Gemellagg
bejn Xaghra u Offida fl-Italja
Il-Kunsill Lokali Xaghra ghadu kemm ikkonkluda
l-proceduri sabiex isir gemellagg bejn il-lokalita’ tax-Xaghra
u l-lokalita’ ta’ Offida fl-Italja
biex hekk issa jistghu jsiru skambji bejn dawn
iz-zewg lokalitajiet biex kemm il-kultura kif
ukoll it-tradizzjonijiet jigu mhallta u mifruxa.
Offida hija lokalita’ fil-provincja ta’ Ascoli
Piceno fir-Regjun tal-Marche. Bhala popolazzjoni
hemm madwar 5,400 pero’ ghandhom territorju
kbir. Territorju li fiha ma’ tara imkien
raba’ li ma jinhadmix. L-aktar li jkabbru
huma dwieli fejn mill-gheneb jaghmlu inbid tajjeb
hafna, u sigar taz-zebbug. Offida maghrufa wkoll
ghal-bizzilla. Il-mod kif jahdmu l-bizzilla huwa
diffrenti minn taghna imma ta’ min ighid
li ghandhom bizzilla fina hafna.
Dan il-gemellagg inbeda madwar tliet snin ilu
permezz ta’ kuntatti bejn l-ex Sindku s-Sur
Anthony Attard u s-Sinjorina Franca Falcioni li
dak iz-zmien kienet kunsilliera fil-Kunsill Lokali
ta’ Offida. Nhar l-1 ta’ Settembru,
2003 saret cerimonja biex saret l-ewwel firma fir-rahal
taxd-Xaghra. Imbaghad kien imiss li ssir it-tieni
firma fil-lokalita’ ta’ Offida. F’Mejju
ta’ l-2004 kienet ser titla’ delegazzjoni
sabiex jigi ffirmat ghat-tieni darba pero’ minhabba
xi ragunijiet dan l-avveniment gie mhassar.
F’Lulju 2004 lahaq Kunsill gdid u kien hemm
ukoll Sindku gdid. Is-Sur Joseph Spiteri beda mill-ewwel
tal-hidma tieghu jerga’ jikkuntattja lill-kunsill
Lokali ta’ Offida sabiex dan il-gemellagg
jitkompla. Wara hafna diskussjonijiet u anke’ s-Sindku
flimkien mal-kunsillier is-Sur Joseph Cordina telghu
Offida biex hekk dan il-gemellagg seta’ jitkompla.
Ic-cerimonja tat-tieni firma tal-gemellagg saret
nhar il-21 ta’ Settembru, 2005 fil-bini tal-Kunsill
Lokali ta’ Offida stess. Prezenti ghal dan
l-iffirmar kien hemm delegazzjoni ta’ tletin
ruh mix-Xaghra fosthom is-Sindku s-Sur Joseph Spiteri,
il-Vici Sindku s-Sur Carmelino Refalo u l-kunsilliera
s-Sur Joseph Cordina u s-Sinjura Mary Carmen Bajada.
Kien hemm ukoll persuni li jahdmu l-bizzilla u
ohrajn bdiewa. Rapprezentant mill-klabb tal-futbal
u tas-Socjeta’ Filarmonika Victory, rapprezentanti
taz-zghazagh kif ukoll rapprezentant mill-komunita’ tan-Nazzarenu.
F’xi mumenti kien prezenti wkoll l-Arcipriet
Dun Karm Refalo pero’ kellu jhallina minhabba
ragunijiet personali.
Ic-cerimonja ta’ l-iffirmar kienet parti
minn gimgha li din id-delegazzjoni qatghet f’Offida.
Kienet gimgha nistghu nghidu hekk indimentikabbli.
Haduna f’diversi postijiet ta’ nteress,
daru hafna bina u laqghuna mill-ahjar mhux li setghu
imma l-ahjar possibbli. Kellna dejjem persuna maghna
ghal dak kollu li jista’ jkollna bzonn. J’alla
jkollna l-okkazjoni sabiex nirreciprokaw dak kollu
li ghamlu maghna kif ukoll li jkun skambji tajbin
fejn ahna specjalment inkunu nistghu nitghallmu
minnhom.
Twinning agreement between Xaghra (Gozo) and Offida
(Italy) councils
The Xaghra Local Council is pleased to announce
that the procedures for the twinning between the
locality of Xaghra in Gozo, and that of Offida
in Italy have been concluded. This will help in
a direct exchange of ideas and better diffusion
of cultural and traditional elements between the
two localities.
Offida is a locality in the Ascoli Piceni province
in the Marche region of Italy. It carries a population
of around 5,400, but covers an extensive territory.
Most of which is actively farmed land. There is
extensive cultivation of vineyards that produce
wine grapes of excellent grading, together with
olive groves. Offida is also renowned for it’s
lace-making industry. Although their method of
manufacture is different then that found locally,
it is considered as very high quality lace.
This twinning process was started some three years
ago by the then Xaghra Mayor Mr. Anthony Attard,
and Miss Franca Falcioni, at the time Offida councillor.
The twinning agreement was initiated on the 1st
September 2003, with the ceremony held locally
in Xaghra. This was to be followed by a parallel
signatory ceremony in Offida. A local delegation
was planned to visit Offida for this purpose in
May 2004, but for various reasons, this event was
postponed.
A new local council was elected in Xaghra in July
2004, resulting in a new Mayor, Mr. Joseph Spiteri.
The necessary proceedings were immediately undertaken
for the twinning agreement between the two localities
to continue. After further discussion and a visit
to Offida by the Mayor and local councillor Mr.
Joseph Cordina, the twinning procedure was finalised.
The final twinning agreement between the two localities
was carried out on the 21st September 2005, in
the Offida Council offices. Also present for this
occasion was a 30 strong delegation from Xaghra,
including the Mayor. Mr. Joseph Spiteri, Vice Mayor,
Mr Carmelino Refalo, and Xaghra councillors Mr.
Joseph Cordina and Ms. Mary Carmen Bajada. Also
present where local lace manufacturers and representative
of the farming community of Xaghra. Together with
representatives from the Xaghra football club,
the Nazzarenu community within Xaghra, and the
ArchPriest Fr. Karm Refalo, who unfortunately had
to return earlier then expected due to other commitments.
The visit to Offida was carried out over a period
of seven days during which Offida officials hosted
the Xaghra delegation. Overall it was an excellent
show of welcome by the same, and we sincerely hope
to be able to reciprocate in the future. It is
our aim that this twinning agreement will result
in the reciprocal gain for the communities of both
localities.
