Pisa and Valletta, twinning between the town Tuscany and the capital of Malta. In recent days, a delegation from the Municipality of Pisa, led by Deputy Mayor Raffaella Bonsangue with responsibility for twinning and international cooperation, was a guest in Malta. The mayor of Valletta Alfred Zammit did the honors. The purpose of the agreement is to “build solid human and cultural relations between the two cities. A contribution to the integration of European citizens who have, in their stories, common values in which to recognize themselves ". In fact, the historical relations between the two cities refer to theOrder of Malta, as early as the twelfth century. After having stipulated the twinning, the Pisan delegation together with that of Valletta, fromItalian ambassador to Malta Fabrizio Romano.
Twinning between Pisa and Valletta
Deputy Mayor Raffaella Bonsangue, on the initiative. “In such a complicated moment for the life of our communities, with one war at the gates of Europe which plunged us into a time that we thought buried in history, it is even more important that cities, as well as national governments, make every effort to forge bonds of friendship. Collaboration and exchange relationships. Fundamental elements for the promotion of those values of democracy and freedom which are the basis of our civil coexistence.
I am also very satisfied that our city can re-establish ancient relationships with a city that is fundamental for the routes of the Mediterranean and with trade ”. The Pisan municipal administration said it was certain that the opportunities for exchange and confrontation with Valletta they will be multiple. From tourism development and economic to higher education for students. Twinning is also an opportunity to rediscover the glorious history of Pisa, an ancient maritime republic, naval power of the Mediterranean from the XNUMXth to the XNUMXth century.
The ancient links between the two cities
The studio of Maria Luisa Ceccarelli Lemut e Gabriella Garzella, both professors at the University of Pisa. "We greet with satisfaction - the two professors write - the approval of the agreement we believed in since the project took shape, due to our long frequentation of the Maltese capital for studies on the Pisan priory of'Order of St. John of Jerusalem, today of Malta. In addition to the Mediterranean vocation that has characterized the two cities for centuries, there are other historical and current ties.
On the one hand, the cult of the Pisan saint Ubaldesca, born in Calcinaia in the second half of the 1205th century and died in Pisa in XNUMX. On the other hand, the consolidated relationship of the Opera della Primaziale Pisana with the St. John's Co-Cathedral of Valletta, formerly a convent church of the Order of Malta. This, in the context of conferences on European cathedrals. We are available for any collaboration that will be deemed appropriate by the Municipality of Pisa with a view to twinning, also hoping for the continuation and deepening of the relationship with local scholars ".
We thank Ambassador Fabrizio Romano for using the photographs.
