Festivals Malta ħabbar li wara sentejn ta’ edizzjonijiet ridotti, din is-sena il-Karnival ta’ Malta ser jirritorna bil-kbir fil-format oriġinali tiegħu bejn is-17 u l-21 ta’ Frar 2023.
L-attivitajiet marbuta mal-Karnival ta’ Malta ser jibdew minn tmiem din il-ġimgħa. Fil-11 ta’ Frar fil-Crafts Village Ta’ Qali ser jittellgħu diversi attivitajiet marbuta mal-Karnival. L-għada l-Ħadd 12 ta’ Frar ser jirritorna l-Karnival fil-Ħamrun wara nuqqas ta’ sentejn. Qegħdin isiru wkoll xi attivitajiet b’kollaborazzjoni ma’ Spazju Kreattiv, li jinkludu esebizzjoni tal-kostumi fl-Atriju li ser tibqa’ miftuħa għall-pubbliku sal-5 ta’ Marzu, u se jittellgħu wkoll żewġ rappreżentazzjonijiet tal-Qarċilla fis-16 u s-17 ta’ Frar fit-Teatru ta’ Spazju Kreattiv.
Il-programm ta’ din is-sena ser jinkludi parati bil-karrijiet, maskaruni, u żfin kompetittiv mifruxa matul il-ħamest ijiem ta’ attivitajiet li ser isiru fi Pjazza San Ġorġ, kif ukoll f’diversi toroq prinċipali madwar il-Belt Valletta. Fit-18 u d-19 ta’ Frar ser tittella’ rapreżentazzjoni tal-Qarċilla fit-triq f’diversi ħinijiet fi Pjazza San Ġwann il-Belt Valletta. Ser jirritorna wkoll il-Ballu Tritoni bil-ħames edizzjoni tiegħu fit-18, 19 u l-21 ta’ Frar bis-sehem ta’ DJs lokali.
Waqt konferenza stampa li matulha ngħataw dettalji tal-Karnival 2023, il-Ministru Bonnici spjega li l-Karnival huwa wieħed mill-iżjed appuntamenti importanti fil-kalendarju kulturali Malti, u għalhekk il-Gvern hu kommess li jkompli jinvesti fih.
“Dan ma jingħadx bil-kliem biss iżda nuruh bil-fatti wkoll permezz tal-investiment ta' €1.2 miljun fi tractors u trailers li għadna kemm għamilna biex jintużaw mill-karristi fil-Karnival ta’ Malta,” qal il-Ministru Bonnici u sostna li l-Karnival ta’ Malta huwa s-suċċess li hu għaliex fih hemm ħafna artisti bravi li jagħtu litteralment it-talent tagħhom u ħinhom biex jiċċelebraw dan l-avveniment tant maħbub mal-familji Maltin u Għawdxin u t-turisti li jżuruna.
Ic-Chairman ta’ Festivals Malta, Aaron Zahra qal “Il-livell tal-Karnival ta’ Malta diġà huwa wieħed għoli imma permezz tal-investimenti li Festivals Malta qed jagħmel f’dan il-festival, persważ li ser inkomplu ngħolluh. Din is-sena ser norganizzaw Karnival nadif li jħares il-miżuri ambjentali, Karnival sostenibbli, u Karnival li jagħti importanza massima lis-saħħa u s-sigurtà tal-parteċipanti u lill-udjenza numeruża li tattendi bi ħġara għal dan il-festival. Wara nuqqas ta’ sentejn milli jiġi ċċelebrat b’mod normali, l-aspettiva u l-istennija għall-Karnival ta’ din is-sena hija waħda kbira, għaldaqsant inħeġġeġ lill-pubbliku sabiex jattendi bi ħġaru għall-attivitajiet li hemm imħejjija għall-Karnival ta’ din is-sena. Qegħdin naraw li noffru lill-poplu Malti u Għawdxi wieħed mill-akbar Karnivali li qatt ġew organizzati”.
Id-direttur artistiku tal-Karnival, Jason Busuttil, tkellem dwar il-programm estensiv ta’ din is-sena, programm li ma’ setax ikun possibbli mingħajr id-dedikazzjoni kbira ta’ kull min jaħdem fuq dan il-festival minn wara l-kwinti, speċjalment il-parteċipanti li jinvestu tant ħin fil-kreazzjonijiet tagħhom. “Ta’ kull sena il-parteċipanti jgħollu l-livell tal-karrijiet, taż-żfin u l-kostumi li jipproduċu, pero din is-sena l-livell huwa wieħed impekkabbli, aqwa minn qatt qabel.”
