Il-Karnival ta’ Malta, iċ-ċelebrazzjoni li ilha sseħħ fi gżirietna għal mijiet ta’ snin, ser terġa tkun iċċelebrata f’festa ta’ briju, kuluri u tradizzjoni bi programm mimli b’attivitajiet għall-familja kollha. Din is-sena, id-dati uffiċjali tal-Karnival ser ikunu mid-9 sat-13 ta’ Frar 2024.
F’konferenza tal-aħbarijiet, il-Ministru għall-Wirt Nazzjonali, l-Arti u l-Gvern Lokali Owen Bonnici tkellem fuq l-importanza tal-karnival fil-kalendarju kulturali ta’ pajjiżna mhux biss mil-lat storiku u patrimonjali, imma iktar importanti minn hekk, fiż-żminijiet tal-lum, bħala ċelebrazzjoni ħajja u kontemporanja. Huwa qal ukoll li l- Karnival ta’ Malta jservi wkoll ta’ attrazzjoni għat-turisti li jżuruna waqt dan iż-żmien.
Ritratt ta' Rob Matthew Golfeo
“Il-Karnival ta’ Malta 2024 ser ikun wieħed sinifikanti hekk kif madwar 23 kumpanija se jieħdu sehem fil- Karnival. Dan in-numru ilu ma jintlaħaq fil-Karnival ta’ Malta mit-tmeninijiet,” saħaq il-Ministru Bonnici waqt li ta ġieh lill-memorja ta’ Pawlu Curmi ‘il-Pampalun’ li hu meqjus minn ħafna bħala l-missier tal-Karnival. Dan se jkun l-ewwel Karnival li se jittella’ wara mewtu.
Din is-sena, il-Karnival ta’ Malta mhux biss ser ikollu l-parati bil-karrijiet b’diversi temi li jżewqu lit-toroq tal- Belt Valletta u l-Furjana, imma wkoll se jinkludi għadd ta’ avvenimenti oħrajn.
Ewlenija fost dawn l-avvenimenti hi l-Qarċilla, it-tradizzjoni tat-teatru tat-triq li kienet ipprattikata fi żmien il- Kavallieri ta’ San Ġwann u li din is-sena se tagħlaq għaxar snin minn meta reġgħet bdiet tittella’. Dan l- avveniment teatrali, bid-direzzjoni u l-produzzjoni ta’ Joseph Galea u l-kitba ta’ Ċikku l-Poplu, se jittella’ fi Triq l-Ordinanza (biswit it-Teatru Rjal), u se jkun bla ħlas.
Iċ-Chairperson ta’ Festivals Malta, Aaron Zahra, stqarr “Il-Karnival ta’ Malta għandu legat mill-aktar sinifikanti. B’dak li ser noffru lil pubbliku din is-sena, ser inkomplu nkabbru dan l-avveniment annwali tradizzjonali. Apparti ċ-ċelebrazzjonijiet kbar li ser isiru fil-Belt Valletta u l-Furjana, din is-sena se nerġgħu nestendu l-Karnival fil- lokalità tal-Ħamrun u għall-ewwel darba fiż-Żurrieq. Permezz tal-Karnival qed nagħtu opportunità biex nesponu l-kapaċità u t-talent Malti fuq pjattaforma internazzjonali u nagħtu ġieħ mistħoqq lil dawk li jaħdmu sena wara l- oħra biex il-Karnival ta’ pajjiżna ikun suċċess.”
Ritratt ta' Rob Matthew Golfeo
Min-naħa tiegħu, il-Kap Eżekuttiv ta’ Festivals Malta Frans Agius tkellem dwar il-memorja ta’ Pawlu Curmi ‘il- Pampalun’, li kien wieħed min-nies li ta ħajtu lill-Karnival u dejjem spikka għall-karattru ċelebrattiv tiegħu. “Din is-sena, Festivals Malta b’kollaborazzjoni ma’ Spazju Kreattiv u Heritage Malta, fl-Atriju ta’ Spazju Kreattiv se tkun qed tittella’ wirja f’ġieħ il-Pampalun bl-isem ta’ ‘Pawlu Curmi ‘Il-Pampalun’: Il-Bniedem u l-Leġġenda’, u l-kuratur ta’ din il-wirja se jkun l-istoriku Mario Coleiro.”
Is-Sur Agius spjega li l-legat li ħalla Pawlu Curmi hu aspett importanti ferm kemm għall-Karnival u t-tim organizzattiv tal-Karnival ta’ Festivals Malta u qal li ser ikun hemm ukoll dokumentarju mtella’ b’kollaborazzjoni ma’ Popolin li ser ikun qed jixxandar fuq TVM.
