Nadur 2002: A Year in Review [30/12/02]

It was a busy year for Nadur and its people. June29th.com goes through life in Nadur during the year 2002. The special end-of-year feature also includes links to other june29th.com top-picks. We would like to take this opportunity to thank all of you, thousands of internet users, for visiting the one home for all Nadurin around the globe every day. All of you made this year very special. Click here to proceed to "Nadur 2002: A Year in Review."

Busy day for crib enthusiasts as families flock in [29/12/02]

Although Christmas is now over, Gozitan families are still going round the island to enjoy its most beautiful cribs. Sunday December 29th was a rather busy day for those who had their cribs open to the public.

June29th.com intermingled with the crowds in Nadur and snatched more photos! Click here and enjoy.

German choir booked for Melbourne's Mnarja 2003 [27/12/02]

A 55-member German choir has confirmed its participation in next year's Mnarja celebrations in Melbourne. "We are preparing for a big Mnarja over here, which should unite all Nadurin in a one big celebration," Nadur Australian Association President Peter Paul Portelli told june29th.com.

Meanwhile the Association has appointed Mgr Salv Pace as the Deputy Prior of its Priory in Malta and Peter Paul Camilleri as Secretary. Nadur-born Rita Saliba joined the Order on December 8th. Ivan Skatulja from the Croatian Community in Australia has been appointed the first macer of the order of St Peter and St Paul. He will carry the mace during the Church celebrations next June in Melbourne.

Superb performance thrills audience [26/12/02]

The hundreds of people who packed Nadur's Basilica on Christmas evening surely enjoyed a superb first performance of this year's "Tama li Rebhet", the musical based on Mary Hayley Bell's "Whistle Down the Wind". Thumbs all up for Director Mark Azzopardi, Composer Antoine Theuma, writer Joe Camilleri,  recording engineer John Mercieca and to tens of actors, back-stage and crew. 

The second performance will be up at the MUSEUM (boys) branch on Friday December 27th at 1900 CET and at the Ninu Cremona Lyceum Complex in Victoria on January 1st 2003. Until all photos are available, enjoy this one!  

Christmas treat for all primary school children [26/12/02]

We've just got hold of some photos shot during the last school day of the year. The Nadur Primary School in collaboration with the Nadur Local Council invited special animators from Malta to entertain all students (and even the staff!) for this very special day.

Mickey Mouse, his wife and close friends, were all there! Click here for more.

Special Carnival warm-up on Christmas Day! [26/12/02]

Two months to go for another big fiesta in Nadur: Carnival 2003! The eager and enthusiastic Carnival lovers at Qala Road (Nadur) reminded everyone that Carnival is getting closer with a spontaneous unplugged concert in their neighborhood on Christmas afternoon! Vehicles entering Nadur on that day couldn't but stop their car and laugh their hearts out! 

We happened to be there too! Click here for an enlarged pix of the concert!  

Nadurin show respect in annual Baby Jesus procession [24/12/02]

An ideal weather triggered many Nadurin to leave their homes on Christmas Eve and enjoy the Purcissjoni tal-Bambin (Baby Jesus procession), which is organized annually by the Nadur MUSEUM branches. Children and adults, together with the Mnarja Band, accompanied the statue of Baby Jesus through the main roads of Nadur. The traditional procession was introduced by MUSEUM-founder Dun Gorg Preca in 1921 in Hamrun. Click here for photos.

Santa is coming to town!  [23/12/02]

A few hours left for Santa's reindeers to reach Nadur and Santa can finally start distributing the much-awaited presents for the young Nadurin! All of us at june29th.com would like to wish all of you, thousands of internet users, a wonderful Christmas. May it brings happiness and lots of joy into your hearts and families. Meanwhile a new feature will be up soon on Nadur in 2002! 

All doors open at Radju Luminaria open-week  [23/12/02]

All the Radju Luminaria crew are welcoming all Nadurin at their premises at Nadur's Basilica for an open-week. "The idea is to give our listeners the opportunity to come here and see in what way we invested their donations," Station Manager Fr Brian Meilak told june29th.com. A special festive schedule kicked off on Monday 23rd with a june29th.com three-hour show. Meanwhile emigrants can call in on Christmas Eve between 1000 and 1100 CET and from 1900 till 2000 CET and send their greetings to their loved ones in Nadur. Click here to enjoy live-streaming.

More cribs to enjoy  [20/12/02]

With just five days to go for the big day, Nadur's houses are glowing bright, more and more presents are being put under Christmas Trees while the 'pasturi' in every Nadur-crib have settled to their new way of life!

June29th.com peeped into more Nadur houses and got some great crib-pictures for all of you to enjoy. Click here.

