Meeting point at the airport in front of the information point ( arrivals). The telephone for more information is 689027353 (Martina). We will continue informing you during this month.

18:00 hrs. Arrival and check-in at the respective hotels in Capdepera.(At the arrival the participants will receive leaflets,maps and useful information about our village)

20:30 hr. Welcome Cocktail at Bella Playa Hotel.

21:15 hrs. Approximately Welcome dinner to the conference’s participants hosted by “Aguas Capdepera” in Bella Playa Hotel in Cala Rajada.

22:30 hrs. Mallorcan dances in charge of the group Castell de Capdepera in Hotel Bella Playa.

Friday,17th MAY 2013

9:00 hrs Opening speech by the Mayor of Capdepera, the tourism Councillor and the heritage Councilor.

9:30- 11:30 hrs. European Walled Towns Executive Meeting in Cap Vermell Centrum (Cala Rajada).

11- 11.30 hrs. Coffee Break hosted by bar Roca Mar.

11.30 – 13.30 hrs. European Walled Towns Executive Meeting in Cap Vermell Centrum.

14:00 hrs. Lunch hosted by the Castle association in La Ponderosa Restaurant in Capdepera.

17:30 h. Departure by bus direct to the Medieval Market.

18:00 Meeting of all authorities at the medieval market.

Meeting point: Capdepera’s Town Hall. And Visit to the Capdepera Castle and Medieval Market.Exhibition of castles in Mallorca (Santueri Castle,Alaró Castle, Cabrera Castle,Castell del Rei and Bellver Castle). Live a Medieval experience going back to the Medieval Ages through the Medieval Market in Capdepera. This day we will celebrate the 30th anniversary of the castle’s cession to the village of Capdepera. This is an official ceremony with politics from the Balearic Government, the local Councillors and the Mayor. The Medieval Market is an example of cultural products used for tourism development, social cohesion and identity of our municipality.

20:00 hrs. Dinner hosted by the Castle Association in the Castle.

20:30 hrs. Exhibition of fire and music in charge of “Solera Gabellina”at the Castle.

22:00 hrs. Go back to the bus in Constitucion Square in Capdepera direction to Cala Rajada.

10:00 – 10:30 hrs. Strategic lines of the Balearic Island Government.(ATB)

10:30- 11:00 hrs. European Projects (Eurolocal).

11:05 – 11.25 hrs. Coffee Break hosted by bar Roca Mar.

11.30 – 12:00 hrs Cultural development and new projects of the Alcudia municipality.

12:00- 12:30 hrs. Almeida (Portugal) The Fortification of the Central stripe.

12:30 – 13:45 hrs. Malta (Isla, Medina and Valetta) Theme: Successful touristic projects and development plans.

14:00 – 16:00 hrs Lunch in Capdepera hosted by the Castle Association in “Los Monteros restaurant from Cala Rajada” .

16:10 hrs. Visit to the Centre Melis Cursach in Capdepera and defense system exhibition. (1 hour and 20 min.)

17:25 hrs.Visit to the Canyamel Tower.(1 hour).

- Coffee break hosted by the tower property

During the Middle Ages the Canyamel Tower was part of the defense system that protected the coasts from the numerous dangers that constantly besieged the island.

Medieval music in charge of “Orquestra N’Aladern”

19:00 hrs. Free time.

21.00 hrs Dinner hosted by the Castle Association in the restaurant “Es Racó de ses Graneres in Cala Rajada”.

22:30 hrs Return to the respective hotels.

Joseph Spiteri

EWT President

Click here for Executive Agenda 2013

Click here to view Newsletter

I assure you all, that my secretariat and I will strive to take our organisation forward for the benefit of all member towns and cities.

Many best regards
Joe Spiteri
President

Mr. Joseph Spiteri – Deputy Mayor – Valletta Local Council

Joseph Spiteri was born on 21st September 1961 and he has lived in the city of Valletta all his life. He attended the St. Albert the Great College also in Valletta. Mr. Spiteri has been working as a Civil Servant with the Malta Public Service from September 1990 to August 1998, serving within a substantial number of government departments. From September 1998 to date he has served as Secretariat officer within the Personal Secretariat of the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Communications carrying out assignments and attending meetings at the discretion of the Minister.

Mr. Spiteri plays an active role in the civic life of the city, this mostly arising from his involvement within the Valletta Local Council as an elected Councillor with the Nationalist Party ticket since 1993 and his serving for several terms of office as the Deputy Mayor of the Valletta Local Council. Together with the Mayor and his fellow Councillors, Mr. Spiteri has always strived to works towards making residents and visitors alike perceive Valletta as a unique living experience, aiming towards a better quality of life for the Valletta residents, based on a safer and healthier environment, with an improved infrastructure appropriate for a modern walled city. In his work within the Local Council, Mr. Spiteri has always aimed at a City administration operating with an open and innovative mind in order to promote Valletta as a City fit for work, business and leisure, for the younger generation as well as for our senior citizens, whilst giving due importance and space to the cultural strength of the City and above all to provide an enjoyable and unique tourist experience.

