman kingdom. She is one of those people history has cruelly bypassed, and were it not for a few contemporary historians, even if sometimes biased, and some eminent ones in modern times, she might have been forgotten.

“History has dealt harshly with her,” wrote John Julius Norwich in his book The Normans in Sicily.

That Douglas preferred to identify the fresco portrait with the duchess rather than the saint may be just wishful thinking; or his bid to pay tribute to a woman who had been at the forefront of history; or his conviction that he was not alone in considering her a protagonist of her time.

Sichelgaita was born sometime between 1035 and 1040 in Salerno, a rich duchy at the height of its power. After the assassination of her father by the Amalfitans, her brother Gisulf became the ruling Duke. When Robert the Guiscard, Duke of

Apulia, asked him for the hand of his sister Sichelgaita, Gisulf at first refused, but later reluctantly accepted.

This marriage, was perceived by everyone as a political alliance between the Lombards and the Normans, the two main ruling dynasties in Southern Italy. The Normans, who had started as Scandinavian Vikings, were relatively recent arrivals on the political scene of Southern Italy. Their meteoric rise to power was almost entirely due to Robert, who had begun his career as “a penniless brigand and horse-thief ”. He well understood the need of an alliance with a prestigious ruling family to seal their acceptance.

On the other hand, Gisulf rationally concluded that besieged as he was by enemies from many fronts, it was better to have Robert, a valiant warrior, on his side rather than as yet another enemy.

There was, however, just one snag to this arrangement and it had first to be solved – Robert was a married man. His wife was Alberada and they already had one son, Bohemund, who was about four years old. But the Duke was not called Guiscard – the ‘resourceful’ – for nothing, and the way he got around this problem only goes to prove that he more than merited this nickname.

Alberada was his relative. Availing himself of the recent stricter rules relating to the laws of consanguinity, he argued that this first marriage fell within the prohibited degree and Pink November 2017 ∫ 31

WOMANKIND so it was null. Therefore, since he had been illegally married, he was technically still a bachelor and had every right to marry Sichelgaita.

The marriage took place in Melfi in 1058. Alberada seems to have understood the situation and accepted it with equanimity, so much so that when she died, she was buried next to Robert in the Norman Church at Venosa, where many ruling members of the Norman House of Hauteville found their resting place.

There is a connection, even if tangential, between this Duchess and Malta, which may be of some interest, because by marrying Robert, Sichelgaita became the sister-in-law of Count Roger – that same count who, in 1091, led an expedition to Malta, which, writes Norwich, “surrendered without a struggle”.

Sichelgaita was only 16 when she married Robert. And the Norman warrior soon discovered that the advantages of this union were more than diplomatic. Although it was a marriage of convenience, there is much to indicate that they were mutually attracted to each other and this is not surprising. Robert was a well-built man, with a Nordic look. His fair skin and blue eyes must have appealed to this Duchess from the South, described by contemporary writers as a Valkyrie-like woman “of immense build and colossal strength”.

Sichelgaita was an intelligent and cultured woman. Before her marriage, she had been a student at the prestigious medical school for which Salerno was famous. There, she may also have met, or at least come under the influence of, the famous Ladies of Salerno, who had published the earliest works on the medical problems of women. Such an encounter would have been an empowering experience and might have influenced her in the way she looked at the role of women in general.

Besides being skillful in swordplay, she was also an accomplished horseback rider. Such versatility is an indication of her own personal emancipation.

Sichelgaita was devoted to her husband, and in over 25 years of marriage, she remained his most loyal companion and a trusted advisor in the affairs of state. Society in Salerno was in her time multi-ethnic and multicultural and this helped her to develop those diplomatic skills necessary to act as go-between, a key role with which she was often entrusted.

One such occasion arose when Robert, who hated Gisulf, found an excuse to besiege Salerno and demand its surrender. Although Sichelgaita devised various means of sending food to the starving population to save them and their city; tried to mediate between husband and brother to no avail; and when the city surrendered, interceded on behalf of her brother, who was spared execution, it was to her husband that she remained loyal throughout the whole affair.

But it is for her courage on the battlefield that Sichelgaita remains known. Robert was continually engaged in 32 ∫ Pink November 2017

battle, whether it was to keep his rebellious vassals in check, or to subdue his enemy, or to conquer new land to consolidate his power. During his campaigns, she scarcely ever left his side, riding fully armed and mailed beside him.

“At such moments,” writes Norwich, “charging magnificently into the fray, her long hair streaming from beneath her helmet, deafening the Norman armies with huge shouts of encouragement and imprecations”, she must have been what Anna Comnena, a contemporary Byzantine historian, describes as “a fearsome sight”.

“BESIDES BEING SKILLFUL IN SWORDPLAY, SHE WAS ALSO AN ACCOMPLISHED HORSEBACK RIDER. SUCH VERSATILITY IS AN INDICATION OF HER OWN PERSONAL EMANCIPATION” Robert had full faith in his wife as commander of his army. While he was busy conquering Taranto, it was to Sichelgaita that he entrusted the siege of Trani. But it was at the battle of Durazzo in 1081, against the Byzantines, that Sichelgaita showed her mettle. In her book The Alexiad, Comnena left a vivid account of this battle, which sealed Sichelgaita’s reputation as a “warrior princess”.

In this battle, Robert commanded the army, flanked

by Sichelgaita on the right and his son Bohemund on the left. When the Byzantines attacked using Greek fire, the Norman army panicked, and in the ensuing confusion, many retreated in fear of their lives and galloped straight to the sea. It was a desperate moment. Realising what was happening, Sichelgaita summoned forcefully the retreating knights and, adds Comnena, “when she saw that they continued to run, she grasped a long spear and at full gallop

WOMANKIND rushed after the fugitives and in seeing this they recovered themselves and returned to the fight”.

Although wounded, she continued to fight and it was only her courage that saved the day.

“FOR SOME UNEXPLAINABLE REASON, UNLIKE OTHER WOMEN WARRIORS SUCH AS JOAN OF ARC, HER FEROCITY ON THE BATTLEFIELD EARNED HER ‘MORE RIDICULE THAN APPROBATION’” After Durazzo, the embattled Pope Gregory VII, imprisoned at Castel Sant’Angelo, asked for their help against Henry IV, the Holy Roman Emperor, who had laid siege on Rome. Robert and Sichelgaita abandoned their campaign against the Byzantines and headed for Rome to try and save the pontiff, but they were no match for the imperial army.

After their return from Rome, Robert, now 68 but still a force to be reckoned with, decided to launch a second campaign against the Byzantines in an attempt to heal the rift between the Western and Eastern Empire. Sichelgaita went with him.

Corfu was taken, but in Cefalonia, there was a raging epidemic of typhoid. Robert fell ill and although Sichelgaita, faithful to the end, tried to cure him and never left his side, nothing could be done to save him.

Together with her eldest son Roger Borsa, they sailed back to Italy with the dead body packed in salt to be buried with his brothers in the Abbey Church of La Trinità at Venosa.

Some years back, when Robert had been seriously ill, Sichelgaita, fearing that he was going to die, had gathered as many vassals as she could and forced them to elect her eldest son to succeed his father.

Unlike Bohemund, who later carved a name for himself in the Crusades, Roger was a weak man and his mother dedicated the last five years of her life after Robert’s death to championing him by shielding him from the machinations of his more astute stepbrother. She also did her utmost to gain for him the support of his powerful uncle, King Roger I. Sichelgaita died in 1090 and was buried at her request at the Abbey of Monte Cassino, which she and Robert had endowed during their lifetime and where she had spent her last year of widowhood.

Sichelgaita had been a perfect wife on several levels. In between the many events that coloured her life, she still managed to bear Robert 10 children, three sons and seven daughters. She was a devoted and loyal wife, a good mother, a courageous warrior and an acknowledged diplomat.

Her story can be considered as a romantic interlude in medieval history. Yet as Norwich remarks, for some unexplainable reason, unlike other women warriors such as Joan of Arc, her ferocity on the battlefield earned her “more ridicule than approbation”.

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ARTYFACTS

SEEING THE WORLD THROUGH KIDS’ EYES Diane Portelli, choreographer of Pandora’s Box, one of the productions at this year’s ZiguZajg Children’s Festival, believes it is never too early to start exposing kids to the arts. Considering how dire the situation is with adult audiences, the executive director of Moveo Dance Company feels a lot more needs to be done to ensure that future generations grow up with the culture of going to the theatre embedded in them. As things stand, their biggest problem is that they are losing themselves to technology.

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ou have been actively involved, both as an artist and as part of the audience, in most of the editions of the ZiguZajg Children’s Festival. How do you view it – as a producer and as a mother – and how do these two roles merge when you are creating, or simply attending?

ZiguZajg is Malta’s largest platform for artistic productions targeting children.

We are very lucky to have a whole festival dedicated to exposing and immersing children into so many different art forms.

Apart from the exposure and educational aspect, I was surprised to see how children, from a very young age, start questioning what they see and giving interpretations. This will help them grow into mature adults, capable of thinking and analysing. Most productions tap into the children’s imagination and it is so interesting to see how they interpret what they see. I generally use this while creating work for younger audiences. I feel like I get inside info, and through my students and son, I am able to see the world through their eyes. This helps me understand what themes apply to different age groups and how best to tackle them.

At what age do you think kids should start being exposed to the arts and how? I have made it a point to take my

son to every edition of the festival since he was two years old. The beauty is that throughout the week there are events catering for all ages, and I truly believe it is never too early to start exposing children to the arts.

various performances that are sure to entice and entertain both adults and children alike. As regards whether it is enough, unfortunately, there is still lots of resistance when it comes to audiences attending artistic productions. I believe the only way this will change is if we educate our children and expose them from a very young age. Considering how

“AS REGARDS WHETHER IT IS ENOUGH, UNFORTUNATELY, THERE IS STILL LOTS OF RESISTANCE WHEN IT COMES TO AUDIENCES ATTENDING ARTISTIC PRODUCTIONS” Do you feel Maltese children have enough exposure to theatre and the arts? And in the light of this, how important is a festival like ZiguZajg?

In all fairness, I have seen an improvement in the past few years in initiatives aimed at promoting the arts for children. Platforms such as Toi Toi and Culture Pass have been growing in their following, however, nothing is on the scale of the ZiguZajg Festival. This showcases various professional, international and local artists and covers a vast spectrum of artistic genres for all ages. One can spend all day walking around Valletta, attending

dire the situation is with adult audiences, I think a lot more needs to be done to ensure that future generations grow up with the culture of going to the theatre embedded in them. As Moveo, we are also trying our best to expose children through our Moveo Shine initiative, where we are now devising various dance educational programmes to try and attract more children to the world of the arts from a young age.

