Christmas is arriving early for children with different abilities living in Gozo as The Malta Trust Foundation’s Centre for Music and the Arts plans to expand its services to meet the urgent needs of the community on the sister island.
The Vajringa Centre for Music and the Arts, which had a soft launch over the weekend, is the fruit of collaboration between the Gozo Ministry and The Malta Trust Foundation.
Located on the premises of the former primary school in Vajringa Street, Victoria, this centre will be the first such project in Gozo offering children and young people − it will cater for ages five to 35 − the chance to explore their musical and artistic abilities under the guidance of professionals.
The Malta Trust Foundation chair Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca said this was a unique opportunity for these youngsters who had very limited access to such opportunities.
“It is so rewarding and heartwarming to see this centre grow. With the support of the government, we are conveying a strong message of inclusion from a social perspective,” Coleiro Preca said.
While the Gozo Ministry is providing the property and the necessary infrastructural work for the centre, The Malta Trust Foundation will continue to raise money to cover other operational costs.
Since the Trust’s Centre for Music and the Arts first opened in Birkirkara in November 2021, its popularity has grown to such an extent that right now there is a waiting list of 250.
The thirst for these services will be further quenched when the existing Centre for Music and the Arts moves to the Ta’ Saura Empowerment Hub in Rabat within two years.
“We are conveying a strong message of inclusion from a social perspective”
Dar Saura, a multimillion property covering an expanse of 5,500 square metres, was donated to The Malta Trust Foundation by the Archdiocese of Malta for 65 years. Once it opens, it will be able to provide a safe space for up to 500 children and young people who can explore the therapeutic power of music, dance and the arts, under expert guidance.
Coleiro Preca estimates that the Vajringa branch will similarly grow as there are around 250 children and young people in Gozo who have very few such opportunities.
“The Vajringa centre will usher in another perspective to the way we work with children and young people with disabilities… It will provide a safe space that is creative and adaptable to every individual’s interests and needs.”
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