MCC Commemorates Australia Day

In Maltese below – Bil-Malti isfel

On the weekend of 21 and 22 January, the Maltese Community Council of NSW, with its member organisations, commemorated Australia Day – with two days of events.

On Saturday, January 21, MCC delegates, dignitaries and the public came together to recognise the achievements of the Maltese community in Australia. After an introduction by the President Miriam Friggieri, and a selection of songs by Joe Apap, the address of the keynote speaker, Ivan Cauchi, brought much to the centre of the thoughts of all who were there towards the place of the first inhabitants of this continent, the Aborigines, on this day. Mr. Cauchi explored the legacy of colonialism that still discriminates today and closed with his hope that in the spirit of reconciliation, the Australian population will give way to the wishes of the Indigenous Australians in the Uluru Statement of the Heart.

Afterwards, the Hon Dr. Geoff Lee MP, the Hon Mark Buttigieg MLC, and Julia Finn MP helped to recognise the special guests, those Maltese who received honours of the Order of Australia. These were Doris Athanasio, Prof. Stephen Gatt, Lawrence Dimech, Nancy Serg, George Bartolo, Charles Mifsud, Patrick Bartolo and Mark Caruana who received OAM, and Maria Said who received AM.

The Event ended with an address from the Mayor of Cumberland City Council, councillor Lisa Lake, and more singing and music from Joe Apap.

For Sunday, January 22, we met at the Hamrun Club in Marsden Park for the MCC Open Day. The club is an organising member of the MCC and everyone enjoyed the various events that were on offer. There was music by Emanuel Friggieri, Natasha Tatarinoff and Charlie Muscat as well as face painting and games for the children. Mark Tanti of the Melita Eagles cooked a sausage sizzle for everyone and Maltese food and drinks were prepared by the volunteers of the Hamrun Club. The MCC member organisations also broadcast their work and activities to the public.

The MCC of NSW thanks the member organisations and volunteers who helped make these two days a huge success. We also thank the event and MCC sponsors: NSW Hot Water; Traditional Delights; Fiducian Financial Services; and the magazine The Voice of the Maltese; as well as Multicultural NSW for the grant that made all this possible.

Fil-weekend ta’ 21 u 22 ta’ Jannar, il-Maltese Community Council ta’ NSW, mal-membri organizzazzjonijiet tagħa, ikkomemorat Jum l-Awstralja – Australia Day – b’jumejn t’avverimenti.

Is-Sibt, 21 ta’ Jannar, ġew flimkien delegati tal-MCC, dinjitarji u l-publikku biex jirrikonoxxu il-kisbiet tal-kommunità Maltija f’Awstralja. Wara introduzzjoni mill-Preżident Miriam Friggieri, u selezzjoni ta’ kanzunetti minn Joe Apap, l-indirrizz tal-keynote speaker, Ivan Cauchi, ġab ferm fiċ-ċentru tal-ħsibijiet ta’ kull ma kien hemm lejn il-post ta’ l-ewwel abitanti ta’ dan il-kuntinent, l-Aboriġini, f’dan il-jum. Is-Sur Cauchi esplora l-wirt tal-kolonjaliżmu li għada tidiskrimina sal-lum u għalaq bit-tama tiegħu li fs-spirtu ta’ rekonċilijazzjoni, l-popolazzjoni Awstraljana tagħti lok għax-xewqat tal-Awstraljani Indiġeni fl-Uluru Statement of the Heart.

Wara, l-Onorevoli Dr Geoff Lee MP, l-Onorevoli Mark Buttigieg MLC, u Julia Finn MP għenu biex nirrikonoxxu il-mistiednin speċjali, dawk il-Maltin li rċevew unuri ta l-Order of Australia. Dawn kienu Doris Athanasio, Prof Stephen Gatt, Lawrence Dimech, Nancy Serg, George Bartolo, Charles Mifsud, Patrick Bartolo u Mark Caruana li rċevew OAM, u Maria Said li rċeviet AM.

L-Okkazzjoni spiċċat b-indirizz mil-Mayor ta’ Cumberland City Council, il-kunsillier Lisa Lake, u b-aktar kant u mużika min Joe Apap.

Għal-Ħadd, 22 ta’ Jannar, iltqajna fil-Hamrun Club f’Marsden Park għall-MCC Open Day. Il-klabb huwa membru organizzazzjoni tal-MCC u kulħadd ħa pjaċir bl-avverimenti diversi li kien hemm offruti. Kien hemm mużika minn Emanuel Friggieri, Natasha Tatarinoff u Charlie Muscat kif ukol face painting u logħob għat-tfal. Mark Tanti tal-Melita Eagles sajjar sausage sizzle għall kulħadd u ikel u xorb Malti kien preparat mill-voluntiera tal-Hamrun Clulb. L-organizzazzjonijiet membri tal-MCC xandru ukol ix-xogħolijiet u l-attivitajiet tagħhom mal-publiku.

L-MCC ta’ NSW tirringrazzja il-membri organizzazzjonijiet u il-voluntiera li għenu jgħamlu dawn il-jumejn suċċess immens. Nirringrazzjaw ukol l-isponsors tal-avverimenti u tal-MCC: NSW Hot Water; Traditional Delights; Fiducian Financial Services; u l-magażin The Voice of the Maltese; kif ukol lil Multicultural NSW għall-għotja li għamlet dan kollu possibli.