Nowadays, a quarterly newsletter, "FOLJU T'AHBARIJIET, is the main link between the Society and its members in Malta and overseas.

Since the fifties, the Society transmitted its own literary programm "MILL-GNEJNA MALTIJA" (From the Maltese Flower-Garden) on Rediffusion that later became Cable Radio. The programm was attended to with keen interest by many a Maltese family. Some years ago the Society was asked to stop the programm on the pretext that it was no longer the policy of the station to trust the production of programmes to constituted bodies but only to individuals.

Between September 1970 and November 1981, the Ghaqda Letterarja Maltija published thirty-seven issues of FORUM, an informative journal that used to help the Society's members publish their works. Regrettably, for various reasons, primarily financial ones, the magazine had to be discontinued. It should be noted that the only income for the Society comes from the Lm2 annual membership fee of its members. A recent effort to revive the publication in a more academic format under the name of ILSIENNA (Our Language) was nipped in the bud, practically for the same reasons.

Bukkett Imzewwaq (1955) A Variegated Bouquet

Hannieqa Gawhar (1965) A Necklace of Pearls

Noghlew 'il Fuq (1968) Let's Soar High

20 Rebbiegha (1971) 20 Springs

Qamar il-Hsad (1976) A Reaping Moon

Gebla fuq Gebla (1981) A Stone Upon A Stone

Merghat (1987) Pastures

In 1973 the Ghaqda Letterarja Maltija lauched the idea to set up the Kunsill Centrali tal-Malti (Central Council of Maltese), a body intended to be similar to other foreign lanuage academies abroad. The idea took off and on the 26^th June 1973 the Council met for the first time and elected its officials. Amongst these were Prof. Guze' Galea, Dr Wallace Gulia, Mr Maurice DeGaetano and Mr Joe Zammit Ciantar. Besides representatives of the local literary societies, the Council embodied also the Professor of Maltese at the Royal University of Malta and other scholars of the language. National recognition was requested from the Government. The Council's first aim was standardisation in the use of Maltese. This need is still very badly felt today. Amongst other things, several letters in the press attest to this. The Ghaqda Letterarja Maltija strived beyond its limits to safeguard this newly-born Council, all the more so as it was its baby. Others appeared to have thought otherwise, or considered the Society too minuscule to be credited with the origin of such a worthy initiative. These and indifference slayed the Council in its infancy!

Pinna Zaghzugha (Youthful Pen) has become an annual event. This is an essay competition open to all students in Forms IV, V and VI of secondary schools, both statal and private. The essay-writing is normally held under usual examination conditions. The competition is organised with the approval and co-operation of the Ministry of Education & National Culture. About 300 students normally participate and the Society is allowed to use the Government examination halls for this purpose. Works are judged by an independent panel made up of three. The prize-giving ceremony usually takes place in April under the chairmanship of the Honourable Minister of Education & National Culture who presents also the Minister's prize to the overall winner. The school with the largest amount of points among the first ten essays gets the PINNA ZAGHZUGHA trophy that it keeps for a year. For years now, Merlin Library Limited of Blata l-Bajda has been very instrumental in the running of this competition by sponsoring the prizes.

Postal address: The Secretary "Ghaqda Letterarja Maltija",

Leomart Flat 2 Triq San Gorg,

Gzira GZR 06. MALTA.

E-mail addresses: ghlm@email.com

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