How capable are 11-year-olds of appreciating and understanding a non-verbal dance and installation Pink November 2017 ∫ 35

ARTYFACTS performance such as Pandora’s Box? What are the elements in the performance that are sure to attract and hold their attention? Children should

Diane Portelli

never be underestimated. They approach artistic work with an honest and open mind. Pandora’s Box deals with issues many 11-year-olds face on a daily basis and the whole performance has been specifically created by Patsy Chetcuti, Dorian Mallia and myself to be accessible for children of that particular age. The whole team has been working to create stimulating visuals, sounds and designs that will capture the children’s imagination and keep them engaged.

Colours, soundscapes, dynamics and narratives all play an important role in ensuring the performance captivates and holds their attention.

Pandora’s Box is not only alive during the performance, but all throughout the festival. Children are encouraged to interact with the installation by writing comments on the boards, which form part of the installation, or just lie down and watch the video that will be looped throughout the day.

Today’s children are into technology, and social media plays a major role in their lives. In your rendition, Pandora’s box holds people’s deepest secrets and rumours, almost like today’s social media phenomenon. Why did you choose to bring up the subject and what is its impact on today’s youths? I think

the biggest problem today’s youths are facing is that they are losing themselves to technology. Many adolescents seem to have lost their personalities and live through the image they create of themselves online through social media.

This is a real pity. In the research we conducted for Pandora’s Box, we found children as young as eight having Facebook accounts, taking and editing selfies. This can have terrible consequences, with issues of self-esteem and adaptations of their self-image taking over their natural beauty. Children are also very vulnerable and often don’t manage to distinguish virtual reality from real life.

What is the overall message of your production – if there is one, after all?

Most adolescents today seem to believe that everyone has the perfect family, or life, just as they see depicted on social media, whereas in reality, everyone is dealing with so many demons, especially around the age of puberty.

Not all that glitters is gold, and not all that is posted on social media depicts life for what it really is. Once ‘Pandora’s box’ is open, no one can control how

When working on a production for children, how much does the educational element come into it and how much is it about pure entertainment. How do these two come together in the right balance? This is

always one of the biggest struggles. We can educate children in so many different ways, and our challenge is finding a creative way to pique their curiosity and make them think without getting bored.

“OUR CHALLENGE IS FINDING A CREATIVE WAY TO PIQUE THEIR CURIOSITY AND MAKE THEM THINK WITHOUT GETTING BORED” people will react to what you post, but it is how you interpret and what you do with what is posted that determines the kind of impact social media has on your life.

Tell us about the interactive installation to be used by the audience before and after the performance. Moveo

collaborated with I+A for the installation design and creation, which we would not have been able to do without the support of the Malta Arts Fund. The idea is that

What difference does it make, if any, to be a woman in the role of creator of a children’s production? A creator is a

creator. Gender is not an issue in this case.

We are a team of different people and the contribution towards the performance does not change depending on whether we are male or female. On the other hand, the fact that I am a parent and a teacher gives me regular access to children and to the way they act, think and behave.

I use and apply this knowledge when Pink November 2017 ∫ 37

ARTYFACTS creating work for children. My favourite choreographer, Crystal Pite, is a woman.

She creates riveting work for adult audiences just as I am sure there are various male creators at the forefront of choreography for young audiences.

Are you satisfied with the turnout at this festival, or do you feel it is dwindling?

What more could be done? I am hoping

audiences continue to grow. It would be a real pity for people to miss out on such an event. I really hope schools get on board and take their students to any production, and that parents take advantage of a whole week of performances, which means there will be something for everyone at any desired time.

In an ideal world, how much time would the arts occupy in any child’s life and what sort of values could they instil? In certain countries, various art

forms are being applied even to teach academic subjects. Being involved in the arts contributes to developing creativity, imagination, teamwork, discipline and so much more. One cannot

“WHEN I WAS YOUNG, MY PARENTS NEVER LET ME MISS ANY DANCE LESSONS OR ACTIVITIES BECAUSE OF SCHOOL AND IT NEVER AFFECTED MY GRADES NEGATIVELY; ON THE CONTRARY, I FELT REFRESHED AND READY TO FACE MY STUDIES AFTER DANCE” quantify the amount of time children should dedicate to the arts. As a parent, I try and expose my son as much as possible. When I was young, my parents never let me miss any dance lessons or activities because of school and it never affected my grades negatively; on the contrary, I felt refreshed and ready to face my studies after dance. Being heavily involved in the arts also helped me cope with various difficult situations and I honestly think it kept me away from

trouble. I had something to turn to and felt a sense of release; I could switch off and not face whatever was troubling me; and now as a parent, I make sure not to limit my child’s time dedicated to the arts.

The seventh edition of the ZiguZajg Children’s Festival is being held until November 26, with Valletta as the backdrop to no less than 25 initiatives by 12 countries from three continents. A total of 96 shows, six workshops and two exhibitions are being held in 20 venues. www.ziguzajg.org

NAXXAR ROAD, SAN GWANN, 2138 7495 @mimi.okfashion

SHOWSTOPPER Kaftan, €185, Rosita Silk.

Flower girl STEP INSIDE THE SECRET GARDEN FOR A GLIMPSE OF THE FLORAL AND FLOWING TRENDS AT THE PINK FASHION SHOW.

Photography Noella Agius ∫ Styling Marisa Grima [marisagrima.com] ∫ Hair Cynthia Demanuele from Screen Professional Salon, San Gwann ∫ Make-up Chris Attard from Franks, using Guerlain ∫ Model Ida @ Supernova MM ∫ Location Sherries Estates

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Top, €75; jacket, €99.95; skirt, €89.95, all Marks & Spencer ∫ booties, stylist’s own ∫ watering can, €25.50, Sherries Estates.

SHOWSTOPPER

Pink November 2017 ∫ 43

SHOWSTOPPER Dress, €29.95; jacket, €59.95; booties, €39.95, all Jennyfer.

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SHOWSTOPPER Dress, €218; clutch bag, €37.90, both Monsoon.

Pink November 2017 ∫ 45

SHOWSTOPPER Tom Ford specs, €250, O’hea Opticians.

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SHOWSTOPPER Jacket, €59.99; top, €27.99; floral bag, €29.99; burgundy bag, €29.99, all Parfois ∫ jeans, model’s own.

Pink November 2017 ∫ 47

SHOWSTOPPER Bag [top], €105; bag [bottom], €98.90, both Kipling ∫ jeans, model’s own ∫ shoes, stylist’s own.

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SHOWSTOPPER Sherri Hill dress, €800; shrug, €120, both DOR Boutique.

Pink November 2017 ∫ 49

THEUNIFORM

THE SLOW FASHION MOVEMENT Fashion blogger and stylist CAROLINE PARIS is intrigued by the idea of products made using traditions that are steeped in history, using sustainable materials that don’t continue to harm the environment and that will stand the test of time.

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any of us have heard about fast fashion, an expression coined to describe fashion that is designed and bought to be worn immediately and for a limited period of time.

The term is also linked to the concept of cheaper, mass-produced items, and there has also been recent negative press regarding poor labour conditions in factories that produce popular fast-fashion brands.

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But how many of us have heard about slow fashion? Just like the Slow Food Movement, slow fashion is an effort to create what we call sustainable wear. It is about producing clothes to stand the test of time; of quality production that lengthens the life of a piece of garment. It is about using organic, recycled, or vintage materials, ensuring that there is no negative impact on the environment.

THEUNIFORM At La Vie in Malta, sustainable, slow fashion is what it’s all about. A ‘curator’ of sustainable and high-quality products, it believes in the necessity to support artisan professions, responsible trade and environmental protection, as well as the fact that each and every one of us can contribute to a sustainable world by our daily choices in the products we use and purchase; from the type of jewellery worn to the book we write in.

produced for over a millennium, following methods according to Himalayan tradition.

Some of these journals feature brass elements, created by skilled craftsmen, while others feature vegetal leather covers, Daphley, a registered innovation by the designer herself.

Another exquisite brand is the Kaligarh jewellery, inspired by the Himalayas. This company aims to promote artisans and revive artisan traditions. Sustainability is at the root of

“THESE WOMEN ARE THE SOLE PROVIDERS FOR THEIR FAMILIES AND USE THIS MONEY TO KEEP THEIR FAMILIES ALIVE”

A pop-up boutique right at the entrance of The Plaza, off Bisazza Street, its mission is to source high-quality, sustainable products that tell a story: the story of skilled craftsmen, handmade touches and natural, sustainable fabrics.

These products are limited in production and have been created with a lot of attention to detail, in stark contrast with fast fashion, where items are generally mass-produced with the intention of keeping prices lower.

One of the luxury brands at La Vie is the exquisite Marina Vaptzarova, which produces some of the most exquisite journals I have ever seen. I’ve always been a stationery fan, and I’ve been known to spend hours in specialised paper shops, admiring the quality and lusting after the products. Journals and notebooks excite me; the emptiness of a new journal holds so much potential and can be used for so many things.

These, however, are not only beautiful to look at; they are also beautiful in the way they are made and in the stories of artisan traditions that each one tells. Each Marina Vaptzarova journal is one of a kind and handmade. Every page and fabric, every cut, fold, stitch, dye and print is carried out by hand.

Using the traditional Daphne paper from Nepal, it is sourced from one of the most natural and sustainable plant fibres and has been

all its products and it avoids the use of materials that are not recyclable and compostable.

Kaligarh believes in creating pieces that last a lifetime. Earrings, bracelets, rings and much more can be found.

When browsing around the boutique, it was the journals that captured my immediate attention, but the range of scarves and wearable blankets by likemary was a very close second.

Founded in Portobello market in 2009 by Nicky Taylor-East, the blanket scarves of likemary are handwoven on traditional looms by weavers who form part of a cooperative society that was set up over 70 years ago, with the aim of keeping the handloom industry alive.

They are made from 100 per cent sustainable merino wool, which means that although lightweight, they provide a lot of warmth and protection against chilly winds and cold weather. Only the highest quality fabrics that have been deemed to be sustainable are used.

The range of knitted accessories, including beanies and scarves, are also handmade from hand-spun wool by women living in the Himalayas. These women are the sole providers for their families and use this money to keep their families alive. As with the other brands hosted at La Vie, they are designed to last forever.

