The celebration featured various aspects of Malta’s modern lifestyle, culinary culture, and artistic scene and showcased a captivating performance by the Maltese Jazz Band Joseph Debono Trio. Maltese culinary artist Gordon Galea prepared and served authentic Maltese cuisine to the distinguished guests, and an exhibition of paintings by a Maltese artist residing in the UAE was displayed.
Abu Dhabi, UAE-: The Embassy of the Republic of Malta in the United Arab Emirates commemorated Malta’s 59th Independence Anniversary and the remarkable milestone of 50 years of diplomatic relations with the United Arab Emirates with a celebration held in Abu Dhabi at the Dusit Thani Hotel, on 4th October, 2023.
Among the distinguished guests-of-honour in attendance were His Highness Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence, and the Honourable Owen Bonnici, Minister for National Heritage, the Arts, and Local Government, as well as a number of government officials from Malta as well as from the UAE.
The event was attended by Maltese nationals living in the UAE, Emirati and international dignitaries, and friends of Malta from various spheres including diplomacy, politics, commerce, culture, education, and social circles, along with local press, travel trade professionals, and media influencers, was a testament to the enduring bond between the two nations. The event highlighted various facets of Malta’s contemporary identity and showcasing its vibrant cultural, music, art and tourism scenes, while also emphasizing the wealth of business prospects shared between the two nations.
The evening featured a captivating performance by the renowned Maltese Jazz Band, Joseph Debono Trio, featuring the talented Nadine Axisa, which made a special trip to the UAE to delight the audience with a diverse repertoire encompassing both Maltese and international musical arrangements, supported by Malta Tourism Authority and the Mediterranean Conference Centre.
During the event, Her Excellency, Maria Camilleri Calleja, Ambassador of the Republic of Malta to the United Arab Emirates commended the relations between the two countries, growing from strength to strength, which have this year seen a number of high-level visits, and highlighted the commitment of Malta to increase trade and investments with the UAE in different sectors including travel and tourism, advanced technology, education, digital economy, fintech, green technology as well as education and culture.
The Honourable Owen Bonnici, Minister for National Heritage, the Arts and Local Government, said: “Having had the pleasure of visiting The Louvre Abu Dhabi during my visit here, I was pleased to see the comprehensive collection of artworks from around the world which tells the story of human civilizations and artistic achievements. I also had the time to contemplate at the reunited Cippi, the two iconic pair of pillars of Maltese origin, which as ancient artifacts date back to the 2nd Century BC, and have been separated for the last 241 years. Thankfully they are now reunited here in Abu Dhabi at this artistic and cultural edifice, with the support of Heritage Malta, the Abu Dhabi Department of Culture and Tourism, the Louvre Abu Dhabi, the Louvre in Paris and the Embassy of Malta in the UAE. The reunion of these iconic Cippi in the UAE is nothing short of a testament to the enduring power of culture and diplomacy. These ancient artifacts not only hold immense historical and aesthetic value, but also symbolize the decipherment of language and the bonds of diplomacy. They remind us that history has a remarkable way of bringing us together, even across centuries and continents.”
The event was generously supported by 20 Maltese entities namely the Ministry for Foreign and European Affairs and Trade, Malta Tourism Authority, ENDEVIO, Tech.MT, Kore Group, RISC Institute, 242.Group, Residency Malta, Mediterranean Conference Centre, MED-TECH World, Malta Enterprise, MEDSERV METS Regis, LIYFE, Gaming Malta, KSI Malta, Emirates Airlines, Corinthia Group, Construct Furniture, A&Z International Trading, Farsons.