The Embassy of Malta in the United States of America celebrated Malta’s 50th Anniversary of becoming a Republic with Maltese music, culture, and talent. The Embassy organised a special concert at the world-renowned Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., which is the National Cultural Centre in the United States of America. The full-house event was attended by a varied audience that included members of the Diplomatic Corps, representatives of the Mayor of the District of Colombia, officials from the State Department, Maltese citizens who came from across different States within the US and others.

Maltese artists Davinia Pace, Pamela Cibrano, and Kristian Schembri as well as Aiveen Gallagher-Schembri were the main protagonists of this celebration. The programme constituted a myriad of musical artistry ranging from Maltese composers to well-known opera pieces. The evening also included an original musical composition celebrating Maltese elements and traditional poetry. The concert gave space for the Embassy to showcase original Maltese music through the performance of a medley of band marches and the use of the Maltese language, something which had never taken place within walls of the US National Cultural Centre. The attendees were in awe of what they were truly witnessing at such a prestigious musical location.

Ambassador Xuereb extends his heartfelt thanks to the Kennedy Center for offering the Embassy the platform to showcase Maltese talent for the very first time in history at such a location, as well as the Artists who travelled to Washington, D.C. to share their talent and passion for music and poetry. Furthermore, the Embassy would like to thank the members of the Maltese Diaspora who came all the way from Michigan, Maryland, and Virginia as well as those who tuned in online from San Francisco and other States, to watch history being made at the Kennedy Center. In a nutshell, this year’s Malta Day Concert was indeed a first for Malta in many respects.