Xaghra Parish » Gallery » 2008 » 06 JUN 08 REMEBRANCE OF SETTE GIUGNO
On 7 June 1919 an increase in the price of bread gave rise to riots in Valletta. British soldiers fired on the crowd and four Maltese fell down shot dead. These were Lorenzo Deyer, Carmelo Abela, Emmanuele Attard and the fourth one from Xaghra, Giuseppe Bajada who happened to be in Malta to obtain his passport. Every year this sad event is commemorated and the victims remembered, in fact the day is one of the National Days of Malta and a public holiday. In Xaghra, to particularly remember Giuseppe Bajada, the National Festivities committee in Gozo and the Cultural Division within the Ministry for Gozo held the remembrance ceremony on Friday 6 June not to clash with the official commemoration on the actual anniversary date. It started with Mass said by Mgr Carmelo Refalo, Xaghra Archpriest, at 7.45 a.m. in the Parish Basilica. It continued afterwards in Bullara Street near the house where Bajada lived, a permanent marble plaque fixed to the side of the house acts as a reminder. The distinguished personalities for the ceremony included the Hon. Minister for Gozo, Mrs. Giovanna Debono M.P., Xaghra Mayor Mr. Joseph Cordina, Xaghra Archpriest Mgr Carmelo Refalo, Local Councillor Mr Joseph Bartolo, Mr Anton Tabone ex Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr Vincent Grech from the National Festivities Committee Gozo and Mr Kevin Sciberras from the Cultural Division. Dame Marianne Zammit, School Head Assistant, represented Patri Mattew Sultana Primary School, Mr Joseph Bajada the Malta Labour Party Xaghra Section, Mr Raymond Bonello the Xaghra United Football Club. The recently formed Xaghra Scout Group was present after marching down from Victory Square. Chev Joe M Attard introduced the meeting. The Xaghra School Choir under the direction of Ms Mariella Spiteri, music teacher, accompanying on the synthesizer, opened the commemoration singing Hymn to Gozo. Student Nicholas Frendo in scout attire read a poem written for the occasion by Chev Joe M Attard. Followed the morning song Rega Sebah Ja Mulejja. Two girl students then read a message commemorating the events of 1919. Two buglers from the Armed Forces of Malta sounded the Last Post and the Reveille. Wreaths were placed below the plaque with a photograph of Bajada hanging below it. Two members from the Police Force, one on each side of the plaque, smartly kept a guard of honour. The ceremony closed with the young Xaghra School Choir and those present singing the National Anthem.
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