The Comune di Tolfa in Italy recently invited a group of 6 musicians from Ghajnsielem to perform at the 11th edition of Tolfarte, a popular regional street festival of arts, crafts and music. The delegation was sponsored by the Ghajnsielem Local Council.
The event started on Friday the 7th August and was held over 3 days. The festival is similar to ‘Notte Bianca,’ which takes place in Valletta, and was attended by over 50,000 people from all over the province of Rome.
The concert in which the local talent from Ghajnsielem took part was held in ‘Piazza Bartoli’ with a 90-minute show featuring singers Albert-Lauren and his sister Loredana Agius, Daphne Xuereb, baritone Charles Buttigieg, pianist Charlene Portelli and finally Deborah C who closed the event.
The Mayor of Tolfa Luigi Landi, congratulated the Maltese delegation and presented a commemorative gift to Vice-Mayor Kevin Cauchi, who was representing the Local Council.
The Vice-Mayor thanked all the Tolfa volunteers for the festival organisation and the Tolfa Council for the great hospitality especially the Tolfa Mayor and Alessandro Battilochio.
Present for the event were also Ghajnsielem Councillors Kareen Xuereb and Peter Caruana together with executive secretary Lucianne Haber.
The talented youngsters performed again on Sunday morning for the 10.00am mass at the “Chiesa collegiata di Sant’Egidio Abate.” At the end of the Mass, baritone Charles Buttigieg sang “I walk with God” and Bocelli’s “Con Te Partiro/time to say Goodbye” as the present congregation broke into a round of applause.
The Council said that a delegation of 60 people from Tolfa will be visiting Ghajnsielem for this year’s feast of Our Lady of Loreto, ensuring that the friendship that exists between the two towns continues to grow stronger each year..