Malta/ 3.4 International cultural co-operation  

3.4.6 Other relevant issues

Cultural collaboration with countries like Britain, France, Germany and Italy has centred on projects such as the screening of art-house films, art and photographic exhibitions and music concerts. Some of the most stable events on Malta's mainstream cultural calendar arrive from Italy, Germany, France and the United Kingdom. In the recent past, Maltese activity in France, Germany and Italy has included exhibitions, literary events and artistic productions.

In 2011, the MCCA launched a Mobility Support Grant programme as part of its International Funding Strategy. It is a strand that caters for outgoing artistic mobility for short training courses, workshops, participation in artistic activities overseas, and international collaboration. The Mobility Support Grant has a total allocation of EUR 60 000.

EU programmes like Grundtvig have seen Malta taking the initiative to launch schemes for adult training through creative methods, including theatre, with European partners. Such schemes involve a programme for citizen empowerment through theatre, conducted in conjunction with partners from Austria, Bulgaria, Finland, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Romania. There have been several examples of good practice, including theatre work in collaboration with a psychiatric centre in Abruzzo (Italy).

It is estimated that there are approximately 350 000 citizens of direct Maltese descent (Maltese Diaspora) living in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom and other European countries. First and second generation emigrants have been actively concerned about preserving Maltese culture overseas. There is also Maltese language classes organised regularly in Australia and elsewhere, while Maltese programmes feature regularly on Ethnic Radio in Australia. The Maltese Broadcasting Service also sends regular news bulletins in Maltese to emigrants, but unfortunately, a rather "parochial" protectionist culture prevailing within the Maltese Diaspora has been alienating younger generations of Maltese lineage. The problem is often noticed when Maltese people visit their distant families in the host countries.

On an official visit to Australia in 2007, the Maltese Prime Minister promised the government's commitment to address the cultural needs of the Diaspora community in Australia. This will mainly be created through increased cultural links with Malta and further investment in pedagogical tools for Maltese language courses. The establishment of the Council of Maltese Abroad is an important step to foster long-term programmes and formalise a stonger relationship with the Maltese Diaspora (refer to 3.4.1 Overview of main structures and trends)

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