Pink November 2017 ∫ 53

FASHIONSTORY Clockwise from left: Diana Mangano; model in Mangano; Stella Cini, Taryn Mamo Cefai, Jade Zammit Stevens; model in Mangano; and Mangano directors Jason Paul and Romualda Vella, and Gruppo Mangano CEO Antonio Mangano.

FEMININITY AND BEAUTY Fashion boutique Mangano recently celebrated its first birthday in Malta. The brand’s creative director, Diana Mangano, tells Pink that through their clothes, she wants to promote womanhood; she wants every woman to feel like a real queen and that is how it should be!

In a nutshell, how did the whole Mangano story start?

It’s a successful story that began in 1986 when the Mangano brothers and sisters undertook a voyage in search of a seductive and avant-garde style, starting from the home basement and ending up managing a company with hundreds of employees and numerous fashion boutiques throughout Italy and in other countries in the space of a few years. Creating a sophisticated mix and being passionate about everything around us are just some of the secrets of success behind the

Mangano collections. Each line is created after careful analysis and research on the latest trends; each garment is made from a careful selection of raw materials.

As the creative director behind the label, what do you feel distinguishes this brand from others?

Creativity and uniqueness; we put them both in everything we do.

Who is the Mangano woman?

She is confident, strong and international; she likes to be

feminine, but avoids revealing herself in a vulgar way. Her femininity is fresh and ironic. She’s curious and loves to mix, making references to the history of fashion. She is particularly inspired by rock and pop art.

How would you describe your own style and what do you feel the brand reflects of your own personality and taste?

I love to be elegant and smart at all times of the day, playing with accessories, depending on the occasion. I like to be liked and love being noticed. We know the same is true for many women and from this awareness stems Mangano. Every woman is beautiful and must always be – at all times of the day – whether in the role of wife, daughter, or mother. Through our clothes we want to promote womanhood; we want every woman to feel like a real queen. This is how it should be.

Pink November 2017 ∫ 55

FASHIONSTORY

PINK@THEPARTY @ the last of this year’s ladies’ exclusive night at Truffles and Truffles in St Julian’s

Ladies’ exclusive event organisers Anneli Nilsson and Hanna Parsonson

Who have you enjoyed dressing and who would you love to dress – someone who epitomises Mangano’s style, or someone who has the complete opposite look?

We had the pleasure of dressing Laura Pausini for her concert in London, an event we will never forget. Our next step is Los Angeles. The woman we would love to dress is Charlize Theron; she’s as simple as she is sophisticated, with both a rock and elegant look. For us, she is a real style icon.

Tell us about a milestone in your career and an episode/obstacle you would rather forget?

I remember my first business trip to the US with my brothers Antonio and Fabrizio. Every minute of the day was planned, except for the last day when they told me: “Today, we will get lost, because only by getting lost will our adventure begin.” That was the moment we started this fantastic adventure called Mangano!

What are the trends of the season?

Ethno Shock and Origami Punk are two of the moods developed to present a Mangano woman who fills her world and lifestyle with rocker energy. Iconic garments in this range include the oriental faux fur bomber jacket with embroidered patches and the Tayla cocktail dress trimmed with faux beaver fur.

Virag Andersson and Lorena Torregrosa Auzmendi

@ the Rolex Middle Sea Race start, hosted by Hugo Boss and its local retail partner VF Group Malta at the Siege Memorial Bell in Valletta

Michela and Luca Miceli-Demajo

Natasha and Davinia Pace, Angie Falzon

Nathalie and Michelle Farrugia, Sean Gravina

Petra and Peter Ellul Vincenti

Jesper Gustafsson, director Hugo Boss

Pick out a stand-out piece that you simply have to have in your wardrobe?

I always love the jumpsuits.

And an iconic piece that has withstood the test of time?

Our long dress called Harriet, characterised by its bare back; for us, this dress expresses the utmost in femininity.

What are we seeing this winter?

Creativity, passion and colour. The collection is a mashup of different places and traditions, from west to east, from Mexico to Japan, combined with European street culture to create a contemporary feminine style with a cool rocker vibe that blends travel, different cultures and ethnic influences into our lifestyle.

Sarah Zerafa

@ the fashion photography exhibition, Solitude,

by Kurt Paris, on display at Palazzo de Piro in Mdina

What would you not be seen dead in?

Anything that loses out on femininity and beauty.

Caroline Hili and Marisa Grima

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Peter Carbonaro, Carina Camilleri and Matthew James Smith

THINKPi HealH, Beau, evens & Hins

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What scent you should be wearing; where you should have been; how you should have got there; in what clothes; and the eyes through which to see it all…

Follow Pink’s list of musthaves, must-have-done and will-dos.

1. IN THE JEANS Capitalising on growing demand from a younger demographic, Tommy Hilfiger is re-branding its Hilfiger Denim label as Tommy Jeans. The move is effective with women’s and men’s pre-spring 2018 collections, starting in Malta in the beginning of next year. The decision was made to build on the strong momentum that Hilfiger is experiencing in its globally established denim business. in spring 2016, the company launched Tommy Jeans heritage capsules and has continued to experience impressive demand for the collections globally. special-edition Tommy Jeans heritage capsules will continue to be a part of the larger Tommy Jeans label.

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2. DOG WALK AND DONATION Prohealth employees made some new furry friends at the island sanctuary during a dog walk organised by the company’s social committee. They headed towards the dog shelter at Fort Tas-silg in Delimara and were warmly welcomed by volunteers, as well as the excited barks of the resident dogs. all the dogs at the island sanctuary are well loved and taken care of. anyone interested in donating, volunteering, organising a dog walk, or even considering adopting a dog can contact the island sanctuary on 2165 9895, or 7901 8901, or send an e-mail on info@islandsanctuary.com.mt; www.islandsanctuary.com.mt; https://www.facebook.com/ The.island.sanctuary.Malta/

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3. WAY TO GO imagine a city with no engine noise, or vehicle pollution. imagine a responsible, more environment-friendly society. This is why Renault has designed the Zero emissions range of electric vehicles made up of Twizy, Zoe and Kangoo Ze, combining environmental responsibility with driving pleasure. in 2018, the range will be even more complete with the introduction of the Master Ze. When opting for one of the Ze models, drivers can benefit from favourable running costs as low as about €0.03c per km; multiple financial incentives such as a very low road licence of just €10 per year; a minimum €5,000 reduction provided by the government scheme; while reducing their carbon footprint and keeping the environment clean of any emissions. The Renault Zoe is now also being offered with the possibility of purchasing the vehicle’s battery, guaranteed for five years, or 100,000km. Call the Renault showroom, Kind’s, in Mosta Road, lija, on 2331 1126/131.

4. MY NEW ME Dailies aquaComfort Plus are high-quality contact lenses from alcon. Blink-activated technology keeps the eyes from drying out 58 ∫ Pink November 2017

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for up to 12 hours daily, even in air conditioned and heated environments. When coupled with the ultra-thin design of each lens, it’s this technology that makes aquaComfort Plus so comfortable and easy to wear. Dailies use their unique lightstream technology to put together each lens, so you can be sure of a consistent performance. This means you can throw away your old lenses every night and look forward to clear and fresh vision every morning, while disposing of using solutions too. For enquiries, contact Class Co. ltd on 2381 1400.

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maintain a secure and comfortable fit.

This model is available in all sun lab shops at The Point, Plaza, valletta, Baystreet, Paola and arkadia, Gozo, and from viP in sliema.

6. MALE AND FEMALE 5. OAKLEY GAUGE a new chapter in Oakley’s heritage of wire frame innovation, Gauge 8 is a lightweight C-5 alloy design, with the genius of Mono shock hinges and the classic-meets-contemporary styling of pilot shades with angular lenses.

The main features include durability and all-day comfort of lightweight, stress-resistant C-5 frame material and Mono shock hinges.

This style has air-filled silicone nose pads, and sure-grip unobtainium temple sleeves help

By zooming into the very essence of male and female identity, l’Homme et la Femme intense, the new fragrances by Prada, reveal heightened realities, greater complexities, and increased fluidity from within the olfactory experience. in l’Homme Prada intense, intense amber and patchouli notes cross paths with the refinement of iris, while the introduction of tonka beans brings an airy, oriental dimension to the top end. in la Femme Prada intense, the tuberose base is multiplied, while

THINKPINK HEALTH, BEAUTY, EVENTS & THINGS

12 10. Free and Strong

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Jean Paul Gaultier’s Scandal is the fragrance of a woman who is free and strong. Its heart is about life. In the daytime, it is a gourmand fresh honey that smells like gardenia and blood orange, almost childlike. At night it is a sensual and seductive honey, blended with patchouli. The perfumer, Daphne Bugey, together with Fabrice Pellegrin and Christophe Raynaud, created a perfume that embodies Jean Paul Gaultier. For details, contact Ta’ Xbiex Perfumery on 2133 1553.

11. celebrating FaSHion & SportS

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abundant doses of ylang-ylang are further enhanced by the introduction of patchouli.

These fragrances are exclusively distributed

by Ta’ Xbiex Perfumery Ltd on 2133 1553.

7. Skagen Hybrid This smartwatch boasts a range of smart features in the body of a classic watch. By connecting to your Android, or iPhone, and the Skagen app, the watch automatically updates to the correct time and date and sends you discreet notifications when you receive a text, e-mail, or call. The strap can be easily interchanged with others, while additional features include activity and sleep tracking, dual-time function, music control and more. It is available from the Sun Lab shops at The Point, Plaza, Valletta, Baystreet, Paola and Arkadia, Gozo, and from VIP in Sliema and Valletta.

Hugo Boss and its local retail partner VF Group Malta celebrated the beginning of the prestigious 38th Rolex Middle Sea Race and the participation of Alex Thomson Racing at the Siege Memorial Bell in Valletta. The iconic venue hosted 240 guests, including Boss customers, VIPs, local celebrities and media representatives, and was supported by Veuve Clicquot, Satariano Design Concept and global partner Mercedes-Benz, amid captivating views of the Grand Harbour. After a welcome speech by Jesper Gustafsson, Director Hugo Boss International Markets, guests enjoyed an upbeat DJ set, accompanied by live sax, and witnessed the start of the Middle Sea Race, where world-class sailing champion Alex Thomson started from the Grand Harbour alongside 52 other yachts, racing with the high-speed Imoca 60 Hugo Boss Racing Yacht.

