Study Weekend to focus on Malta

January 18, 2007

The Mediterranean island nation of Malta is to be the focus of the 37th Annual CWA Weekend Country of Study School at the beginning of February.

More than 200 members of the Country Women's Association (CWA) of NSW will take part in the three days of lectures, discussions and cultural events at the University of New England from Friday 2 February to Sunday 4 February. They will travel to UNE from all parts of the State.

Hosted by UNE's Earle Page College and organised by the UNE Conference Company, the Study School takes a deep and informative look at a different country each year. (Last year's country was Denmark.) Sharon Gallen, Manager of the Conference Company, said the Country of Study Weekend was one of the longest-running annual events hosted by UNE. It is one expression of a long-standing relationship between the University and the CWA.

Ms Joanna Pisani, the Maltese Consul General for NSW, will present an "Introduction to Malta" to begin the lecture program in UNE's Wright Centre on the Saturday. Among the other talks that day will be studies of Maltese politics and Maltese settlement in Australia, as well as a talk by Mr Lino Vella, Editor of The Maltese Herald, titled "The Malta news". (The Maltese Herald is the only national bi-lingual Maltese/English newspaper in Australia.)

The talks on the Sunday morning will include one on the language and literature of Malta by the linguist Roderick Bovingdon. (Mr Bovingdon is an authority on the Maltese language of Australia – "Maltraljan".)

During a formal dinner in the Earle Page College Dining Hall on the Friday evening, the Vice-Chancellor of UNE, Professor Alan Pettigrew, will welcome the delegates to UNE, the Mayor, Councillor Peter Ducat, will welcome them to Armidale, and Ms Pisani will present a "Welcome to Malta".

The multicultural band "Skorba" will give a performance on the Saturday evening that will focus on the culture of the Maltese islands and their beauty, as well as on the Neolithic temples of Malta that are between 6,000 and 8,000 years old.

Posted by Jim Scanlan at January 18, 2007 05:11 PM