Mr. Spiteri is also responsible for the European and International portfolio within the Local Council. During his tenure as a Councillor and consequently as a Deputy Mayor within the Valletta Local Council, Mr. Spiteri has given great importance to active participation in EU matters on behalf of the Local Council and the local community he represents, giving special attention to the younger generation within the City. In fact, Mr. Spiteri has worked extensively within the Local Council to tap funds through EU-funded programmes. Once such example is the Youth in Action Programme through which he provided a number of opportunities for the local youths within the community resulting in EU exchange and mobility projects. In 2010, a group of 15 youngsters from Valletta visited Iceland in a youth mobility project concerning democracy and in 2011 another group of youngsters visited Catania as well. These projects transpired as a result of the work dedicated by Mr. Spiteri together with the administration of the Valletta Local Council and the necessary preparatory visits and planning such projects entail.

Another EU project spearheaded by Mr. Spiteri’s initiative during this tenure within the Local Council is the Hero Project which consists of a partnership between a number of EU countries aimed at fostering the exchange among the project partners in regards to the elaboration process of “Cultural Heritage Integrated Management Plans” (CHIMPs) on local level in the partner cities. The main objective of the project HerO, funded by URBACT, is to facilitate the right balance between the preservation of built cultural heritage and the sustainable, future socio-economic development of historic towns, in order to strengthen their attractiveness and competitiveness. In fact, one such conference, the HerO Mid-Term Conference was hosted by the Valletta Local Council in Malta in 2011 and it largely focused on “Implementation Strategies”. A number of 35 representatives from 8 heritage cities all around Europe attended the conference organized by the Valletta Local Council with Mr. Spiteri heading the organizing committee, which was part of this EU-funded project dealing with sustainable management strategies for historic urban landscapes.

The City of Valletta joined the European Walled Towns (EWT) in 1996 and during the past sixteen years, Mr. Spiteri representing the Valletta Local Council has contributed extensively, taking an quite a pro-active role within the organisation. Mr. Spiteri has been present and gave contributions to the long debate regarding the change of name of the organisation, and in every internal discussion regarding changes to the constitution and other matters within the EWT during the years.

Within the context of the EWT, Mr. Spiteri was also involved in the ARCHWAY Project between 2004 and 2007, which focused on developing a pan-European network for walled towns, enabling them to share information and exchange best practice on issues that affected them all. The project aimed at the creation of a network which would become the principal source of European policy, good practice, innovation and excellence in the conservation, promotion, development, management and spatial planning of historic places. Moreover, in his involvement within the EWT, Mr. Spiteri has always contributed successfully to the organization of a number of Executive meetings hosted in Malta including a very recent one in May 2012. He has always been open to ideas and actively participated with other member Towns and Cities of the EWT in various European projects offering prompt support and feedback.

With regards to his vision for the future, Mr. Spiteri believes that European Walled Towns cannot be considered solely as cradles of society with a glorious past, and they cannot keep being acclaimed only for their traditional and historical prestige. He believes that there is more to Walled Towns than meets the eye and hence his aim as President is to bring out the hidden cultural time-bomb of European Walled Towns and their ability to become a central hub of dynamic cultural experiences, buzzing with activities involving the performing arts, and ultimately becoming a regular attraction to all sectors of society, from children and youths to senior citizens and also be regarded as important assets for the increase of tourism. The focus has to be set on this cultural aspect and the inclusion of performing arts, to encourage the exchange of artists, performers and best practices in the cultural field between members of the association. He further wants to commence a study about the common cultural aspect of European Walled Towns and how this can be further developed through possibly an effective marketing strategy.

Click here to view the Newsletter

Mr Joseph Spiteri, vice mayor of Valletta was elected President of the European Walled Towns at the Annual General Meeting in Gmund in Karnten, Austria on Saturday 22nd September.

The picture shows Mr Peter van Rosmalen outgoing President congratulating the incoming President Mr Joseph Spiteri.

The jury on Hellevoetsluis: Hellevoetsluis is remarkable because it translates the nautical and archaeological past to the present on a broad scale; in many places ( even in new housing developments) inhabitants, youth, water sportsmen and tourists are stimulated to experience the history of Hellevoetsluis.

2010 – Fredericia (Denmark)

2009 – Osmangazi – Bursa (Turkey)

2008 – Canterbury (UK)

2007 – Plasencia (Spain)

2006 – Verona (Italy)

2005 – ‘s-Hertogenbosch (Netherlands)

2004 – Chichester (UK)

2003 – Waterford (Ireland)

2002 – Soave (Italy)

2001 – Elvas (Portugal)

2000 – Tenby (UK)

1999 – Zadar (Croatia)

1998 – Piran (SLovenia)

1997 – Chester (UK)

1996 – Drosendorf an der Thaya (Austria)

1995 – Mdina (Malta)

1994 – Derry/Londonderry (N-Ireland)

1993 – Loches (France)

1992 – Cittadella, (Italy)

1991 – Cardiff (UK)

 Mr. G. Adams and Mrs A. Scicluna have withdrawn their nomination and the remaining candidates are Mr Joseph Spiteri of Valletta, Malta and Mr. Martin Nooijens of ‘s-Hertogenbosch, the Netherlands.

Mr. J. Spiteri will be assisted by Ms. Gabriella Agius, Executive Secretary, Valletta Local Council. The day to day running and administration of the Secretariat will be in the hands of Ms. Elaine Caruana, Administrative Officer Valletta Local Council supported by IT Officer Mr Dylan Seychell. Resume and motivation of Mr Joseph Spiteri can be downloaded.                                                                               Mr M. Nooijens will be assisted by the present Secretary General Mr Huibert Crijns and Mrs Bernadette Woerdman will continue taking care of the EWT Secretariat and Website.  Resume and motivation of Mr Martin Nooijens, Mr Huibert Crijns and Mrs Bernadette Woerdman can be downloaded.