Meanwhile we've also prepared a short history of the Crib in Malta, together with a special feature on the popular custom of calends (irwiegel). Those who believe in Calends can already predict a sunny June 29th 2003. But it's better to read all the feature before reaching any conclusion!

All is almost set for a special Christmas musical  [20/12/02]

Everything is almost set for three performances of this year’s Christmas musical "Tama li Rebhet". Rehearsals at the MUSEUM (boys) branch are now approaching the finishing line. “With the largest cast ever grouped for the annual Christmas program at the Nadur Basilica on Christmas Day, this year’s musical is set to draw in crowds,” Director Mark Azzopardi told june29th.com.  The musical will be performed for the first day during the annual Christmas evening show at the Church. The show kicks off at 1900 CET.

The musical will also be held at the MUSEUM Hall on Friday December 27th at 1900 CET and at the Ninu Cremona Lyceum Complex in Victoria on January 1st 2003. The Nadur Local Council and London’s David Gill Galleries are supporting the event. Meanwhile, last year’s musical, Kull Qalb Trid Ohra, will be aired on TVM on January 1st at 1330 CET.

A CD feature all the musical songs will also be on sale, with proceeds going towards the missionary of the Society for Christian Doctrine in Albania.

"The crib makes my Christmas complete!"  [19/12/02]

Pawla Buttigieg was one of those Nadurin who welcomed june29th.com home to let us enjoy her crib. "It makes my Christmas complete!" she told us with a wonderful smile. June29th.com has just launched its first set of photos of Nadur cribs. However, we are still visiting all those houses wishing to exhibit their crib on june29th.com! Much more are yet to come...

Meanwhile, click here and enjoy.

Nadur welcomes ten new altar boys [18/12/02]

Nadur welcomed ten new altar boys on Wednesday, December 18th. Joseph Attard, Jonathan Azzopardi, Keith Camilleri, Ramie Cassar, Justin Galea, Keith Grima, Timothy Portelli, Matthew Sciberras, Frederick Spiteri and Mario Xuereb have joined around 35 other Nadur altar boys, serving at St Peter & St Paul's Basilica.

Meanwhile, the Novena tal-Milied is now gearing up with many Nadurin flocking the Church every evening. Fr Giovanni Curmi is this year delivering the special novena sermons. Click here for photos.

Special Christmas Schedule on Radju Luminaria [18/12/02]

Nadur's radio station, Radju Luminaria, will hit the waves on Monday with a special Christmas Schedule, aimed to keep all listeners glued on! "As in previous years, Radju Luminaria will be keeping all its listeners in good spirit for the festive season," Station Manager Fr Brian Meilak told june29th.com. "We're glad to be able to welcome all our listeners from all around the world to join us thanks to a continuous online live-streaming."

The year 2002 was a very special one for Nadur's community radio station as it started broadcasting from new studios, with expenses reaching around Lm15,000. "I would like to thank all the Nadurin for their generous support this year. Our main priority next year is to install a lift to the studios and I'm sure the people will respond to our call," Fr Meilak told us.

Click here for all the schedule.

June29th.com teams up with Istrina [18/12/02]

Christmas is the time of the year when people seem to be more generous than usual. It's the time when organizations team up to help those in need. For this Christmas, june29th.com has teamed up with the national charity telethon, Istrina. This year's Istrina will be held on Saturday 28th December 2002. All money collected will be handed to the Community Chest Fund, Razzett tal-Hbiberija, Life Cycle, Jesuits Refugee Services and Missionary Movement Gesu fil-Proxxmu for Children infected with Aids in Brazil. June29th.com's staff will also be present at the telethon to receive calls from all those wishing to donate money.

Meanwhile, you can also give a helping hand. Click here and make your donation. No matter how big or small it is, you'll be making someone happy!

"Wonderful" - President de Marco at the MUSEUM branch [18/12/02]

The President of Malta, Professor Guido de Marco, was in Nadur on Monday, December 16th, to preside a childrens' activity at Nadur's Basilica. All Gozitan school children gathered at Nadur's Basilica and handed their donations to President de Marco.

Following a Mass at the Basilica, President de Marco was welcomed at the Nadur MUSEUM (boys) branch. De Marco was literally amazed by the wonderful decorations at the boys'  branch. He had words of praise to all the MUSEUM members for keeping the MUSEUM alive and appealing for today's generation.

Fireworks committee preparing 2003 Calendar  [18/12/02]

June29th.com has just got its hands on the new Nadur 2003 Calendar, produced for the second consecutive year by the Nadur Fireworks Committee. "The feedback we got last year was great and we thought it would be a wonderful idea to greet a new year with yet another Nadur Calendar," committee official Carmel Falzon told us. The calendar will be available from all committee members in the coming days.

