(While reading about this Unique Award Obtained and Held by our Society, you can open your PC Sound to listen David Morris, Guest International Soloist for the 10th August 2006 Concert in Mqabba, performing sample from 'Flight of the Bumble Bee' Song.)
'L'Etoile d'Or du Jumelage', the meaning:
'Etoile d'Or' means 'Golden Star' and 'Jumelage' means 'Twinning'. The 'Etoile d'Or du Jumelage' is a prestigious award the European Union gives to the Organizers coming from the Towns involved in the best twinning events held around Europe every year. The Society of Saint Mary and King George V Band of Mqabba, Malta, being the ONLY organizer of the Twinning held between the King George V Band of Mqabba, and the Band from the Town of Santa Vittoria In Matenano from Italy, received this award in 1998. Following almost 10 years from this unique occasion, our Society and the Town of Mqabba are still the Only Organisation and Town in Malta and Gozo to hold this award. But how it came to us to be honoured with such a unique award for the whole Maltese Islands?
The Twinning:
On January 1996 the Society of Saint Mary and King George V Band Club of Mqabba started a twinning agreement with a Band from the Province of Ascoli Piceno in Italy, the Corpo Bandistico Cittadino di Santa Vittoria in Matenano. This agreement also involved two main events which were held between the years 1996 and 1997. The events consisted of exchange visits between the two Bands. The King George V Band of Mqabba, Malta visited Italy in 1996, and the Corpo Bandistico Cittadino di Santa Vittoria in Matenano visited Malta in 1997.
July 1996 - Visit of the King George V Band to Italy:
The King George V Band, compiled mainly of local bandsmen/women from the village of Mqabba, Malta, was hosted for a 7 day period in the town of Santa Vittoria in Matenano, and was guest of honour of the local Band, the Corpo Bandistico Cittadino di Santa Vittoria in Matenano. During the visit the band perfomed marches and concerts in different towns and villages in the province of Ascoli Piceno, like Comunanza, Amandola, Smerillo, Montemonaco and Montelparo. The main activity of the band was a concert in the village of Santa Vittoria in Matenano, following an official twinning ceremony held at the Municipal Buildings of the village. During the day the Band also played in a Massed Band with the Italian 'Twin' Band. Various other cultural visits were organized to Assisi, Cascia, Rimini, San Marino and Ascoli Piceno. In Ascoli Piceno the King George V Band was officially hosted by the President of the Province Dr. Pietro Colonnella. During this visit the Band Musical Director was Mro. Anthony Camilleri, and the whole group, which also consisted of a number of local people from Mqabba, Malta, was led by the President of the Society of Saint Mary, Mr. Carmel Zahra, and Mqabba Town Mayor, Mr. Emmanuel Buttigieg.
August 1997 - Visit of the Corpo Bandistico Citta di Santa Vittoria in Matenano to Malta:
The year was the 50th anniversary of the King George V Band, and the occasion was the Festa of Santa Maria in Mqabba, Malta. For the occasion the Corpo Bandistico di Santa Vittoria in Matenano visited Malta and was this time hosted by the Society of Saint Mary and King George V Band Club of Mqabba, Malta. The Band performed Marches and Concerts in Mqabba, during the Festa Week, performed in the Capital of Gozo, Victoria, during the Santa Marija Festa of Rabat, Gozo, and also in the capital of Malta, Valletta. The Group from Santa Vittoria also visited different places of interest around Malta and Gozo. Official meetings also have been held with the President of the Republic of Malta, Dr. Ugo Mifsud Bonnici, the Minister of Gozo, Dr. Anton Refalo, and the town councils of Valletta and Mqabba. In Malta the Band was directed by Mro. Francesco Mancini, who also was the Town Mayor of Santa Vittoria at the time. The whole group, which consisted also of many people from the village of Santa Vittoria was led by an official delegation formed of Dr. Pietro Colonnella, President of the Province of Ascoli Piceno, and Dr. Domenico Ciaffaroni, President of the Sibilline Mountains Community, in which the town of Santa Vittoria is a member.
The Award:
The Society of Saint Mary and King Geroge V Band of Mqabba, Malta, and the Corpo Bandistico Citta di Santa Vittoria in Matenano received the award 'Etoile d'Or du Jumelage' in November 1998 during an official ceremony organized by the European Union in Ferrara, Italy.
Following each of the twinning events mentioned above, the two 'twinned' organisations submitted a detailed report to the European Union. In the report there was a detailed description of all that was organised during each day of the events. In 1998, over 4300 reports had to be evaluated by the European Union. Following these evaluations, the twinning events organised by the Society of Saint Mary, and the Corpo Bandistico di Santa Vittoria, were judged among the best 10 twinning events organized around Europe between 1996 and 1997.
The delegation from Malta who visited Ferrara in November 1998 consisited of Mr. Carmel Zahra, President of the Society of Saint Mary and King George V Band, Mr. Alfred Galea, main organizer from the Maltese side of the two events awarded, and Mr. Emmanuel Buttigieg, at the time Town Mayor of Mqabba, Malta.
The award consists of a certificate signed by the President of the European Union, and a Commemorative Plaque (see picture). Nowadays the award is held at the Main Premises of the Society of Saint Mary and King George V Band, exactly in the music archive found at the Band Room of the King George V Band. Everyone visiting Mqabba is invited to come to our Band Club and have a look at this unique and prestigious award received by the Society of Saint Mary and King George V Band Club of Mqabba in November 1998.
(The King George V Band in Italy, July 1996)
(The Corpo Bandistico di Santa Vittoria in Matenano in Malta. August 1997)