Ritratt ta' Rob Matthew Golfeo
Tkellem ukoll id-Direttur Artistiku tal-Karnival ta’ Malta Jason Busuttil u qal li fuq livell ta’ movimenti u kuluri din is-sena hija rekord għall-kompetizzjonijiet taż-żfin fejn se jkun hemm ’l fuq minn 23 kumpanija b’kostumi u koreografiji mill-aqwa. “Wara nuqqas ta’ 25 sena, ser naraw ukoll il-banda tradizzjonali Maltija, il-banda bil- karru u grupp tal-allegrija flimkien, l-ewwel fil-Ħamrun fl-4 ta’ Frar imbagħad fil-Belt Valletta fl-10, il-11 u t- 12 ta’ Frar”, qal is-Sur Busuttil. Huwa tkellem ukoll dwar l-importanza ta’ l-inklużjoni u saħaq li l-kumitat organizzattiv ħa ħsieb li din is-sena jkun hemm żifna minn tfal u adulti bi bżonnijiet speċjali.
Ritratt ta' Rob Matthew Golfeo
Għal aktar tagħrif dwar il-programm tal-Karnival ta’ Malta 2024, żuru s-sit www.festivals.mt/karnival jew il- mezzi soċjali tal-Karnival ta’ Malta fuq Facebook jew Instagram.
Malta Carnival Returns in February 2024: Official Carnival Programme Announced with Traditional Events and New Initiatives
Loved by many, Carnival will once again return from the 9th to the 13th February 2024. This celebration, which has been held in our country for hundreds of years, will once again be celebrated on a feast of celebration, colour and tradition with a program filled with activities for the whole family.
During a press conference this morning, the Minister for Heritage, the Arts and Local Government Dr Owen Bonnici spoke about the importance of carnival in the Maltese cultural calendar, not only from a historical and patrimonial point of view, but more importantly, in today's times, as a live and contemporary celebration. He also said that the Carnival serves as an attraction for tourists who visit us during this time.
This year, the Malta Carnival will not only feature floats of various themes which will parade around the streets of Valletta and Floriana, but it will also include a number of other events. Among them, Il-Qarċilla, the street theatre tradition which was practised during the era of the Knights, which this year will be celebrating ten years since its inception. This year's qarċilla will take place in Ordinance Street (near the Royal Theatre), and will be free for the public to enjoy. This production will be directed and produced by Joseph Galea and was written by Ċikku L-Poplu.
“The Malta Carnival has a significant legacy. With what we will offer to the public this year, we will continue to grow this traditional annual event. Apart from the big celebrations that will be taking place in Valletta and Floriana, this year we will spread the Carnival in the locality of Ħamrun and for the first time also in Żurrieq. Through the Carnival we are being given an opportunity to expose Maltese talent on an international platform and to give a well-deserved tribute to those who work year after year to make our country's Carnival a success”, said Festivals Malta Chairman Aaron Zahra.
Ritratt ta' Rob Matthew Golfeo
In 2023, Carnival also lost one of the people who, we can say, gave his life to Carnival. Known for his celebrative character, Paul Curmi “Il-Pampalun” will be honoured through an exhibition. On this, the CEO of Festivals Malta, Frans Agius said, “This year Festivals Malta, in collaboration with Spazju Kreattiv and Heritage Malta, will be holding an exhibition in honour of Il-Pampalun entitled “Pawlu Curmi “Il-Pampalun”: “Man and Legend”, at Spazju Kreattiv’s Atrium, and curated by historian Mario Coleiro. As part of the legacy, which is a very important aspect for both Carnival and for Festivals Malta as organisers of the event, there will also be a documentary broadcasted in collaboration with TV programme Popolin which will be transmitted on TVM at 9pm on the 7th February.
2024 will also be a significant year for the number of companies taking part in the Carnival, with around 23 participating companies, a number which has not been reached in Malta's Carnival since the 80s. “This year is a record for dance competitions where we will have over 23 companies with costumes and fine choreographies. There will also be a dance by children and adults with special needs. Apart from this, after a 25-year absence we will see the traditional Maltese band and the float band together as we used to see them 25 years ago, first in Ħamrun on 4th February and then in Valletta on 10th, 11th and 12th February”, commented Jason Busuttil, Artistic Director of the Malta Carnival.
For more information about this year's Carnival programme and more, visit the festival’s website www.festivals.mt/karnival or social media pages on Facebook or Instagram.