To mark the occasion of the twenty-seventh anniversary of its establishment, the National Archives Gozo is organising the exhibition " Historical Niches of Gozo," with photographs of more than fifty old niches with a religious theme which are located around the island of Gozo.

The exhibition's theme was chosen so as to shift the focus on to heritage. The history of the majority of these niches is not known, but a number of them are well documented in the volumes of the National Archives Gozo, as well as other archives.

The exhibited photographs, three out of every locality in Gozo, will eventually form part of the photography section of the NAG. They are all taken by professional artist Paul Falzon, an Archive employee.

All colour photos, along with historical data researched is by Rev. Dr Joseph Bezzina, Assistant National Archivist, appears in a catalogue that has been specially published and is selling for € 5 from the Archives, along with special postcard of the occasion.

The inauguration of the exhibition, which is being sponsored by HSBC Bank and Gozitan Local Councils, took place this morning by the Minister for Gozo Dr Anton Refalo, who described the National Archives as "the DNA of our country."

He said that the Government is committed to continue to invest in this important institution because it has a historical and cultural interest of our people at the forefront of its priorities.

He mentioned the Gozo Museum project which is being undertaken in collaboration with Heritage Malta, he also promised that the Ministry for Gozo is ready to financially support the initiative of the National Archives Gozo to create the first complete catalogue of all niches in Gozo, as a source of reference for the future.

Mr. Joe Scerri, on behalf of Dr Charles Farrugia, National Archivist, thanked the Ministry for Gozo "for its extraordinary assistance to the NAG in this past year ". He remarked that document numbers are increasing and they "have been provided temporary lodging for documents at Gharb with 300 metres of shelving, but it also filled."

The NAG explained that in the last year the digitisation has taken place of all archival fonds of the old Universitas, the Regional Government of Gozo and the Knights of Europe fonds, while Eco-Gozo funds bought four modern map cabinets for storage of original drawings and maps deposited in the archive.

From the Ministry, directed funds also purchased shelving for the new National Archives deposit at Gharb which, the NAG said, "will hold notarised documents from the totally inadequate storage at the Ministry, in a place which is much more suitable."The purpose of the NAG Annual Exhibition is to expose the general public to its deposits, as well as to highlight aspects of Gozo's historical and cultural heritage. The NAG said that the Archive is increasingly in its popularity with researchers, with its fonds being consulted by 592 people over the last year. The Archive has grown over the years, so that the existing space has been limited to the amount of material deposited therein.

This year, Maria Mifsud-Bonnici, wife of former Chief Justice Dr Giuseppe Mifsud-Bonnici, made a grant of 71 volumes of judgements of the Civil Court and the High Court (19th and 20th centuries). Mr Charles Bezzina, a leading researcher on the history of World War II in Gozo, also made a wonderful donation of pictures of Gozo war victims, while Dr George Azzopardi, benefactor of the Archive, donated a set of original postcards on Gozo.

NAG also said that Magro Brothers Gozo had made a presentation to the Gozo Minister of its recent publication – A Century of Enterprise in Gozo – with research by Dr Joseph Bezzina, who made great use of the fonds and of documents in the archive, as well as the fond with historical photos of Gozo.

The exhibition remains open to the public until the 17th of November, Monday to Saturday, from 8.00am to 12.30pm.

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