Thomson is one of the most appealing yachtsmen of his generation, being the youngest to win a round-the-world race and setting three world records.

12. inStant doSe oF youtH

8. addictive and SenSual Bois Doré by Van Cleef & Arpels is an oriental, woody fragrance for women and men. An addictive and sensual fragrance that soothes and warms the skin, it is a luminous wood enveloped in a delicate golden veil of musks and the delicious tonka bean. Van Cleef & Arpels fragrances are exclusively distributed

by Chemimart [2149 2212].

9. cHicneSS in a Scent Cherry Chic by Braccialini is an oriental, floral fragrance for women. Top notes are green, bergamot, fruity and pink pepper, while the middle notes consist of guava, violet and gardenia. The base notes are tonka bean, cedar and patchouli. Braccialini fragrances are exclusively distributed by Chemimart [2149 2212].

Chanel’s expert firming and anti-wrinkle Le Lift line is now completed by one new skincare product with instant tightening and radiance boosting effects: Le Lift V-Flash. Enriched with vitamins, it can be used occasionally to compensate for visible signs of fatigue, or as an intensive treatment to withstand the change of seasons, or a busy lifestyle. Any trace of fatigue is instantly erased. The prelude to every woman’s beauty ritual, Le Lift Lotion becomes indispensable. This moisturising, smoothing and firming lotion balances the skin to preserve the integrity of its barrier function.

With its ultra-fresh, vitamin-enriched serum roll-on and its anti-fatigue revitalising patches, the high-impact duo, Le Lift Flash Eye Revitaliser, lifts and illuminates the eye area instantly in just two steps, while reducing puffiness and dark circles. The expert firming anti-wrinkle line is completed by Le Lift SkinRecovery Sleep Mask. Chanel is distributed by Alfred Gera & Sons Ltd. Pink November 2017 ∫ 59

INTHEPINK

“FOR SOMEONE WHO SPIRALLED DOWNWARD INTO ORTHOREXIA BECAUSE I LIKE TO HAVE CONTROL IN ALL AREAS OF MY LIFE, THIS LACK OF CONTROL HAS BEEN FRUSTRATING AND DEBILITATING”

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INTHEPINK

HEALTH FOOD

an orthorexic’s heroin?

There’s no doubt that healthy eating is good for us. What’s less positive, however, is an obsession with ‘pure’ food that can get so extreme it leads to malnutrition. Don’t think it’s possible? Then read on. This particular obsession has a name – orthorexia – and it can be deadly. HELEN RAINE has the recipe for disaster.

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ive minutes on my Instagram feed is enough to show that the world [well, my world at least] is obsessed with healthy eating. Every second post is a picture of someone’s açai bowl with chia seed pudding, or vegan seaweed sushi rolls bursting with autumn veg.

And that’s perfectly fine – healthy eating is good for us. What’s less positive is an obsession with ‘pure’ food that can become so extreme that it leads to malnutrition. Don’t think it’s possible?

Then read on. This particular obsession has a name – orthorexia – and it can be deadly.

Jordan Younger is the author of Breaking Vegan and ran a popular blog called The Blonde Vegan.

Initially, her plant-based diet filled her with energy and cured the stomach problems that had been plaguing her. But over time, as Younger describes on her new blog, TheBalancedBlonde, her foray into ultra-healthy food began to spiral out of control.

“After … years of eating this way, I stopped feeling satisfied … so I thought something was wrong.” She started doing weekly juice cleanses.

“At the peak of my … addiction, I embarked on a 10-day cleanse of just juice, and restricted myself from even drinking juices with a high fruit content

[in my mind, all I could see when I looked at those was sugar] … even though I was still trying to maintain my super-active lifestyle.”

When her period stopped and exhaustion set in, she knew it was time for a change. What was shocking for Younger was how hard that proved to be. She said at the time: “I will be doing well for a few hours, and then my mind will revert right back to obsession.”

She experienced intrusive thoughts about food, such as: “I ate a pretty big breakfast, so I definitely shouldn’t be snacking now, and … what if this chicken hurts my stomach, maybe I should just drink a green juice instead”; or “okay … I am so full I will definitely just restrict myself all day tomorrow and then I will start feeling more balanced again.”

Younger was diagnosed with orthorexia and she describes it as “torture”. She recognised the powerful irony in her failure to manage her compulsion.

“I have very little control over it. For someone who spiralled downward into orthorexia because I like to have control in all areas of my life, this lack of control has been frustrating and debilitating.”

She thought she’d be able to kick the problem if she put her mind to it, but instead found that “the unhealthy habits that I developed over a two-year period are ingrained into my body and my mind, and it’s very challenging to begin unwinding from them”.

Her subsequent book, Breaking Vegan, describes how she came to terms with orthorexia, and although her social media feeds remain heavily food oriented, she says that she has stopped dealing with her problems through food.

She also wants to inspire others to get help, saying: “For anyone who has ever gotten lost in Pink November 2017 ∫ 63

INTHEPINK

“SUFFERERS CONSTANTLY STRUGGLE AGAINST FEELINGS OF BEING UNCLEAN OR POLLUTED BY WHAT THEY HAVE EATEN, NO MATTER HOW CAREFULLY THEY MONITOR THEIR DIET” an extreme and felt there was no way out… you are not alone. Balance is within reach.”

Orthorexia is a particularly challenging disorder because healthy eating has become the holy grail in a society where obesity is rampant. Dr Steve Bratman is the clinician who first defined orthorexia in 1996. He makes it clear that healthy food in itself is not the enemy, saying that “vegetarianism, veganism, or any other nutritionally sound approach to eating healthy foods” are not disorders. He also acknowledges that addiction to junk food is “immensely more prevalent” than an obsession with healthy food.

“Nonetheless,” he explains, “it’s possible to have an unhealthy obsession with healthy food”. And while he recognises the similarities with anorexia, or OCD, he says that orthorexia “has an aspirational, idealistic, spiritual component which allows it to become deeply rooted in a person’s identity”.

The UK National Centre for Eating Disorders [NCED] notes that people suffering from the disorder are usually in denial and might get angry with friends and family if they express concerns about eating behaviours. But intervention is important – the physical consequences of eating such an imbalanced diet can include poor immunity, brittle bones and poor thyroid function.

Dr Bratman adds: “It is most often a psychological problem in which food concerns become so dominant that other dimensions of life suffer neglect. In rare cases, however, it can be much more severe.”

Joanne Ellul Lanfranco is 29 years old and lives in Sta Venera. During her recovery from anorexia, she started focusing on healthy nutrition. “I wanted to make sure that whatever I was going to eat would be 100 per cent healthy, fresh, organic and without any form of contamination,” she says.

“I remember when I sat down at our kitchen table to eat my first meal, which consisted of grilled salmon, lots of veggies and a baked potato. This is where my anorexia shifted into orthorexia.”

Neither she nor her family were familiar with the term orthorexia and it was her psychologist who first brought it 64 ∫ Pink November 2017

up. “I realised that I was suffering from the majority of the symptoms associated with orthorexia. I was constantly thinking about food; what to eat, at what time, food preparation, obsessive cleaning of utensils and cookware and searching about the health benefits of food consumed,” Joanne admits.

Dr Bratman says: “The primary feature distinguishing orthorexia from anorexia is that while a person with anorexia focuses on weight, a person with orthorexia obsesses about purity.” He adds that sufferers “constantly struggle against feelings of being unclean or polluted by what they have eaten, no matter how carefully they monitor their diet.”

Joanne gives a startling example of this, saying: “If a family member was going to toast a piece of white bread in the same toaster I would be using later, I would spend hours cleaning it because orthorexia only allowed me to eat wholemeal bread and I did not want any traces of that white bread to contaminate my body.”

She has now “managed to gain back all the weight lost and increased my muscle mass. I can be flexible around food; it’s OK for me to add occasional treats”.

And she offers hope to other sufferers. “Life without any sort of eating disorder is so awesome… You’re not trapped anymore, there’s nothing controlling your mind and you’re not submissive to the voices inside your head.”

Orthorexia is not just another buzzword. Kate Finn, an American Yoga instructor and writer, was tormented by it for years. In one of her articles, she wrote: “The basic philosophy I have toward my diet is to listen to my body and eat what I’m in the mood for. I’ve gained 7kg since last year, but I must say it has not been easy. I also try to listen to my body and ‘tune in’ to get a sense as to what it needs.”

Despite Kate’s optimism, however, Dr Bratman reports that “this recovery was not as complete as she hoped”, and in 2013, she died of heart failure brought on by orthorexiainduced starvation.

Like anorexia and bulimia, orthorexia is serious – getting treatment early really could make the difference between life and death.

PINKSHRINK

COLLECTIVE MORAL INJURY When a society develops such a deep hurt, such as following the murder of investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, Dott. EDWARD CURMI says the trauma of a nation needs to be addressed immediately. If not, it may lead to ‘unfinished business’, which could not only leave scars for future generations, but could also have a negative impact on the psyche of a population.

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ollective moral injury is the emotional and spiritual impact on society when it has just participated in or witnessed certain actions or behaviours that violate its moral and behavioural norms.

When a society develops such a hurt, the trauma of a nation needs to be addressed immediately as it may often lead to ‘unfinished business’, which could not only leave scars for future generations, but may also have

a negative impact on the psyche of a population.

Collective moral injury comes from the term ‘moral injury’, which was coined in the military service to describe those soldiers who had strong feelings of shame or guilt for having committed a moral transgression throughout the war.

According to Diane Silver, ‘moral injury’ is “a deep soul wound that pierces a person’s identity, sense of morality and relationship to society”. Veterans of war

often suffer from such ‘injuries’, and if not tackled, they may lead to severe depression, or suicide.

More often than not, the term collective moral injury is used when a society assists to or witnesses a tragic injustice to a public figure. Typical examples where society felt collective moral injustice are the murders of Italian mafia judges, JFK and Martin Luther King just to mention a few.

Such tragedies may have a devastating effect as feelings of denial, anger, desperation, guilt and sadness may kick in to a society as a whole.

What are the consequences of collective moral injury on our society?

IT SCARS A POPULATION’S OUTLOOK ON LIFE. Metaphorically speaking,

although the wound might heal, it will always leave a scar that lives on for generations to come. Such experiences Pink November 2017 ∫ 69

PINKSHRINK may tarnish people’s lives forever and have a devastating effect on their perception of their country.