Annabelle Stivala, il-Kap Eżekuttiv ta’ Festivals Malta qalet li l-Karnival ta’ Malta huwa wieħed mill-akbar u l-eqdem festivals li jorganizza Festivals Malta, b’hekk l-aġenzija ser tkompli taħdem biex dan jibqa’ jiżviluppa maż-żminijiet filwaqt li jżomm qrib it-tradizjonijiet tiegħu. “Il-Karnival ta’ Malta huwa uniku ħafna, partikolarment minħabba t-tradizzjonijiet, il-karrijiet spettakolari, u l-kostumi elaborati, tant li jattira ħafna turiżmu matul staġun normalment kwiet. Festivals Malta se jkompli jaħdem id f’id mal-parteċipanti biex inkomplu nissuperaw l-aspettattivi, filwaqt li nkunu ta’ eżempju f’dak li għandu x’jaqsam mas-sigurtà u s-sostenibbiltà”. Din is-sena Festivals Malta ser ikun qed jintroduċi miżuri ġodda għall-ġbir tal-iskart permezz ta’ kontenituri apposta waqt il-Karnival ta’ Malta, kif diġa sar waqt in-Notte Bianca. Din l-inizjattiva qiegħda ssir biex l-iskart li jiġi ġġenerat mill-festival jiġi miġbur u separat b’mod responsabbli sabiex il-festival ikun iktar sostenibbli.
Il-Karnival ta’ Malta huwa organizzat minn Festivals Malta. Għall-biljetti u aktar informazzjoni żur www.festivals.mt/karnival.
Festivals Malta launches Il-Karnival ta' Malta 2023
Festivals Malta has announced that after two years of reduced editions, this year Il-Karnival ta’ Malta will return to its original format and will be held between 17 and 21 February 2023.
The activities related to Il-Karnival ta’ Malta will start at the end of this week, with activities taking place at Ta’ Qali Crafts Village and Ħamrun on the 11th and 12th of February respectively. There will also be some initiatives organised in collaboration with Spazju Kreattiv. There will be a costume exhibition at the Spazju Kreattiv Atrium, which will be open to the public until March 5, and two Qarċilla performances which will be held on the 16th and February 17th at the Spazju Kreattiv Theatre.
This year's programme will include parades with floats, grotesque masks, and competitive dancing spread over the five days of Carnival that will take place in St George Square, as well as in several main streets of Valletta. On the 18th and 19th of February, an interpretation of il-Qarċilla will also take place at various times in Pjazza San Ġwann, Valletta. The 5th edition of Ballu Tritoni will also return on February 18, 19 and 21 with the participation of local DJs.
During the a press conference, Minister Bonnici explained that Il-Karnival ta' Malta is one of the most important appointments in the Maltese cultural calendar, and therefore the Government is committed to continue investing in it.
"We have already shown our commitment towards carnival through the investment of €1.2 million in tractors and trailers to be used by the Carnival participants during il-Karnival ta' Malta," said Minister Bonnici, while also saying that at the backbone of Carnival's success are various artists who give their time and talent to celebrate this festival which is much loved by families across Malta and Gozo as well as by tourists who visit our island.
Festivals Malta Chairman, Aaron Zahra said "Il-Karnival ta’ Malta is a festival of a certain calibre, and I am convinced that through Festivals Malta’s continuous investments, we will raise the bar even further. This year we are organising a more sustainable Carnival that is more environmentally friendly and that also puts the health and safety of the participants and the numerous audiences, that eagerly attend this festival, very high on the agenda. After two years of abridged editions, the expectations and anticipations are very high, so I encourage the public to attend with enthusiasm the activities that have been prepared for this year's carnival. We have worked hard to offer the Maltese and Gozitans one of the biggest Carnivals ever organized".
Carnival Artistic Director, Jason Busuttil, spoke about this year's extensive programme, which could not have been possible if it wasn’t for the dedication of those that work behind the scenes, particularly the carnival participants who invest a lot of time in their creations. "Every year the participants improve the floats, the choreographies and the costumes that they produce, but this year the level is impeccable, better than ever."
Festivals Malta CEO, Annabelle Stivala, said that il-Karnival ta’ Malta is one of the biggest and oldest festivals organised by Festivals Malta and that the agency will continue to modernise it while staying true to the traditions. “Il-Karnival ta’ Malta is very unique, particularly because of its traditions, spectacular floats, and elaborate costumes, so much so that it attracts a lot of tourism during a shoulder month. Festivals Malta will continue to work hand in hand with the participants so that we can keep exceeding expectations, while also being exemplary in terms of safety and sustainability". This year Festivals Malta will be introducing new waste collection measures by means of special bins that will be set up in high-traffic locations in Valletta during Carnival, as was already done during Notte Bianca. This initiative was introduced so that the waste generated by the festival is collected and disposed of in a responsible manner so that the festival is more sustainable.
Il-Karnival ta’ Malta is organised by Festivals Malta. For tickets and more information visit www.festivals.mt/karnival.