The official launch of the new Maltese Australian community organisation in Melbourne, NISĠA, was held at the RSL Club in Williamstown on Sunday 17 June 2012.
Grooving to the tunes of new group Bustamento and front man Nicky Bomba, new “group on the block” NISĠA launched officially and it couldn’t have been a better gathering – a fusion of all ages, all with a common factor – proud to be Maltese Australians!
NISĠA, an incorporated not-for-profit organisation, aims to act as a platform to pass on the Maltese identity by holding various cultural events and festivals, and thus strengthening a sense of an Australian-Maltese identity among the current and upcoming generations.
“In Maltese, nisġa refers to a weave, and by weaving together the different colours, textures and threads that tell our stories, we hope to foster greater strength of relationship with Malta and her people” said Sandra Mooney, President of the NISĠA committee.
In a congratulatory note, Consul-General for Malta in Victoria, Mr Charles Mifsud, who’s currently in Malta, wished NISĠA all the successes that it can bring about to foster, cultivate and spread the Maltese culture, traditions and language.
Earlier on this year, NISĠA hosted World Figolli Day at the Maltese Centre in Parkville, where about 70 participants, spanning 3 generations of Maltese in Australia, were shown how to make figolli.
NISĠA are currently working towards the next event, the Maltese Cook-Off being held on the 16 of September 2012 at William Angliss Institute in the city of Melbourne. Following last year’s massive success, the Cook-Off returns, this time hosted by NISĠA. Applications are now open for 10 teams made up of 3 members of one family to cook 3 Maltese dishes to feed over 250 hungry guests and, of course, to win the Cook-Off Trophy sponsored by the Consul-General, Mr Charles Mifsud.
For information about how to become a member of NISĠA, email [email protected], call 0499 077 920 or visit www.nisga.org (currently under construction).
[All photos in this article were provided courtesy of Nino Xerri].
