The Menhir Qala Folk Group, a traditional Gozitan song and dance folk group from Qala, has been invited to participate in an lnternational Folk Festival which is being held in the town of Kralyevo in Serbia next month.

The group, presently made up of 17 dancers, 1 musician and a soloist soprano singer, will be representing Malta abroad for the third time since its formation in September 2003. Their first time abroad was in July 2005 when the group was invited to participate in the 3rd edition of the Mediterranean Folk Festival MIFF held in Val Piran, Slovenia where other foreign folk groups participated, amongst them from Italy. Portugal and Greece.

Last year, in September 2006, the Menhir Qala Folk Group went to Lanciano, Italy as part of the town-twinning agreement between the towns of Qala and Lanciano with full collaboration of the Municipality of Lanciano and the Qala Local Council. This year, the group is also going abroad from the 10th till the 17th September 2007 to the town of Kralyevo, Serbia as part of a collaboration and co-operation agreement between the towns of Qala and Kralyevo and the Municipality of Kralyevo and the Qala Local Council In fact both Mayors of the towns, Mr Paul Buttigieg for Qala and Dr Babic for Kralyevo. will be signing a document for special co-operation and collaboration through exchanges of local groups from both towns for the future.

During their visit to Kralyevo, the folk group will give three performances in public with the participation of the three local folk groups and other foreign folk groups invited for this festival. Two other performances, one in a typical traditional Serbian restaurant and another in the 100 year old railway station of Etno are also included in the program. During the visit to Kralyevo, the group will visit the capital city of Belgrade, the Coronation Church, the Kotlenik and Stolovi Mountains. Another special event will be the tasting of Serbian and Gozitan cuisines, being held in the town-hall of Kralyevo.

During their stay in Kralyevo, the group will perform with ‘live’ music several traditional Maltese dances and songs, from their vast repertoire, such as the ‘Il-Menhir’, ‘Ir-Rummiena’. ‘Il-Lament’. ‘L-Ghonnella’ and ‘n-Ballata tal-Bjut’, while Ruth Portelli, the soloist soprano singer, accompanied by the musicians will sing several traditional MaItese songs, among which the groups’ original songs - ‘Wirt il-Qala’, ‘il-Bajja ta’ Hondoq’, and ‘Il-Menhir’.

The folk group will be representing the Maltese islands for the third consecutive year abroad, apart from being invited to participate in several local and national events and festivals. A very special forthcoming event, is the 2nd edition of the Qala International Folk festival, QIFF, which is being held in Qala this year from the 27th till the 30th September, while also giving performances on Saturday 28th in Mellieha and St Julians. The two foreign folk groups participating in QIFF this year are the Shumen Folk Song & Dance Ensemble from Bulgaria and the Danaj Folk Ensemble from Czech Republic together with other local folk groups and bands. This festival is hosted by the Menhir Qala Folk Group, in collaboration with Qala Local Council.