Freedom Day ( mt, Jum il-Ħelsien) is a Maltese national holiday celebrated annually on 31 March. This is the anniversary of the withdrawal of British troops and the
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against Fr ...
from
Malta
Malta ( , , ), officially the Republic of Malta ( mt, Repubblika ta' Malta ), is an island country in the Mediterranean Sea. It consists of an archipelago, between Italy and Libya, and is often considered a part of Southern Europe. It lies ...
in 1979. On taking power in 1971, the Labour Government indicated it wanted to re-negotiate the lease agreement with the United Kingdom. Following protracted and sometimes tense talks, a new agreement was signed whereby the lease was extended till the end of March 1979 at a vastly increased rent. On 31 March 1979 the last British Forces left Malta. For the first time in a millennium, Malta was no longer a military base of a foreign power and it became independent ''de facto'' as well as ''de jure''.
The main events of the activities commemorating this date take place at the Freedom Day Monument at
Birgu (Vittoriosa) (designed by
Anton Agius
Anton Agius (1933-2008) was a Maltese sculptor, best known for creating a large number of monuments around Malta. He was dubbed "the national sculptor" by former Maltese president Ugo Mifsud Bonnici.
Early life
Agius was born in Rabat on 1 ...
) and at the War Memorial in Floriana. In the afternoon the Grand Harbour hosts a competitive regatta. The regatta often attracts thousands of spectators and participants from the three big cities (
Birgu
Birgu ( mt, Il-Birgu , it, Vittoriosa), also known by its title Città Vittoriosa ("''Victorious City''"), is an old fortified city on the south side of the Grand Harbour in the South Eastern Region of Malta. The city occupies a promontory of ...
,
Bormla
Cospicua ( mt, Bormla ), also known by its titles Città Cospicua or Civitas Cottonera, is a double-fortified harbour city in the South Eastern Region of Malta. Along with Birgu and Senglea, it is one of the Three Cities, located within the Grand ...
and
Isla
Isla or ISLA may refer to:
Organizations
* International Securities Lending Association, a trade association
* International School of Los Angeles
* International Bilingual School, later named International School of Los Angeles
People
* Isla ...
), as well as coastal towns. The regatta forms part of two annual rowing race events, the second being on
Victory Day
Victory Day is a commonly used name for public holidays in various countries, where it commemorates a nation's triumph over a hostile force in a war or the liberation of a country from hostile occupation. In many cases, multiple countries may ob ...
.
See also
*
Freedom Day (disambiguation) Freedom Day may refer to any of the following days:
National and international
* National Religious Freedom Day on 16 January in the United States, to commemorate the adoption of Thomas Jefferson's landmark Virginia Statute for Religious Freedo ...
in other countries
*
History of Malta
Malta has a long history and was first inhabited in around 5900 BC. The first inhabitants were farmers, and their agricultural methods degraded the soil until the islands became uninhabitable. The islands were repopulated around 3850 BC ...
*
Holidays in Malta
Malta is the country with the most holidays in the European Union. Since 2005, any holidays falling on Saturdays or Sundays do not add an extra day to the workers' leave pool.
National holidays
* 31 March: Freedom Day ('Jum il-Ħelsien')
* 7 ...
*
Victory Day
Victory Day is a commonly used name for public holidays in various countries, where it commemorates a nation's triumph over a hostile force in a war or the liberation of a country from hostile occupation. In many cases, multiple countries may ob ...
References
Public holidays in Malta
March observances
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