Zebbug beat Youngsters with last-minute goal [15/12/02]

Zebbug Rovers managed to gain three-important points after beating Nadur Youngsters with a last-minute goal on Sunday afternoon. The whites, who ended the match in ten after Paul Camilleri was shown the red card, struggled to no avail throughout the 90 minutes. Mark Buttigieg's goal on the 35th minute was cancelled on an off-side charge.

Things are now messy at the very top of the Gozo Chart with the 17-point Youngsters followed closely by Ghajnsielem FC and Xewkija Tigers with 16-points each and with an extra-game to play. 

Let the world enjoy your crib [11/12/02]

June29th.com will soon give you a whole bunch of photos of beautiful made-in-Nadur cribs. If you would like your relatives living abroad to have a look at your crib, no matter how big or small it is, just jot a note here. We'll be glad to let your friends and relatives abroad relive special Christmas memories. E-mail us now. We can help you make your relatives' Christmas even a little bit more special!

And so this is Christmas... [10/12/02]

Christmas is a special time for all... it's the perfect time to gather with relatives and friends and enjoy one of the most awaited days of the year. Christmas spirit is now all over Nadur! Houses, streets and clubs are all decorated with glowing red, green and yellow bulbs.

Christmas trees and cribs have now transformed each Nadur house into a Christmas cozy home. The Local Council was also, for another year, responsible for the street decorations at December 13th Street and St Peter & St Paul's Square. June29th.com went round the main streets of Nadur and snatched some photos. Click here to check them out! We've got a new Photo of the Month too!

Church prepares to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ [09/12/02]

Nadur's Basilica is preparing all Nadurin to celebrate a different Christmas, which is not just an external splash of parties and presents, but also a time to reflect and praise the Lord.

Violet is the liturgical colour associated with this time of the Catholic Liturgical Year... symbolizing penitence and reflection. Meanwhile, all Church ceremonies are being streamed live on june29th.com thanks to Radju Luminaria. A new Christmas schedule will kick off soon.

Cicciano in festa next weekend! [06/12/02]

Our friends at Cicciano (Naples - Italy) will celebrate their feast dedicated to San Barbato next weekend. "This will be a special festa as it will be marking the 14th century since the birth of San Barbato," our friends told us.

Nadur Mayor Chris Said and councillor Joseph Zerafa will be in Cicciano to enjoy their feast and also to discuss important issues with their Italian counterparts. "Besides enjoying the feast with our friends, we will be discussing a farming and commercial exchange visit," Mayor Said told june29th.com. 

We wish our friends at Cicciano a wonderful time!

Yet another cool website for gorgeous Nadur! [04/12/02]

Nadur has strengthened its top place as Gozo's most well-presented town on the internet. The Nadur Local Council has now launched its new official website at nadur.gov.mt! "During the past year june29th.com showed what a feeling a great website can create," Mayor Chris Said told us. "Now, as part of the E-MALTA process, our Local Council will have its own home, wholly focusing on the work being carried out by the Local Council."

The Council's website is the latest site to join the Nadur Online Community, which already includes the only radio station in Gozo streaming online all year round and Gozo's only online weather observatory!

Pjazzetta Hardware gets new stock of Xmas decorations! [03/12/02]

Pjazzetta Hardware Store, an official june29th.com partner, has just got a full stock of high-quality Christmas decorations... all at superb prices! 

Visit the shop, just behind Nadur's Basilica and see the wide selection of Santa Clauses, Christmas Tree lights, outdoor decorations, special festive bulbs and much more!

Pjazzetta Hardware Store is open daily from 0700 till 1900. And they also do free home deliveries! Click here for more.

Youngsters vs United clash ends all square [01/12/02]

Newcomers Xaghra United were not an easy opponent for the Youngsters, which on Sunday only managed to bring home one point. 

The stripes' foreigner Krasen Krastev opened the score on the 20th minute. A few minutes later the Youngsters had a great chance to equalize the score but Anthony Portelli failed to hit his target from the penalty spot. A few minutes later, however, Nigerian striker Okoro, balanced the Sannat Ground Scoreboard. Xaghra took the lead again with Camilleri on the 75th minute. Seven minutes afterwards whites' defender Brian Portelli had his first goal of the season.

Nadur are still on top of the Gozo First Division League as Xewkija Tigers managed to beat Ghajnsielem FC four goals to three on Saturday. For more details click here.

December's issue of Il-Hbieb Isejhu now online [01/12/02]

Let's welcome December! And this month's issue of 'Il-Hbieb Isejhu' is already online. During its first month 'Il-Hbieb Isejhu' online got a lovely 850 hits!

In this issue: Read special Christmas anecdotes and get to know more of the next week's youth meeting at the MUSEUM (boys) branch. Happy reading!

news editor: Pierre J. Mejlak photos: Ryan J. Meilak