1 June 2007 Rating 77% No Comment  

The European General Assembly of the World Crafts Council held in Finland in June 2006, accepted the suggestion made by Mr Joseph Attard, the delegate of the Malta Crafts Council, to organise a filigree workshop for craftspeople on the island of Gozo. These two councils are now collaborating with the Wistin Camilleri Gozo Centre for Art and Crafts in the organisation of a three day seminar/workshop for local and foreign craftspeople. The seminar, which runs between today and the 2nd of June 2007, will be focusing on 'Filigree - tradition and modern interpretation' and shall be dealing with the use of silver in filigree works particularly in the manufacture of traditional and modern jewellery. The seminar/workshop is being held at the Wistin Camilleri Gozo Centre for Art and Crafts in Ghajnsielem. Speaking at the inauguration of this seminar/workshop, Minister for Gozo Giovanna Debono referred to the importance of the manufacturing of local crafts in the island's economy and the support that Government is providing for this sector in order for it to foster. Minister Debono spoke about the Ministry for Gozo's investment in an intensive project which saw the construction of an extension to the Wistin Camilleri Gozo Centre for Art and Crafts together with the provision of new equipment in order for it to be able to offer more modern hands-on training. This project, which was co-financed under the European Union's European Regional Development Fund, also included the construction of a new Crafts Incubation Centre which is primarily aimed towards assisting Gozitan artisans to set up their own business in this sector. Minister Debono also spoke about the investment by the Ministry for Gozo to provide the centre with new state-of the-art equipment to provide high-quality facilities for the benefit of all the Centre's users. Local and foreign participants participated in this seminar/workshop which was introduced by Mr. Anthony V. Degiovanni - Director for Further Studies and Adult Education, himself an artist. Mr Thorkild Thogersen, a Danish goldsmith and designer was brought over to Gozo by the World Crafts Council, while Mr George Farrugia, a teacher at the Wistin Camilleri Gozo Centre for Art and Crafts also participated. The workshop which is being held between today and Friday 1st June, will see participants experimenting with fusing/sweatsoldering and soldering techniques and filigree structures with relation to jewellery works. Concluding sessions will be held on Saturday 2nd June when participants will be joined by delegates of the World Craft Council who are in Malta for their General Assembly. Activities in this programme also include an exhibition at the Banca Giuratale in Victoria, which opened today and runs until the 7th June. This exhibition displays filigree works produced by students at the Wistin Camilleri Gozo Centre for Art and Crafts together with other works by Mr Thorkild Thogersen and other foreign participants in the seminar. During the inauguration of the exhibition, Minister Debono praised the initiative taken by the organisers and said that besides offering added exposure to the estimable Gozitan artisan sector and artefacts, this seminar is also serving to showcase the highly popular Wistin Camilleri Gozo Centre for Art and Crafts, which provides education and training programmes to around 1,000 students of all ages. Meanwhile the Wistin Camilleri Gozo Centre for Art and Crafts will be organising its annual exhibition at the Exhibition Hall of the Ministry for Gozo. Artefacts created by students attending the different courses at the Centre during the last scholastic year will be put on display for viewing by the general public. The exhibition will run between the 2nd and 16th June 2007.