On 22 September 2026, Malta Day celebrations were held at the Tour Hassan Palace in Rabat. This was the second Malta Day event held in Morocco and the first to take place in the Moroccan capital. The reception marked the 62nd anniversary of Malta’s Independence and the 52nd anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Malta and the Kingdom of Morocco. Non-Resident Ambassador Paul Mifsud and Consul General Ivan Vassallo presided over the event, which was attended by distinguished guests, including ambassadors, representatives of Maltese and Moroccan businesses, and members of the Moroccan cultural community and media.

The event also featured a cultural programme supported by VFS Global. Soprano Nicola Said and pianist Maria Elena Farrugia performed the national anthems of Malta and Morocco, symbolising the friendship between the two countries. Guests also enjoyed a selection of Maltese classical music by Charles Camilleri and Joe Friggieri, performed by the same artists.

Consul General Vassallo opened the event by introducing Ambassador Mifsud and coordinating the cultural programme.

In his address, Ambassador Mifsud highlighted the continued strengthening of the already excellent bilateral relations between Malta and Morocco, while acknowledging that further opportunities exist to develop mutually beneficial cooperation. He emphasised that both countries share a spirit of collaboration and mutual respect within multilateral and regional forums. He also referred to the bilateral meeting between Minister for Foreign and European Affairs Chris Fearne and Moroccan Minister for Foreign Affairs Nasser Bourita, held on the margins of the United Nations General Assembly.

Ambassador Mifsud also expressed his gratitude to those whose support contributed to the success of the celebrations, including Honorary Consul Jalil Madih, the hosts at Tour Hassan Palace, and the sponsors: Cashplus, Hudson Holdings, VisitMalta, Techniplus, MCPA Office, Bridge Advisory, Malta Enterprise, the International Moroccan Community in Malta and Benna.

Also present at the National Day reception was a delegation from Arts Council Malta, led by Annabelle Sivala, Director for Internationalisation, together with Charles Saliba, Malta Enterprise’s Special Envoy for North Africa. Their presence added an important cultural and economic dimension to the celebrations, reflecting Malta’s commitment to strengthening cooperation with Morocco across various sectors.

During their visit, both delegations held a series of meetings and discussions with their Moroccan counterparts and representatives of European institutions. These exchanges focused on exploring opportunities for closer collaboration in culture, business development, internationalisation and investment promotion.

On the same day, Ambassador Mifsud and Consul General Vassallo also held bilateral meetings with representatives of the Protocol and European Directorates of the Moroccan Ministry of Foreign Affairs.