The Ministry for Gozo and the U.S. Embassy organised the first-ever “Gozitan-American Day Festa,” in the Courtyard of the Ministry for Gozo on Monday. Popular country music performer John Montana provided entertainment interspersed with the occasional sing-along Americana style, which included popular tunes such as America The Beautiful, You Are My Sunshine, When The Saints Go Marching In, Sweet Caroline and New York, New York.
Professors John Contino and Maire Mullins, from Pepperdine University, painted a delightful picture of America as described through the values of the Great Books and the well-known poetry of Walt Whitman. The Maltese, Gozitan and foreign guests who attended the event discussed a number of great literary works from around the world.
This first Gozitan-American Day was the initiative of the Minister for Gozo, Giovanna Debono and U.S. Ambassador Douglas Kmiec. Commenting on the occasion, U.S. Ambassador Douglas Kmiec said “The U.S. Embassy is happy to bring both the informal fun common to American culture and the thought-provoking spirit of American literature together on the beautiful island of Gozo in the tradition of a U.S. summer get-together. I am proud that the Ministry for Gozo and the U.S. Embassy are celebrating the first Gozitan-American Day together, and I hope we can make this an annual tradition.”
Whilst welcoming those present, the Minister for Gozo, Giovanna Debono, praised the initiative taken by the US embassy and said that it will surely strengthen the ties between the US Embassy in Malta and US citizens resident in Gozo. The Minister explained how many Gozitan returned migrants are still attached to the United States through relatives and friends residing in America. The Ministry for Gozo collaborates with foreign embassies in order to facilitate services and procedures that Gozitan residents might need from time to time. In this way, for the past two years, the American Embassy has been providing consular services within the Ministry for Gozo on a monthly basis. This resulted in better services and less hassle for those needing assistance. Minister Debono expressed her hope that further collaboration between the Ministry for Gozo and the American Embassy in Malta would result in more opportunities for Gozitan residents especially within the cultural and educational spheres.