A Maltese flag welcomed parishioners at the 10am mass of the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in central Wellington, New Zealand, on Sunday 25 September 2011. This was to mark Malta’s Independence Day on 21 September.
Members of the Maltese community attended the mass and hosted the morning tea afterwards in the foyer of the Cathedral where a display about Malta had been set up.
This is the first time that Malta’s Independence Day has been marked in this way in Wellington as part of a cycle of National Day commemorations organised by the Cathedral.
“This is a lovely acknowledgement of the presence of the Maltese community in New Zealand” said Professor Carmen Dalli, Honorary Consul for Malta in Wellington. “I hope it will become a regular event that will continue to raise the profile of our community”.
————————
Nhar il-Ħadd, 25 ta’ Settembru 2011, il-kongregazzjoni tal-quddiesa ta’ l-10.00 ta’ filgħodu fil-Kattidral tal-Qalb ta’ Gesu fiċ-ċentru ta’ Wellington f’New Zealand ġew milqugħa b’bandiera Maltija. Din kienet għall-okkażjoni ta’ Jum l-Indipendenza fil-21 ta’ Settembru.
Membri tal-komunita’ Maltija attendew il-quddiesa u organizzaw xi rinfrescanti wara fil-‘foyer’ tal-Kattidral fejn kien hemm wirja fuq Malta.
Din hi l-ewwel darba li Jum l-Indipendenza ta’ Malta ġie ċċelebrat b’dan il-mod f’Wellington bħala parti minn serje ta’ kommemorazzjonijiet ta’ jiem nazzjonali mill-Kattidral.
“Dan huwa rikonoxximent sabiħ tal-preżenza tal-komunita’ Maltija fi New Zealand” qalet il-Professur Carmen Dalli, Konslu Onorarju għal Malta fi New Zealand. “Nispera li dan isir avveniment regolari li jkompli jgholli l-profil tal-komunita’ taghna.”