The Xaghra Local Council is holding its village figs festival for the second year running. The festival includes a conference about the history of this typical fruit in which various local and foreign professors will participate.

The Figs festival will be held on Saturday, the 8th and Sunday, the 9th of October 2011. The conference will take place on Saturday morning from 9.30am onwards at the ‘Dun Alwig Camilleri’ Hall, at the Victory Philharmonic Society’s club. The aim of this conference is to raise awareness and to disseminate information about the cultivation of the fig tree which, although it did not originate in the Mediterranean, it is considered as one of our typical products.

During this festival, the Xaghra Local Council will sign an official twinning agreement with the Comune of San Michele Salentino in Italy. This ceremony will also take place at the ‘Dun Alwig Camilleri’ on Saturday, the 8th of October from 8.30pm onwards, while on Sunday, the 9th of October, an exhibition of fig-made products will be held in Victory Square between 8.30am and 1.00pm. This exhibition will be accompanied by traditional folk music.

The Xaghra Local Council forms part of the ficusnet network, which is a network of European cities that produce figs. A number of foreign delegations will also be present.

The fig tree is an Asian tree which was introduced into the Mediterranean area thousands of years ago. Figs were among the first fruits cultivated by man. Figs are now widespread thoughout through the Mediterranean.

The Xaghra Local Council joined the ficusnet network in November 2009 after a visit by a delegation from the council to Carmignano. The first edition of this figs festival was held in Xaghra in September last year and proved to be a great success. The Council is warmly inviting everyone to attend the festival and have the chance to try the fruit.

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