President Myriam Spiteri Debono made a visit to maltabiennale.art at Villa Portelli in Kalkara, where numerous national pavilions are housed. During her visit, she engaged with embassy officials, artists, and curators responsible for the pavilions. President Spiteri Debono reaffirmed the Maltese Presidency’s support for this significant national endeavour, which has
already elevated Malta’s presence on the global cultural stage.
In addition to Villa Portelli, the President also toured the central offices of Heritage Malta in Kalkara, situated nearby. There, she was received by Heritage Malta chairperson and Biennale president Mario Cutajar, as well as by CEO Noel Zammit and other members of the management team. She was given a tour of the diagnostic and restoration labs, where ongoing work to preserve national heritage artefacts was showcased.
President Spiteri Debono took the opportunity to engage with the dedicated workers of Heritage Malta, expressing gratitude for their contributions to maltabiennale.art and commending their commitment to safeguarding Maltese heritage. She noted the significant transformation in the nation’s appreciation for its heritage over the past two decades since the establishment of Heritage Malta, citing the biennale as evidence of the agency’s forward-looking approach in fostering a deeper cultural understanding and identity among the people.
During her time at Villa Portelli, the President interacted with representatives from national pavilions, including those of Ukraine, Italy, Spain, and Poland. Discussions centred on the concepts explored within their pavilions and the positive reception from visitors engaging with the exhibited works. Villa Portelli, recently acquired from Heritage Malta, is poised to become a hub for research and training in Maltese heritage, among other initiatives.
Under the patronage of UNESCO, maltabiennale.art commenced in mid-March and will run until the end of the month. Organised by Heritage Malta in collaboration with various local and international cultural and tourism entities, the biennale showcases contemporary art exhibitions at Heritage Malta sites across Valletta, Cottonera, and Gozo. For further details, visit our website www.maltabiennale.art.
maltabiennale.art is a Heritage Malta initiative through MUŻA, the Malta National
Community Art Museum, in partnership with Arts Council Malta.
