If you're lucky enough to spend your language study trip in Malta on June 7, then you might have the chance to celebrate Sette Giugno with the locals—a holiday celebrated every year on this Mediterranean island!
Learn more about this national holiday during your language study trip to Malta
Sette Giugno (meaning “June 7” in Italian) is a Maltese national holiday commemorating the events that took place on that day in 1919, when, during a series of protests by the Maltese population, British troops opened fire on the crowd and killed four people. Although relations between the two countries have been excellent for a long time, a language study trip to Malta can be an opportunity to learn more about this foundational aspect of the island’s culture.
When the island awoke in the aftermath of World War I
Shortly after the end of World War I, major changes in agriculture, industry, and politics shook a country that dreamed of breaking free from British rule. Frustrated by the occupying power’s control over its resources, the island’s population took to the streets as early as February. On June 7, 1919, the occupying forces, overwhelmed by the growing scale of the unrest, opened fire and killed four Maltese.
Standing in front of an iconic sculpture during her language study trip to Malta
A language study trip to Malta may be an opportunity to see the various monuments erected in memory of this tragedy. For example, you might see the statue by Italian sculptor Giuseppe Cipriani, unveiled to the island’s public on June 7, 1986. As for the rest, we’ll leave it to the lucky ones to enjoy the traditional celebrations of Sette Giugno, designated in 1989 as one of the island’s five national holidays.