Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/329964
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 15 JUNE 2014 15 "For example, I think it's a shame that we don't have a multi-purpose theatre; which would be able to ab- sorb various initiatives and events. Some people will point to the Malta Mediterranean Conference Centre and say that it could fulfil that pur- pose but, although I think it remains a worthy venue, the clue is in the name: it's built for conferences, not performances." On the issue of professionalisation, Micallef says that the Foundation is looking beyond University and MCAST. "The regeneration of Strait Street and the Valletta market is part of this drive: to create new jobs. I'm keen to cultivate Malta's creative economy and I believe in our artists, and I don't buy into any clichés. Artists are not lunatics – they're people who dream things up, yes, but then carry them through, and ultimately end up mak- ing something out of nothing." Unlike other European capitals of culture, Valletta 2018, owing to Malta's size, will stretch beyond the confines of the capital city and incor- porate the rest of the island in a bid to cultivate a vibrant cultural scenario come 2018. Regeneration – both of Valletta itself and surrounding towns – is in fact another key priority for the Foundation: Micallef is keen to point out that its work goes beyond simply organising a series of cultural events. Micallef says that he's been meet- ing up with various local councils and discussing possibilities for collabora- tion between villages – he mentions a regatta in the Northern region of the island as one potential initiative – and that his general idea has been met with enthusiasm. "A lot of these places have the sea and agriculture as common elements that tie them together, so I see plenty of potential there" – it's hardly a sur- prise to see the former presenter of 'Naturambjent' light up when the subject of local agriculture is brought into the conversation – "and I think bringing people together has been one of the Foundation's greater suc- cesses. Diversity and tolerance are important aspects of what Valletta 2018 is about." (Accessibility is, of course, an im- portant part of this equation, and Mi- callef is happy to announce that ferry connections will also be strength- ened thanks to Valletta 2018: a new service covering Valletta, Sliema and Cottonera will be put in place come July.) Pointing out how the Foundation has supported musical projects in- volving inmates (with the help of lo- cal musician Jon Mallia), Micallef is also keen to actively combat racial prejudice – which he deems to be a very real and persistent problem in Malta – through the Foundation. "Though some people were suspi- cious about the fact that we wanted to incorporate football into V18, the fact is that the UEFA European Under-17 Championship that we helped organise [in various locations in Malta and Gozo from 9 to 21 May] had players from the Southern side of Valletta – some of whom were of Af- rican origin, playing alongside other young Maltese people… we want to continue fostering these links and breaking boundaries." This 'holistic' view of culture ex- tends to – once again – the agri- cultural sphere, which, as Micallef emphasises, can help us put the way we live – and particularly the way we consume our food – into perspec- tive. "The government is spending a lot of money on weight loss programmes and on raising awareness about health but then, you go to large-scale events and they'd be littered with stands sell- ing junk food… I think that if we give a push to agricultural events like Zejt iz-Zejtun, Festa Frawli and so on, we could give people a real insight into what goes behind the production of our food, and foster a real apprecia- tion of it…" While the association has its work cut out for it – ahead of 2018, Malta's hosting of the EU Presidency in 2017 will be an important litmus test for the Foundation – Micallef remains optimistic about our position as pro- spective Capital for Culture. "I think that for every problem we come across, we can find a solution. We just have to cut down on our complaining and get on with it." treljic@mediatoday.com.mt News 'Artists are not lunatics' New university course offers 'bite-siz ed' education tion "which can be traced all the way back to classical antiquity, where it was understood as the kind of broad education that was needed for the formation of a well-rounded, free (liber) citizen who would be better placed to contribute positively to the community". Although its origins are European, de Lucca says that during the last couple of centuries, "the liberal edu- cation model has been particularly popular in the United States but suf- fered a decline in Europe as a result of the tendency to place an exclusive focus on specialisation, sometimes at the expense of the wider picture." De Lucca adds that apart from of- fering a more varied and holistic presentation of disciplines, the course structure – that of 'bite sized' study units which can be cherry-picked by students – caters to the realities most 'returning' students face when they decide to go back to university. "Many people who would like to start or go back to university when they are older are likely to have to juggle their studies with other com- mitments, such as family and work… this programme is responsive to changes in society such as the need for more flexibility for continuing education as well as the increasing demand for flexibility in the job mar- ket," de Lucca said. For more information and a full course programme, log on to http://www.um.edu.mt/clas Jason Micallef: "Let's cut down on our complaining and just get on with it" PHOTOGRAPHY BY RAY ATTARD