IT CAN CREATE A DEEP SENSE OF SADNESS. The tragic murder of

someone known to most of society may create a strong sense of hopelessness and helplessness. People may start feeling abandoned and isolated by the State and possibly even develop serious thoughts of desperation.

IT CAN INDUCE GUILT AND SHAME, ANGER AND AGGRESSION. Guilt and

shame are two typical emotions that may often manifest themselves strongly in such circumstances. People may develop a sense of guilt or shame for not having been able to prevent or do more to support the person and avoid such a terrible death. This guilt or shame may easily trigger a strong sense of injustice towards the State. If this sense of injustice is not addressed, it may lead to anger and possibly aggression at a later stage as it becomes uncontainable.

IT CAN BE THE CATALYST FOR SEVERE ANXIETY. More often than not,

such tragedies may induce strong feelings of uncertainty and fear among a community, leading to severe anxiety.

This stems from the perception that the world is no longer safe and is a dangerous place to live in.

What can be done if a society is suffering from collective moral injury?

First and foremost, it takes time to process the suffering caused by collective moral injury. As a society, we need to respect the cardinal rule that each and every one of us has a right to feel different emotions about the exact same situation. What might be extremely hurtful to me might not mean much to another person.

The most important aspect of such diversity lies in respecting one another and not getting lost in translation.

People need to abandon their staunch beliefs and reach out to help one another. Differences of opinion should not prevent us from mourning as a society as a whole. The dichotomy of black and white thinking will only fuel more suffering within a community.

Playing the blame game will only unleash more anger and open up more 70 ∫ Pink November 2017

“PEOPLE MAY START FEELING ABANDONED AND ISOLATED BY THE STATE AND POSSIBLY EVEN DEVELOP SERIOUS THOUGHTS OF DESPERATION” wounds. People need to reach out and offer genuine care to one another with the hope that time might help heal some of the suffering. Time will tell and, generally, what goes around comes around.

The State has a very important role to play when a country is suffering from collective moral injury.

Symbolically speaking, it plays the role of a ‘parent’ of society. Therefore, it follows that, just like a good parent, the State needs to address the feelings of the people.

It needs to use empathy and compassion to quickly recognise and support what most people might be feeling in that specific moment. The State should shy away from trying to gain political mileage from such a tragedy as it is in bad taste and could spell disaster with protests possibly fuelling people’s anger.

The State must also keep its lines open to communication, inviting people to feel free to talk while acknowledging their pain. At no stage should it try to sweep the problem under the carpet as it may cause even more suffering and aggression.

Calling a day of mourning and flying a flag at half-mast are just two simple symbolic gestures that could help to alleviate the suffering of a society.

The media also has an essential role in the collective moral injury of a society. The tone chosen to write or talk may cause even more divide and distress among different straits of society. The media has the responsibility to create boundaries, and if needs be, filter what is being said, especially if it is insensitive and disrespectful.

Dialogue is the best medicine in such circumstances. People need to be listened to so that they may feel acknowledged. Some people might feel better to mourn in a group rather than individually.

Grieving is, after all, one of the certainties of life we cannot escape, and although we still haven’t quite understood it enough, we need to give our society the space it needs.

We need to face our suffering as a community and validate it through compassion and empathy; ‘connecting’ with other people is the only healing power human beings have, which makes us so different from all other species.

Dott. Edward Curmi is a registered clinical psychologist, psychotherapist and author of the book Common Sense: a Better Understanding of Emotional Well-being, and its sequel More Common Sense: a Better Understanding of Emotional Well-being, available from Agenda Bookshops.

PINKPROMO

STEM CELL BREAKTHROUGH IN OESTEOARTHRITIS A growing interest in the area of regenerative medicine has seen recent focused efforts to explore the potential of stem cell therapies in the active management of symptomatic osteoarthritis.

Osteoarthritis is a leading cause of pain and disability across the world, and with an ageing population, its prevalence is likely to further increase.

Current accepted medical treatment strategies are aimed at symptom control rather than disease modification. Surgical options, including joint replacement, are not without possible significant complications, with up to 20 per cent still having pain after total knee replacement.

A growing interest in the area of regenerative medicine, led by an improved understanding of the role of mesenchymal stem cells in tissue homeostasis and repair, has seen recent focused efforts to explore the potential of stem cell therapies in the active management of symptomatic osteoarthritis.

Encouragingly, results of preclinical and clinical trials have provided initial evidence of efficacy and indicated safety in the therapeutic use of mesenchymal stem cell therapies for the treatment of knee osteoarthritis.

Essentially, what happens is that about 60cc of fat is extracted from the abdomen, under local anaesthesia, through a small incision of 4mm with a small canula similar to liposuction, but on a much smaller scale with less complications.

The fat is then processed and stem cells extracted and mixed with PRP

[Platelet-Rich Plasma] to be injected like a normal injection in the joint, similar to a steroid or hyaluronic injection in the knee.

The idea is that mesenchymal stem cells from the fat become cartilage and bone, so the lining of the knee, which was destroyed by the arthritis, will reform and, most importantly, the pain

felt as a result of arthritis will disappear and the function improve.

Intra-articular injections of MSCs have resulted in pain and functional improvement in a number of preclinical and clinical trials. Importantly, recent case series evidence has shown regrowth of cartilage volume and disease modification following MSC injections represents an exciting development.

“THE IDEA IS THAT MESENCHYMAL STEM CELLS FROM THE FAT BECOME CARTILAGE AND BONE, SO THE LINING OF THE KNEE, WHICH WAS DESTROYED BY THE ARTHRITIS, WILL REFORM AND, MOST IMPORTANTLY, THE PAIN FELT AS A RESULT OF ARTHRITIS WILL DISAPPEAR AND THE FUNCTION IMPROVE” From bone-on-bone to regenerated cartilage after only eight weeks.

Before

After

Despite initial concerns regarding MSC therapies, a systematic review of clinical trials has indicated a relative safety in both intravascular and intra-articular injections.

Apart from arthritis, stem cells from bone marrow have been used for the last 30 years for the treatment of leukaemias, but now, stem cell studies are being carried out in all areas of chronic diseases like heart disease, stroke, diabetes mellitus, dementia, spinal cord injuries etc…

However, before we get carried away, we have to wait to have all data on these other disorders. As regards arthritis, the data is there and more studies are on the way to find the best way to improve this degenerative disorder.

For more information, contact St Mary’s Clinic on 21/27/7942 2888; www.stmarysclinic.net

Pink November 2017 ∫ 71

PARENTINGTIPS

ASSERTIVENESS AND FREEDOM OF SPEECH IN KIDS The society we live in is the result of each of us and our children. From the beginning, we need to be teaching them how to create and form part of a functional community, says educational and child psychologist Dr STEPHANIE SATARIANO. Don’t punish them for speaking their mind; and should they express their views aggressively, correct the way they are conveying their message, rather than the message itself.

W

e all want our children to be happy and healthy; but what does that mean? What does it entail? How can they develop and grow to be adults who build a functional society?

From a young age, we aim to instil our morals, beliefs and values in our children.

We do this explicitly, through our discipline style, and implicitly, through our actions and the way we live our lives. Children learn by watching us and by listening to us, so it’s important to really think about what it is that we want to teach them.

Children [and adults] frequently get caught up in situations where they know what the morally right thing to do is, but this does not necessarily align with their current peer group’s actions. Think of the four-year-old who is torn between standing up for the child who is left out, or playing with the group of children who have left the child out; the 10-year-old who knows he shouldn’t tease the other child, but all the other children are doing it; the 15-year-old who doesn’t want to smoke the cigarette, but doesn’t want to be left out; or the 17-year-old who knows he shouldn’t steal his dad’s car for a joyride, but doesn’t want to seem uncool.

Children often get caught fearing that if they stand up for what they believe in,

they run the risk of being exiled from their peer group and/or a target of bullying.

So how can we help our children grow into confident adults, willing to stand up for what they believe is right; who do not remain silent out of fear that they will be reprimanded for doing what is just and honest, yet do it in a non-violent and diplomatic manner?

• Don’t punish them for speaking their mind; should they express their views in an aggressive manner, then correct the way they are conveying their message, rather than the message itself.

If this is not in line with your morals and values, discuss it with them.

• Model it; be the person you want your children to be. If someone disrespects

“HOW CAN WE HELP OUR CHILDREN GROW INTO CONFIDENT ADULTS, WILLING TO STAND UP FOR WHAT THEY BELIEVE IS RIGHT; WHO DO NOT REMAIN SILENT OUT OF FEAR THAT THEY WILL BE REPRIMANDED FOR DOING WHAT IS JUST AND HONEST” • Talk to them about important issues, and develop their understanding of why things are right and why things are wrong, so that they do develop a strong understanding of their beliefs and values.

• Acknowledge when they are assertive in a calm and rational manner, and praise it.

• Talk about boundaries, and help children understand what theirs are.

• Help them understand things from different viewpoints; although they may believe and feel one thing, not everyone will. Help them understand where others’ behaviours and beliefs may stem from; maybe they’re from a different cultural background, or they are going through a difficult time.

you and degrades your basic human rights, model to your children how to express your thoughts and opinions in a logical and rational manner, without the use of aggression. Model how to stand up for what you believe in.

Each one of us and our children develop the society we live in. From the very beginning, we need to be teaching our children how to create and form part of a functional society.

Helping them develop clear values and beliefs, and learning calm and effective ways of expressing them, is the part parents can play in developing a better society.

Pink November 2017 ∫ 73

GIRLTALK THE VIRGINIA MONOLOGUES

YOU NEVER REALLY KNOW, DO YOU?

W

e all know what it’s like to feel a sense of selfrighteous indignation, even when it comes to things about which we know nothing and have not experienced first-hand, even for a single minute.

Years ago, I remember bearing witness to something that had disturbed me profoundly: a father walking a toddler – presumably his son or daughter [although you never really know, do you?] – and becoming very angry with this poor child, who was clearly tired and refused to co-operate.

The hitting and shouting that ensued seemed disproportionate to the little boy’s [girl’s?] genuine fatigue or recalcitrance and it had upset me tremendously. The intervening years have blurred the details, but I remember feeling angry to the point where I actually thought of following this man [and probably did], and then thought of reporting him to the police [and probably didn’t].

Still, there was something very troubling about the episode, and even though I hadn’t done anything concrete about it, I felt it was my duty, as an honest and upstanding law-abiding citizen, to acknowledge it and not let the moment slip by undetected and ignored.

