Boost for tradition

Charmaine Camilleri in Australia writes in the Moone Valley Community News about plans announced by the visiting prime minister to keep cultural and linguistic links alive:

In a speech given at a conference in Melbourne's Maltese Consulate last Monday, Dr Gonzi spoke passionately about his hopes to preserve Malta's rich culture and traditions through second and third generations. A major plan is the setting up of a specialist unit of up to five teachers based in Malta to teach Maltese via advanced technology. ''The Maltese living in Australia - not just the first generation but the second and third generations - want us to help out in strengthening the links with their country of origin and we are responding to that,'' Dr Gonzi said. ''I believe we are not using the technology that exists today to make life easier. ''I want to see larger number of Maltese learning their language.''

Thousands of Maltese left their country in search of a better life after World War II, but this older generation is now declining. Though the language has been taught at the Maltese Community Council of Victoria in Parkville for more than 20 years, there has been a lack of interest among young Maltese-Australians, said Brian Zammit of the Maltese Historical Association. ''This is inevitable given assimilatory pressures among second and third generation Maltese-Australians and this is a problem that confronts, to one extent or another, all migrant communities,'' he said.

''This initiative ... is, I believe, long overdue.'' Dr Gonzi also announced reforms to the dual citizenship law, which entitles children of Maltese citizens to acquire Maltese, and effectively European Union, citizenship. From this month, second and third generations will also be eligible, given they can prove their ancestors were born in Malta. Gioconda Schembri, of the Maltese Consulate, welcomed the changes. ''It guarantees that Maltese culture remains alive outside of Malta. "There is also the benefit of being a citizen of the European Union, because Malta is in the EU, and that opens so many opportunities." Ms Schembri said at 320 square-kilometres, Malta was 25 times smaller than Melbourne yet attracted more than 1.5 million tourists per year. ''What it will attract is more interest among young people of Maltese background to visit Malta and see with their own eyes the land of their ancestors.''...