European union youth orchestra to continue with its activities

The European Commission has assured Maltese MEP Alfred Sant that it has found a solution to allow the European Union Youth Orchestra (EUYO) to continue its activities, following the EU decision to dismantle the Orchestra by September due to lack of funds. Dr Sant was instrumental to reverse the EU decision taken in May to cut the funding for the EUYO. Maltese musicians, forming part of the EU Orchestra, had asked Dr Sant to intervene on their behalf in the European Parliament to revoke the decision. Dr Sant had joined Maltese musicians on 20 May when they teamed up with other musicians across Europe to join the “European Symphony” in front of Teatru Rjal, Valletta in a show of international solidarity.
That same day Dr Sant took the initiative to collect the signatures of other MEPs from different political groups at the European Parliament to pile pressure on the European Commission on this issue. Dr Sant asked the EC whether following the unsuccessful bid for funding under the EU’s Creative Europe funding programme, the EU had any plans to provide an alternative source of funding in order to ensure the survival of the European Youth Orchestra which had been through the years successful in bringing together youths from all 28 EU member states to express European unity through musical expression and partnership. Dr Sant’s Parliamentary Question was co-signed by 23 other MEPs from different political groups including Maltese MEPs Marlene Mizzi (S&D), Miriam Dalli (S&D) and David Casa (EPP).
EC Commissioner Tibor Navracsics told Dr Sant that when it became aware that the Orchestra had financial problems, the Commission found a solution to allow the European Union Youth Orchestra to continue its activities. The Commission counts on the Orchestra in these challenging times to adapt their activities to better reflect the “European” role they have and to spread the European spirit of freedom, creativity and opennes in Europe and for Europe. Navracsics said that for the last 40 years, the European Union Youth Orchestra (EUYO) has been a symbol of Europe’s cultural diversity. The Commission wants to keep the spirit of the Orchestra alive, by allowing it to train the best European musicians in Europe for the benefit of all European territories.

Maltese Version – L-ORKESTRA TAŻ-ŻGĦAŻAGĦ TAL-UE SE TIBQA’ GĦADDEJJA BL-ATTIVITAJIET TAGĦHA

Il-Kummissjoni Ewropea aċċertat lill-Ewroparlamentari Alfred Sant li sabet soluzzjoni biex l-Orkestra taż-Żgħażagħ tal-Unjoni (EUYO) tibqa’ għaddejja bl-attivitajiet tagħha. Dan wara li l-UE kienet iddeċidiet li twaqqaf l-Orkestra f’Settembru minħabba nuqqas ta’ fondi. Dr Sant kien strumentali biex tkun rivokata d-deċiżjoni li ttieħdet f’Mejju u li permezz tagħha kienu se jinqatgħu l-fondi għal Orkestra. Mużiċisti Maltin, li jagħmlu parti mill-Orkestra talbu lil Dr Sant biex jintervjeni għan-nom tagħhom biex il-Parlament Ewropew ibiddel din id-deċiżjoni. Dr Sant issieħeb ma’ għadd ta’ mużiċisti Maltin fl-20 ta’ Mejju quddiem it-Teatru Rjal, il-Belt Valletta li flimkien ma’ mużiċisti oħra fi bliet Ewropej daqqew l-Innu Ewropew bħala turija ta’ solidarjeta` internazzjonali.
Dak inhar stess, Dr Sant ħa l-inizjattiva biex jiġbor il-firem ta’ Ewroparlamentari oħra minn gruppi politiċi differenti fil-Parlament Ewropew. Dan biex jagħmel pressjoni fuq il-Kummissjoni Ewreopa fuq din il-kwistjoni. Dr Sant staqsa lil Kummissjoni Ewropea li fid-dawl tal-fatt li l-Orkestra falliet fit-tentattiv li tikseb fondi fil-qafas tal-programm ta’ finanzjament tal-UE Ewropa Kreattiva, kellhiex pjanijiet biex tipprovdi sors alternattiv ta’ finanzjament sabiex tiżgura l-għixien tal-Orkestra taż-Żgħażagħ tal-UE. Tul is-snin l-Orkestra kienet ta’ suċċess billi ġabet flimkien żgħażagħ mit-28 Stat Membru tal-UE biex jesprimu l-unità Ewropea bl-espressjoni mużikali. Il-Mistoqsija Parlamentari ta’ Dr Sant kienet iffirmata minn 23 Ewroparlamentari minn gruppi politiċi differenti fosthom l-Ewroparlamentari Maltin Marlene Mizzi (S&D), Miriam Dalli (S&D) u David Casa (PPE).
Il-Kummissarju Tibor Navracsics qal lil Dr Sant li meta l-Kummissjoni saret taf bil-problemi finanzjarji li kienet għaddejja minnhom l-Orkestra, il-Kummissjoni sabet soluzzjoni li permezz tagħha l-Orkestra taż-Żgħażagħ tal-Unjoni Ewropea se tkun tista’ tissokta bl-attivitajiet tagħha. Il-Kummissjoni qalet li qed isserraħ fuq l-impenn tal-Orkestra f’dawn iż-żminijiet ta’ sfida biex tadatta l-attivitajiet tagħha sabiex jirriflettu aħjar ir-rwol “Ewropew” tagħha u biex ixxerred l-ispirtu Ewropew ta’ libertà, kreattività u ftuħ fl-Ewropa u għall-Ewropa.
Tibor Navracsics qal li għal dawn l-aħħar 40 sena, l-Orkestra taż-Żgħażagħ tal-Unjoni Ewropea (EUYO) kienet simbolu tad-diversità kulturali tal-Ewropa. Il-Kummissjoni trid iżżomm ħaj l-ispirtu tal-Orkestra, billi tippermettilha tħarreġ l-aqwa mużiċisti Ewropej fl-Ewropa għall-benefiċċju tat-territorju Ewropew kollu.