And even though I had effectively done nothing – I hadn’t even approached the man and tried to reason with him [perhaps fearing a backlash that might have had worse repercussions on the child] – somehow, the fact that I had witnessed it and ‘cared’ seemed like the next best decent thing to do.

I can think of a couple of other occasions where I didn’t mind my business and turned into a busybody

“THE INTERVENING YEARS HAVE BLURRED THE DETAILS, BUT I REMEMBER FEELING ANGRY TO THE POINT WHERE I ACTUALLY THOUGHT OF FOLLOWING THIS MAN [AND PROBABLY DID], AND THEN THOUGHT OF REPORTING HIM TO THE POLICE [AND PROBABLY DIDN’T]” detective of sorts. There was the time when I had just parked my car in front of someone’s residence. Upon emerging from it, I was sure I could hear the sound of muffled crying coming from inside the house. Instead of just pretending I hadn’t heard it and going on my merry way [which may have been the practical, normal and ‘adult’ thing to do], I worked myself up into a frenzy, convinced that a child had been left alone, or was otherwise being ill-treated.

Within minutes of parking, the door opened, a man emerged and locked the

door behind him, which only increased the crying noises that became progressively louder… which, of course, made me even more suspicious and strengthened my resolve to try and do something about it.

I remember the day clearly and the shifty look of the man I had already condemned. He may as well have been Josef Fritzl – the Austrian man, who held his daughter captive for 24 years. I still walk past that house and wonder what had gone on behind that door that day and whether it was as ugly as the picture I had painted in my head.

Pink November 2017 ∫ 75

GIRLTALK And then recently, on my way home, I chanced upon yet another of these worrying domestic snapshots: a mother seemingly split in half – with the upper part of her body in the back seat of her car trying to tie up her screaming toddler, and the lower half in her [the driver’s] seat.

I had been there so many times before that you’d think I should know better, and yet seeing the scene play out before me – the screaming, the howling, the sobs – I could very easily have let myself believe this woman was inflicting the worst sort of pain.

I think it is probably easier to go through life without a care in the world.

The minute you allow yourself to care, that is when the trouble starts. Having children, or animals, makes you even more sensitive to your surroundings and makes it much more difficult to detach.

But – and it’s quite a big but – it also makes you understand that not everything is as it seems. What might look very disturbing and troubling to you is just a snapshot of a world you know nothing about. But invariably, something will

“I CHANCED UPON YET ANOTHER OF THESE WORRYING DOMESTIC SNAPSHOTS: A MOTHER SEEMINGLY SPLIT IN HALF – WITH THE UPPER PART OF HER BODY IN THE BACK SEAT OF HER CAR TRYING TO TIE UP HER SCREAMING TODDLER, AND THE LOWER HALF IN HER [THE DRIVER’S] SEAT” happen, which will make you rethink the whole concerned citizen mission and bring you back down to earth with a bang.

I was reminded of this recently when a Facebook friend of mine posted a little anecdote on his ‘wall’. The story he recounted was about a neighbour – an old woman who lived in the house adjacent to his, within earshot, making him privy to most of her goings-on.

Apparently, every time her son would visit his mother, he’d first bang the house down to get her to open and then scream the house down, presumably referring to her as ‘Ma’. My friend was rather shocked with this gentleman’s ungentlemanly behaviour and couldn’t help remarking how uncouth and crass he was and how he had long remarked inwardly about how completely unacceptable his behaviour was. In his words: ‘Why would anyone

ever treat his mother so badly? What has the world come to?’

As the story unfolded, it transpired that until then, my friend had never in fact spoken to this lady, and one fine day, he decided to do just that… which is when he discovered that the woman was deaf. Her first words to him were: ‘Could you please shout because I can’t hear you.’

The story made me laugh, but it also made me think. How often do we judge people based on our own misconceptions, preconceived ideas and our own selfrighteous indignation about what is right and wrong. And even I, who often feels misjudged and misconstrued, am also guilty of doing this from time to time.

We all are. ginantonic@live.com

PINKPROMO

INTERNATIONAL CAREERS MADE IN MALTA Meet Mediterranean Bank’s employees to understand the strategies in place to allow them to advance in their careers.

W

ith a first degree in Human Resources, a master’s in Psychology of Work and over 20 years’ experience in the banking industry, Christine Gambin has all her cards in place to successfully manage the Human Resources division of a dynamic organisation such as Mediterranean Bank. This is what she has worked to achieve and the way forward: MedBank has grown significantly over the past five years and we now compete for staff on an international level. We work in a fast-paced, constantly changing environment, and fostering a sense of teamwork within our multicultural workforce is vital for our success.

Locally, we’ve just consolidated our administrative and back-office departments in new headquarters at The Centre in Tigné Point, which will further facilitate interdepartmental collaboration and communication.

When we recruit people from abroad, we realise that relocation can be difficult to navigate, so we facilitate matters by providing a relocation officer, who assists them with paperwork, accommodation and transport for the move. Once they arrive, it’s important to ensure

“

78 ∫ Pink November 2017

a welcoming community because, in the most part, we are dealing with young, single employees whose colleagues initially comprise their social circle here.

employees by offering the option of working reduced hours if necessary.

We depend on two areas of expertise that are constantly evolving – finance and technology

“WHILE WE ARE PROUD OF OUR GENDER-EQUALITY RECORD, WE RECOGNISE THAT OUR FEMALE EMPLOYEES NEED REASSURANCE THAT THEY WOULD NOT HAVE TO CHOOSE BETWEEN HAVING A FAMILY AND A CAREER” Indeed, we have a relatively young workforce overall and many are building their family, so while we are proud of our gender-equality record, we recognise that our female employees need reassurance that they would not have to choose between having a family and a career.

We have, therefore, extended maternity leave and offer all new parents unpaid parental leave of up to one year. We further support all our

– and ensure that our staff ’s knowledge base is continuously updated. This is something we are extremely passionate about. Training has become easier to access since we launched our e-learning platform, but we also support those who wish to further their professional education both financially through sponsorships and interest-free loans and through extra leave for studying and exams.

”

PINKPROMO

GENDER BALANCE Gender representation within the MeDirect Group as at October 31, 2017.

54%

46%

MALE

FEMALE

THERESE AZZOPARDI Senior Officer – Consumer Banking

MULTICULTURAL WORKSPACE The percentage of employees with non-Maltese nationality within the MeDirect Group as at October 31, 2017.

Algerian 1% American 2% Belgian 11% Brazilian 1% British 23% Bulgarian 1% Dutch 8% French 11% German 1% Greek 4% Hungarian 4% Indian 7% Irish 1% Italian 4% Kazakh 2% Korean 1% Lithuanian 1% Moroccan 1% Polish 6% Romanian 2% Russian 1% Serbian 2% South African 1% Spanish 1% Uruguayan 1%

“ The opportunity to enjoy my son’s first year without worrying about my career was priceless for me. While I was out on leave, my colleagues kept me updated so that when I came back I was able to pick up where I left off. Since returning from parental leave, I’ve been offered a new, more challenging role in wealth projects even though I’m working a reduced 30-hour week now.”

AMAURY MARICHAL Contact Centre Officer – MeDirect Belgium

“ I enjoy the challenge of supporting our Belgian online customers and working with colleagues from so many different cultures.”

BENEFITS • • • • • • • • • • •

Yearly performance bonus Life insurance equivalent to four times gross annual salary Health insurance for employee, spouse and dependents Staff Savings Account at a preferential rate of 5% Subsidised home loans Relocation programme Employee referral programme Study sponsorship programme and special study leave Extended maternity leave and optional reduced hours Well-being: €100/year gym reimbursement Discount cards and reductions with several partner companies • Modern offices with sea view, canteen and fully equipped kitchen • Free parking and free transport services to and from the office • Various social events and occasional treats

KIM FARRUGIA IT Systems Engineer

“ I’m currently reading for a degree in IT, and the fact that the bank is willing to support my studies, both financially and practically, is extremely encouraging as it proves that they believe in me.”

Check out the openings at www.medbank.com.mt/about-us/careers and submit your CV to careers@medbank.com.mt Pink November 2017 ∫ 79

RELATIONTIPS

IMPORTING ALOHA Let’s all pack up and move to Hawaii.

They have a word for ‘being nice’ and they put it into practice. Drivers actually let you out at a junction! HELEN RAINE says it’s a pleasant way to live, and we’re not questioning it.

T

he first time it happened, I thought I had a fairy godmother. I arrived back home, laden down with two toddlers… and someone had mowed my lawn. I’d been watching the grass grow ankle deep, then sneak towards the knees, but it was just another thing on the very long to-do list. Seeing that velvety grass cut down to size felt like magic.

My lawn is on Kauai, a tiny island in the middle of the Pacific. I moved here from Malta in 2011 and what I was experiencing is called ‘Aloha’. This Hawaiian word has lots of meanings: love, affection, peace and compassion. It’s also been described as “a complex and profound sentiment” that defies definition, but which is deeply rooted in the history of the Hawaiian Islands. Practically speaking, it means being nice.

mowed by a man several streets away – we’re now great fruit-swapping friends].

People smile at one another here, talk to strangers, invite a passer-by to eat at their beach BBQ. I’ve even heard several stories of friends at a supermarket finding that the person in front had already paid for their groceries – the anonymous benefactor had left the shop, so they couldn’t even thank him. It’s a pleasant way to live.

It’s also infectious. When someone hands you a juicy orange on a hike because it’s a hot day, or gives you a jar of their homemade insect repellent at a mosquito-infested outdoor restaurant, you want to pass that positive energy on. In our daily lives, there are so many irritations, both large and small; Aloha is the Hawaiian balm to those prickles.

“I OFTEN HEAR PEOPLE IN MALTA COMPLAIN THAT SOMEONE PARKED THEM IN, OR BLOCKED OFF AN ENTIRE STREET WHILE THEY RAN AN ERRAND, HOLDING UP OTHER RESIDENTS; IT’S A SPECTACULARLY SELFISH THING TO DO AND IT PROBABLY WOULDN’T HAPPEN HERE, BUT IF IT DID, THE OTHER DRIVERS WOULD GET OUT TO SEE IF THAT PERSON NEEDED SOME HELP”

Aloha permeates the culture in Hawaii. It manifests itself in many ways, such as other drivers letting you out at a junction [in fact, sometimes, four cars will be paused at a crossroads, each politely waiting for the other to go first].

