EVENTS, EXPERIENCES, EXHIBITS, ETC.
COMPILED BY PAT HENDERSON AND KENDALL FLETCHER
Valletta’s Fort Saint Elmo
Leeuwarden’s Welcome to the Village festival includes
installations (top) and live music.
22
July 2017
Valletta harbor
Valletta is the capital of Malta, an island situated 50 miles
south of Italy in the Mediterranean Sea. The city, which was
named a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1980, features a
number of fortifications and historical buildings constructed
by the Order of the Knights of Saint John starting in the 1500s.
Areas such as Valletta’s Strait Street, which has recently
been revitalized and is now home to popular wine bars and
buzzing restaurants, are just part of the city’s ongoing evolu-
tion. Renowned architect Renzo Piano was involved in the
design of two recent high-profile projects, the new parliament
building and the opera house. As Valletta looks ahead to its
year as a cultural capital, the flagship MUZA project will bring
a new visual arts center to the famous Auberge d’Italie.
To find more on Leeuwarden, go to 2018.nl or contact Corné
Ruijs of NTA member Ruijs Travel at [email protected].
For more information on Valletta, go to valletta2018.org or
contact Damon Allan of NTA member Maxima Tours/
Exclusively Malta at [email protected]. —P.H.
Since 1985, the European Union has selected cities from its
member nations to serve as capitals of culture, and the two
featured destinations in 2018 are Leeuwarden, Netherlands,
and Valletta, Malta. The program highlights Europe’s diversity
by allowing lesser-known cities to showcase their rich cul-
tures through a mix of live performances, festivals, special
events, themed exhibits and other traditional activities.
Located in the northern part of the Netherlands, Leeuwarden
blends the beauty of its lakes and recreational areas with the
heritage of the Frisian people. In addition to showcasing the
architectural wonder of its historical buildings and more than
600 national monuments, the city will put on a number of
unique events detailing different aspects of local life.
The overarching tagline for Leeuwarden’s 2018 program-
ming is “Iepen Mienskip,” or “Open Community,” which points
to the area’s strong sense of interconnectedness. During
the year, visitors can enjoy hundreds of cultural activities
and performances based on five themes: Community and
Diversity, City and Country, Nature and Culture, Royal Frisian,
and Lab Leeuwarden.
Leeuwarden and Valletta ready to shine as
2018 European capitals of culture