Who We Are
The Valletta 2018 Foundation is responsible for Valletta’s journey towards the title of the European Capital of Culture in Malta in 2018. The Foundation was responsible for the bidding process starting with the pre-selection phase in January 2012, the final selection in October 2012 and the official declaration by the Council of Ministers in May 2013. The implementation of Valletta’s project for 2018 lies within the Foundation’s remit.
The Valletta 2018 Foundation provides a framework to the evolution of Valletta 2018. It has strong support from a range of important stakeholders and a sound, transparent governance structure: both aspects are essential to seeing Valletta 2018 become a successful and sustainable reality.
Who is the Valletta 2018 Foundation?
The Valletta 2018 Foundation is led by its Board of Governors consisting of ten members. Each one of the board members has a specific role to play. Apart from acting as a focal point for various sectors and groups, they also ensure strong coordination among fellow board members and with the public.
Mr Jason Micallef
Chairperson of the Valletta 2018 Foundation
Mr Frank V. Farrugia
President of the Malta Chamber of Commerce, Enterprise and Industry
Mr Stephen Cachia
MCAST Principal, with Mr Stephen Vella acting as his delegate
Professor Alexiei Dingli
Mayor of the City of Valletta
Mr Albert Marshall
Vice-chair of the board. Chairperson of Arts Council Malta
Mr Douglas Salt
Director of Frank Salt Real Estate Ltd. He serves on the board in his personal capacity
Dr Marc Sant
President of the Association of Local Councils
Mr Oliver Scicluna
National Commissioner for Persons with Disability
Professor Alfred J. Vella
Rector of the University of Malta, with Dr Carmen Sammut acting as his delegate
Mr Stephen Xuereb
Valletta Cruise Port CEO. He serves on the board in his personal capacity
What roles are we talking about?
A variety of institutions and organisations have distinct roles to help realise the goal of making Valletta a successful European Capital of Culture for 2018. As the Valletta 2018 project includes all local councils in Malta and Gozo together with that of Valletta, representation from the Association of Local Councils is essential to ensuring smooth coordination of Valletta 2018 among some 67 localities. Arts Council Malta is crucial in developing a sustainable and legacy-oriented collaboration with a particular focus on the participation of artists and the cultural sector. The Inter-Ministerial Commission for the European Capital of Culture brings together various Government entities in order to support general coordination in terms of transport, infrastructure and related matters.The University of Malta is acting as a strong research arm to monitor the bid against its vision and objectives. The Malta Chamber of Commerce, Enterprise and Industry involves the business community in Valletta 2018 not just as a partner or sponsor but also as an active participant in developing an innovative programme for the year. The collaboration with MCAST is allowing for a diverse and innovative exchange in terms of capacity building and programme development.
All board members have similarly vital roles to play, which are distinct yet collaborative.
The Foundation is to:
Enable social, economic, cultural and environmental growth that will make Valletta a remarkable city. In doing so, the Foundation outlines four key objectives:
- To transform Valletta into a creative city
- To improve the quality of life in Valletta through culture
- To stimulate awareness of Malta’s cultural identities and
- To drive collaboration and excellence in culture and the arts in Malta.