People and events that left a mark on the History of Malta

During lessons of French, we worked on people and events that have made an impact of the History of France. Among these we looked into the French Revolution, Napoleon, King Louis XIV, World War I and II... Afterwards, students were encouraged to delve into the History of Malta and name at least one event or person that has left a mark on the History of our island and write about it. 

Often, one neglects the fact that we are who we are and we have what we have thanks to our ancestors, their hard work, the tough life they lead, the battles they fought and the lives that were lost.

According to tradition, Christianity was brought to the Islands by none other than the Apostle Paul himself in around A.D. 60

Saint George Preca also referred to as the “Second Apostle of Malta”. […] The healing of C. Zammit Endrich by St. George Preca was declared as miraculous.

The Knights of St. John gave the Islands one its best-known faces to the world, the eight-pointed Maltese Cross.

It was Grandmaster Piero de Ponte who introduced Carnival in Malta back in 1536

While in Malta, Napoleon abolished slavery and the inquisition and established a new education

 system.

The bravery of the Maltese people during the World War II was acknowledged by King George V who awarded them his George Cross for valour.

Five of the fourteen merchant ships carrying supplies to Malta during World War II reached the island on 15^th August 1942, the day we celebrate the Assumption of Mary

Mikiel Anton Vassalli, a Maltese writer, a philosopher, and a linguist who published important Maltese language books.

Dun Karm Psaila wrote Malta’s National Anthem.

Dominic Mintoff - His tenure as Prime Minister was notable due to a general increase in the average standard of living and the establishment of a comprehensive welfare state.

Eddie Fenech Adami - In December 2003, he received the European of the Year 2003 Award from the influential Brussels-based newspaper European Voice in recognition of his unfaltering efforts to bring Malta into the European Union.

Malta gained its political Independence from Britain on the 21st of September 1964.

Malta was admitted to the UN in 1964 and to the European Union in 2004.

Discovering cultural places and events in France

In order to encourage students of Grade 11 to make use of their understanding and writing skills in French, a foreign language for them, they were given the task to research and write an article about a place, a monument, a feast or festival that is part of French culture. Hereunder one can have a look and maybe read their articles.

Fat Thursday - "Tłusty Czwartek" an old Polish tradition

Fat Thursday is a traditional Christian feast marking the last Thursday before Lent and is associated with the celebration of Carnival. Because Lent is a time of fasting, the next opportunity to feast would be after Easter. In Poland it is traditionally a day dedicated to eating, when people meet at homes or cafés with their friends and relatives and eat large quantities of sweets, cakes and other meals usually not eaten during Lent. Among the most popular dishes served on that day are "pączki" fist-sized doughnuts filled with rose marmalade, and "faworki", French dough fingers served with lots of powdered sugar. As a Polish superstition says, if you don't eat at least one donut on that day, you won't be successful the whole year. I decided not to tempt fate and had four myself. Our students were not worse than me in this competition, as you can see in the photos :-)
I know in other countries there are similar traditions. Could you tell us how you celebrate
the ending of the carnival? 

Marmalade-filled doughnuts

Polish "faworki"

An interesting day for the students and teachers from The General Secondary School in Nikopol

 

 

After the heavy snowfall in January, two weeks before the National Bulgarian Holiday (on 3 March), a group of students and teachers went on a short school trip to the regional town in Pleven where they visited some of the most popular attractions from a historical point of view.

The first stop was the Panorama Pleven Epopee 1877, more commonly known as Pleven Panorama, which depicts the events of the Russian-Turkish war of 1877-78, and specifically the five-month Siege of Pleven, which contributed to the Liberation of Bulgaria after five centuries of Ottoman rule. The students showed a lively interest in Bulgarian historical events presented by a guide in an exciting way.

They didn’t know that the monument was built by the people of Pleven in tribute to the battle and to the nearly 35,000 lives lost. After visiting the monument the students bought some souvenirs and postcards in front of the Panorama and then walked for an hour in the Skobelev Park where the monument is situated.

The second place of historical interest was the Regional Historical Museum. The guided tour through some of the halls was a tour through the past presenting the traditional manner of life and culture in the past. The students received knowledge about some old Bulgarian rituals (German and Peperuda) which were made for rain and also the habits Koleduvane and Lazaruvane.

 In one of the halls from the Middle Ages the students saw the original main gate of the Nikopol fortress as well as the Nikopol treasure, connected with the last, tragic days of the second Bulgarian state. The tour ended up in the hall, dedicated to the great Bulgarian opera singer Gena Dimitrova (1941 – 2005)- one of the brightest stars of the world opera art from the end of the twentieth century. She conquered with enormous success the most famous opera theaters in the world from Arena di Verona, Scala di Milano to Metropolitan opera.

 Then the group visited some sightseeings in the centre of Pleven such as the War museum and the Mausoleum in Pleven.

The trip ended up in the main street of Pleven, where a great Martenitsa market was organized and the students bought some of the white and red threads symbolizing health and prosperity.