Or you’ll find a bunch of bananas and papayas sitting on your doorstep, with no indication of who left them; sometimes, you never find out [the lawn, it turned out, was 80 ∫ Pink November 2017

Of course, there are still people who are angry, rude, or disrespectful. But instead of those encounters setting the tone on the island, they are the odd ripple on a peaceful sea.

That’s not to say that I haven’t experienced true kindness elsewhere in the world. My Maltese friends are wonderful people and their help and support, both when I lived there and when I need something now, comes from a

deep well. These people would cross continents to help me if they could.

Where Aloha really makes the difference is in the respect that people pay to strangers – it’s about looking at them as if they were already friends. Seeing the world that way helps to check our worst human impulses.

I often hear people in Malta complain that someone parked them in, or blocked off an entire street while they ran an errand, holding up other residents; it’s a spectacularly selfish thing to do and it probably wouldn’t happen here, but if it did, the other drivers would get out to see if that person needed some help.

And while boy racers aren’t unheard of in Kauai, there are fewer incidents of the kind of crazy driving we see in Malta.

It’s no coincidence that there is little road rage here.

Aloha also means learning to wait patiently while a slower member of the community takes up the footpath, or spends what seems like an hour chatting to the cashier at the grocery store. That’s when I have to admit that I’m still learning; that European urge to get them to hurry the heck up is still there.

Even so, when I’m here, it’s hard to imagine not ‘living with Aloha’ [and catchphrases like that are big out here, from bumper stickers to embroidered cushions – we are, after all, still in the US].

But on a visit to England, it didn’t take too many incidents of being cut off by other drivers, or dealing with a rude customer service rep before the rainbow Aloha feeling started to fade to grey.

Perhaps it’s only possible to sustain it in the endless sunshine of a small island. That gives the UK an excuse, but begs the question: Malta, what are you waiting for? Where did you go wrong?

TABLETALK

INGREDIENTS Serves 4 320g short spelt pasta 1 butternut squash, peeled and chopped into small pieces 2 chayote, peeled and seed removed, chopped into small pieces 1 clove of garlic, chopped 2 red onions, chopped lengthwise 2 green garlic 1 anchovy fillet black olives a small handful each of parsley, dill and coriander, finely chopped

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Spelt it out MARIA CACHIA goes for seasonal ingredients to prepare her spelt pasta with chayote and butternut squash.

METHOD Preheat the oven to 190°C. Place the butternut squash onto a lined roasting dish. Drizzle a little olive oil and season with freshly ground salt and pepper. Roast for 15 minutes.

In a separate pot, cook the chayote for about five to six minutes until tender.

Drain.

In a frying pan, pour some olive oil and the chopped garlic. Add the drained chayote after about 30 seconds. Season with freshly ground salt and pepper.

Sauté the chayote for a few minutes. Place the cooked chayote in a mixing bowl.

Drizzle some olive oil in the same frying pan. Add the onions, green garlic and anchovy and sauté until the onions are translucent. Add the olives and the chopped herbs.

Cook the pasta al dente, according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Place the pasta and the onion mixture into the bowl containing the chayote and mix gently to incorporate all ingredients.

Serve warm, or at room temperature.

BLACK FRIDAY AT THE POINT 24TH NOVEMBER OPEN FROM 10AM TILL MIDNIGHT

TIGNÉ POINT, SLIEMA WWW.THEPOINTMALTA.COM

FOODFORTHOUGHT

TEA FOR TWO When pairing tea and food, think carefully about the variety that would best complement what you’re eating. There’s an art to this, and the Tettiera tea devotees have just made life that bit more perfect by creating a unique combination of mouth-watering tea flavours and artisanal chocolate torrone, made with love and dedication, to further fine-tune the tea ritual experience.

C

ombining tea and food is nothing new and has been going on since the beverage started being consumed – and especially since the afternoon tea concept was brought to life by the seventh Duchess of Bedford in 1840.

Everyone has their own ritual of how they brew and serve their tea, usually complemented with sweet and savoury nibbles. But if you think about pairing tea and food, there are some obvious duos that come to mind.

Favoured by many is tea and chocolate, but there are some savoury pairings that are also

pleasantly surprising, such as the Darjeeling Sungma Muscatel – a second flush black golden tea – with brie cheese and grissini.

While experimenting with different flavour combinations can yield tasty

the smoky Lapsang Souchong, for instance, pair well with darker, more robust chocolates, while lighter teas, such as Tempting Raspberry and Rooibos Vanilla, are better suited with milk or white chocolate.

“THE KEY IS TO CONSIDER THE STRENGTH, DEPTH AND SUBTLE NOTES OF THE FLAVOURS WE ARE PAIRING” results, we must be sure to think through what tea variety would best complement the type of chocolate.

The key is to consider the strength, depth and subtle notes of the flavours we are pairing. Strong black teas like

In a proper tea and chocolate pairing, the beverage should not wash away the flavours of the sweet. They must stand up to each other. Once a chocolate is tasted and tea is sipped straight after, we should still be able Pink November 2017 ∫ 87

FOODFORTHOUGHT

to taste the chocolate’s flavour – this is what is considered to be a good pairing.

Moreover, to get the most out of our pairing, we need to be picky about the quality of the tea and chocolate chosen.

“IN A PROPER TEA AND CHOCOLATE PAIRING, THE BEVERAGE SHOULD NOT WASH AWAY THE FLAVOURS OF THE SWEET. THEY MUST STAND UP TO EACH OTHER” The Tettiera tea devotees wanted to create a unique combination of different mouth-watering flavours that create an even more unique tea ritual experience. A trio torrone artisanal chocolate has been specifically developed with tea pairing in mind to maximise the potential of the combination of flavours.

The collection consists of three artisanal torrone bars that have been created by a local artisan, Charles Aquilina, creator of his own brand Oil & More.

The milk chocolate torrone bar has been created with Maltese carob and cocoa nibs. The carob is taken from the same carob trees as the Tghanniqa Black tea blend, which creates the right tea pairing together with the Morning Tune black tea blend.

The 54 per cent dark chocolate torrone is flavoured with apple and mango. The tea pairings suggested are the Darjeeling Sungma Muscatel black tea, the Formosa Bai Hao oolong tea, as well as the Mango Twist green tea.

The white chocolate torrone bar – one of the preferred combinations – is 88 ∫ Pink November 2017

flavoured with coconut and pistachio.

The tea pairing suggested would be the Thai Chai and the Rooibos Vanilla.

To top it all up, these three torrone bars are packed in one compact cute gift box, totalling 135g, and designed

by Tettiera’s collaborative artist Stephanie Borg. They are also part of

the Exploring Tea Gift Box, which includes 13 blends packed in eco tea sacks, a surprise reading book and the torrone box.

For more information on tea-oriented gift ideas, visit www.tettiera.com; or send an e-mail to rediscover@tettiera.com for a custom-made solution.

11, TOWER ROAD, SLIEMA T: 21313097 F: COCCINELLE MALTA

WOMENONWHEELS Photography Jean Claude Vella

DRIVE SMALL, THINK BIG Digital influencer Tamara Webb is a Smart car fan. She can compare the new cabrio to her older model… and a test-drive has just confirmed her loyalty and affinity with the cheeky and youthful city car, designed for urban mobility… and more.

I

’ve have always been a Smart lover. I got my first seven years ago. It’s a 2009 model and oh has it changed for the better! Test-driving the new cabriolet has proven that.

Having said that, I cannot complain about mine. I’ve never had any trouble with my own Smart.

Let’s be honest, the main reason why anyone would be a Smart fan is

because of its compact size. I had opted for the Smart Fortwo from Kind’s Auto Sales Ltd because it was ideal for me. I was still at school at the time and practicality was important.

I am happy to see that not much has changed from that aspect with the new model, the Smart Fortwo Cabrio.

Having said that, apart from the size, the difference on the whole is quite substantial. This new model is on a whole other level. Obviously, it is also more fun because it’s a cabrio as opposed to mine. But it’s not just about that; it’s sturdy and feels like it is more stable on the road, plus it has loads of new functions and is definitely more powerful.

Having such overprotective parents, the first thing they had looked into before choosing the Smart was whether it was safe. Well, you’d be surprised to know that this lightweight car from the heavy-duty MercedesBenz family, is designed around a steel shell – something not many people are aware of. Essentially, it is built in a way that resembles a half sphere and its steel frame helps keep the driver and passenger safe on impact.

You need to actually experience a Smart car to really know just how amazing and efficient it is. The parking nightmare is not an issue Pink November 2017 ∫ 91

WOMENONWHEELS

“WITH THIS KIND OF LIFESTYLE, YOUR SMART LITERALLY BECOMES YOUR FRIEND! YOU PRACTICALLY END UP THANKING IT FOR BEING SO TINY AND WORKABLE” anymore and it is the perfect option for a busy lifestyle.

The Smart has always been renowned for its ability to squeeze into small parking spaces, or around tight corners. So, I think it’s pretty obvious that in a country like Malta, having it is ideal. Move over, massive SUVs. In fact, I have been spotting them everywhere nowadays, where I once thought they weren’t widely accepted when they first hit the market. Today, they are driven by all sorts of people 92 ∫ Pink November 2017

and especially businessmen/women on the go.

As a full-time photographer and digital influencer, my day literally revolves around driving to meetings, tight schedules, popping into shops, picking up items from all around the island and urgently needing to stop and work in cafés. To be honest, with this kind of lifestyle, your Smart literally becomes your friend! You practically end up thanking it for being so tiny and workable.

The only downside is the boot size.

This is, however, the downside to any cabrio. And having said that, it still fits a complete wardrobe. Last year, I also managed to squeeze in all my new Christmas home décor – including a huge Christmas tree!

My motto is: drive small, think big.

Yes, it may be a tiny car, but it sure leaves a mega impact! I just cannot imagine myself in any other car for the time being – apart, of course, from this new model!

STARGAZER

THE FUTURE IS

PINK ARIES MARCH 20-APRIL 18 After weeks of listening to, and dealing with, the needs and demands of others, you’ve settled all sorts of issues. So, finally, you can turn your attention to both projects of your own and future plans. Equally, you’ll focus on decluttering your life, existing commitments and future plans.

Because December and early 2018 are changeable, ensure any arrangements are flexible. But, better yet, conscious this is an adventurous period, focus on exploring the options that arise because of new and often unexpected developments.

