Memorial ceremonies, regatta & a sunny day out! Get ready for Freedom Day this weekend
Malta is a young country. After centuries of foreign rule – most recently, by the Knights of St John, the French and the British – the latter half of the 20th century saw the country rid itself of the binds which tied it. For it was on one sunny day, the 21st September 1964, that the country became independent, standing up tentatively to take control of its own destiny – come what may.
Clive Vella & viewingmalta
But it wasn’t until 31st March 1979, when the last British troops and the Royal Navy sailed out of the Grand Harbour, that the island started afresh. That day was marked by mixed feelings for those at the Upper Barrakka Gardens watching and waving the British off for the last time. There was joy; there were tears; but there was also the certainty that the island had changed. For good.
Today, that moment is commemorated in a series of events which look back to Malta’s chequered past, with memorial ceremonies taking place at the Freedom Day Monument in Birgu (Vittoriosa) and the War Memorial in Floriana. The events, comprising Freedom Day (Jum il-Helsien in Maltese) are attended by local dignitaries, such as the President of the Republic, with speeches and marches sounding the observance of the day with pomp and flair.
But the crowning moments of the day take place during the Freedom Day Regatta, a series of rowing boat races pitting teams from Valletta, the Three Cities (Birgu, Bormla and Isla) and other local coastal towns against each other. And, in a nod to the symbolic significance of the Grand Harbour to the events surrounding 31st March, the races all take place within the port’s curve, which echoes with the sounds of fervent cheering and laughter.
Other events this week:
1. Saturday, 30th March from 9pm: Letz-Zep Live! The Official Led Zeppelin Tribute Band - Aria Complex, Triq Hal Gharghur, San Gwann.
2. Saturday, 30th March from 8pm and Sunday, 31st March from 4pm: Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat, the Musical - Teatru Astra, Republic Street, Victoria, Gozo.
3. Sunday, 31st March from 3pm – 8pm: Trekking in Wied Qannota - meeting point Zebbiegh Parish Church.
4. Sunday, 31st March from 10am – 5.30pm: Artisan's Collective - Palazzo de Piro, Mdina.