CANCER JUNE 21-JULY 21 Currently, life’s like a puzzle; one that will ultimately fit together, but not until after the pivotal Cancer Full Moon on January 2. Knowing this transforms concerns about changes into a sense of adventure. While some of what’s going is a relief, other changes may seem strange, at least initially. Gradually, you’ll recognise that each day offers a new insight. Still, be patient. Events will fit together, but the full picture and the future they’re shaping won’t be clear until the early months of 2018.

LIBRA SEPTEMBER 22-OCTOBER 22 This month’s theme is ‘exploration’, which means everything from new ideas to broadening your horizons, socially and possibly via travel, probably to unfamiliar settings. Because the past year has introduced a lot that’s new to your life, you’ll think there’s little left to discover. But now, the most exciting encounters and discoveries will appear as the result of sudden and seemingly unwelcome changes. Explore everything, even what seems unappealing. By December’s close, your world will have become a more exciting place.

CAPRICORN DECEMBER 21-JANUARY 18 Because December is a month of dramatic change around you and in your own life, ensure any plans you make are flexible. Even more, if certain arrangements are coming to an end, let them go, formally if necessary. That way, when your ruler Saturn moves into Capricorn on December 20, beginning a powerful cycle of review, questioning and change, you’ll be ready to take whatever action is necessary. Note, this isn’t about planning ahead, but about living and learning from what happens every day.

According to astrologer SHELLEY VON STRUNCKEL… TAURUS

APRIL 19-MAY 19 Plans won’t last long. Worrying as that seems, especially for you as a Taurus, who thrives on stability, this is about exploration. Gradually, your priorities and long-range goals will shift, in turn, freeing you to alter increasingly restrictive arrangements. Before finalising anything, focus on learning more about your options. By December 25, when your ruler Venus and Saturn meet in the part of your chart that’s about broadening your horizons, you’ll realise there are new people to meet and places to go during 2018.

LEO JULY 22-AUGUST 21 Others insist you plan ahead. Ignore them. December’s about living in the moment.

Dramatic changes in others’ lives and your own make every day an adventure that’s taking you into unfamiliar but thrilling territory. Adopt this approach and instead of battling the unexpected, relish the process of discovery it’s all about. This extends into 2018, and ensures your thinking and arrangements are flexible enough you can take advantage of the thrilling events triggered by late January’s Leo eclipsed Full Moon.

SCORPIO OCTOBER 23-NOVEMBER 21 Little is more important to you than knowing the truth, from facts in the world around you to those closest and in your own life. Despite your intense focus on this, between events, unexpected revelations, and sudden changes you can expect some surprises. Unsettling as these are initially, the resulting questions, frank discussions and revelations will open your world to options you either didn’t know existed or you’d previously dismissed. During December you’ll realise how thrilling these could be.

AQUARIUS JANUARY 19-FEBRUARY 17 You have a unique understanding that everybody, from friends and family to colleagues, has their own view of life. While, ordinarily, you enjoy those unique characteristics, during December these could be annoying, if not very inconvenient. That’s because decisions others are making, or perhaps their reaction to changes in circumstance, are creating serious problems. Or so it seems. Actually, these are breaking up restrictive patterns in your life. Once you’ve shed them, you’ll wonder why you questioned those changes.

Visit www.shelleyvonstrunckel.com to learn more and order your own chart.

GEMINI MAY 20-JUNE 20 The unsettling events triggered by the intense Gemini Full Moon on December 3 are about breaking up old patterns. But, also, sidestep plans and instead allow every twist and turn to update you about crucial hard facts to practical matters. This ensures that when challenges or, alternatively, thrilling offers appear from nowhere, you’re ready to respond wisely. Also, gather seemingly random facts as you proceed. That way, when the focus shifts to finances or business, midmonth, you’ll be ready to deal with whatever arises.

VIRGO AUGUST 22-SEPTEMBER 21 As early as late November, you’ll begin to realise that however thorough your plans are, things won’t go as expected. This unsettled state of affairs extends through December and into early 2018. Once you recognise that, you’ll also spot the links between seemingly random changes and, better yet, explore the options they’re introducing.

Some may be no surprise, but others will be so unexpected you’ll wonder how to respond. The answer? With a sense of excitement and discovery.

What you’re experiencing will be life-changing.

SAGITTARIUS NOVEMBER 22-DECEMBER 20 You rightly think of yourself as being more up to date than others about everything from world events to the latest gossip. So, when developments force you to venture into unfamiliar territory, that is to study new ideas, go places, or meet people of little interest, you could rebel. However, with powerful changes in the heavens shifting elements of your world and your life, these encounters, ideas and experiences aren’t just significant, they’re vital. As you learn more, you’ll gradually realise why.

PISCES FEBRUARY 18-MARCH 19 As a Pisces, you benefit from a powerful intuition, although you don’t always think about it, these insights influence your view of events, the words and actions of others. During December, however, your perceptive powers are at a peak.

This is good timing, because often events will make no logical sense. Yet this unique perception will guide you, both confirming that seemingly chaotic events are actually breaking up restrictive arrangements and, equally, that the changes you’re undertaking are as timely as they are wise.

Pink November 2017 ∫ 95

SNAPSHOT

THE OTHER SIDE OF THE BADDIE

Theatre actress, artist, costume designer, entrepreneur… Izzy Warrington tells Pink about her different career paths and about playing the role of the wicked stepmother in MADC’s 2017 panto, Cinderella.

W

here does one start when discussing Izzy Warrington? Probably from the fact that her schedule would look like an absolute nightmare to anyone who can’t multitask…

A renowned illustrator and caricaturist, Izzy is also the founder of a company set up to renovate old properties in the Three Cities – a role she took upon herself after refurbishing her stunning Senglea home.

Her passions go beyond art and property, however… In fact, she’s becoming one of Malta’s more prolific costume designers for theatre.

“It was a natural progression since I’d been involved in theatre since the age of 18,” she explains. “It’s an aspect of my work that I thoroughly enjoy because I can integrate my experience on stage with my design and love for fabrics and textures… Having said that, it’s the seamstresses that bring my sketches to life!”

When it comes to theatre, Izzy’s CV is no less diverse, having played the roles of Portia in The Merchant of Venice, Audrey in Little Shop of Horrors, Jenny in Company, Velma in Chicago and, more recently, her solo performance in Shirley Valentine.

Now, however, Izzy is set to take on one of the most iconic roles in fairy tales: that of the wicked stepmother in MADC’s 2017 panto, Cinderella.

Here, she tells us more about her work and about why she decided to take on the role of Baroness Kifuza [i.e.

Cinderella’s stepmother].

When did you first take up acting? I was 26 years old the first time I acted in a play. It was part of the MADC’s OneAct Play Festival. I enjoyed the experience and realised that acting came naturally to me. Even so, I wasn’t new to the stage as I had been dancing since the age of 17.

What do you love most about being an actress? The

liberation it gives me to explore other lives and characters. I enjoy creating characters and performing in front of an audience. It’s scary and thrilling at the same time.

What is the biggest lesson the stage has taught you?

Discipline. I like this, even though I am very free-spirited. It is Pink November 2017 ∫ 97

SNAPSHOT this outlet because the more you explore, the more you realise they are limitless, and there is nothing I enjoy more than pushing my personal boundaries and trying out new disciplines [if something interests me]. I’ve never been one to confine myself to one discipline or another.

Where does property renovation fit into all this?

Renovating old properties is something I find very fulfilling. I love the before and after transformation, but what’s most exciting to me is the idea of turning something that was originally built for a past era and a completely different lifestyle into a dwelling for contemporary living. It also ties in with my love for preserving our heritage and breathing new life into old towns: I care a great deal about the environment, be it urban or rural, therefore renovating the old, rather than replacing it with the new, is much more appealing to me.

“DESIGNING FOR PANTO GIVES ME MUCH MORE FREEDOM THAN MORE CONVENTIONAL SHOWS. THE MORE OUTRAGEOUS THE COSTUME, THE BETTER. THIS IS WHERE MY CARICATURES COME IN HANDY – IF I THINK IN THAT FRAME OF MIND, THEN I KNOW I’M ON THE RIGHT TRACK” You’ll soon be taking up the role of the wicked stepmother in MADC’s panto, Cinderella. The story is known to millions across the globe, but what do you think it teaches us? The story of Cinderella is my all-time favourite fairy

important to be disciplined when you are a performer: turning up to rehearsals on time, memorising lines, working as a team, taking direction and sharpening your skills are all part of the deal. Nevertheless, I took a break from acting in February 2016.

I wasn’t sure whether I would want to return because I was focused on other projects that were equally fulfilling. However, I had a sudden change of heart when I heard the role of the wicked stepmother was up for grabs. I suppose I also learnt that it’s OK to take a break from the things you love sometimes, so you can return with restored energy.

Who would you say has influenced you the most in your life and why? My mother… Although we chose different paths

in life – and we don’t always see eye to eye – she has been the best role model. She’s got a strong character and will always do what she feels is right. Her sense of discipline and capacity to cope in the toughest times are what I admire most about her. Yet, she is also a very gentle, capable, compassionate and, above all, patient person.

tale… I suppose that’s because I’m a romantic at heart. It’s a simple story, with lots of magic and make-believe. And the best part of it is that good wins the day. It’s a story about hope and karma and righteousness prevailing. That’s something all people of goodwill wish for, I think.

And we heard you’re designing the costumes for the MADC panto, too! What can you tell us about this?

Designing for panto gives me much more freedom than more conventional shows. The more outrageous the costume, the better. This is where my caricatures come in handy – if I think in that frame of mind, then I know I’m on the right track. I’ve designed panto costumes twice before. The first time was quite a few years back for Robin Hood. It was a baptism of fire because we were a much smaller and less organised wardrobe team, and I swore I would never do it again. But, nowadays, the task is much slicker thanks to our extremely efficient chairman, Martin Azzopardi. Each person’s role is well defined, which makes a mammoth task so much easier.

What’s next for Izzy once Cinderella is over? Hopefully a

You are also an artist and a designer. How do your two passions come together? Acting and painting are both a

break! As much as I love panto, the run-up to Christmas is always a very hectic time for me because it has to slot in between all my other projects – particularly when you add the costumes to the mix! Quite honestly, I have no definite plans for theatre next year.

means of self-expression, and I am lucky to have an aptitude for both. One discipline influences the other because they’re both coming from the same source. It’s wonderful to have

MADC’s 2017 panto is on at the MFCC in Ta’ Qali between December 22 and January 2. For more information or tickets, visit www.madc.com.mt

98 ∫ Pink November 2017