Read today's Portuguese stories delivered to your email Hot air balloons will return to the skies of Alentejo during an international festival that brings together participants from 30 teams The International Hot Air Balloon Festival (FIBAQ), which returns for the 27th consecutive year to Alto Alentejo, is organised by the company Publibalão, in collaboration with the ballooning club Alentejo sem Fronteiras. This edition will take place in the municipalities of Alter do Chão, Avis, Fronteira, Monforte and Ponte de Sor, in the district of Portalegre. The event features the participation of 30 teams from Portugal, Spain, France, the Netherlands and Belgium. Quoted in the statement, Aníbal Soares, from the organisation, pointed out that FIBAQ aims to “promote the practice of ballooning in Portugal, reinforcing the commitment to the impact of the festival in participating locations and increasing media return for all parties”. “It is an honour to return with this festival to Alentejo, which has been taking place for 27 years, and bring the magic of flying to everyone who wants to have a flying experience”, he added. View this post on Instagram A post shared by FIBAQ (@festival.ibaq) those interested can “live the unforgettable experience of flying” in a hot air balloon the proceeds of which go towards volunteer firefighters in the localities that participate in the event FIBAQ passes through Monforte on the 7th of November Alter do Chão (the 12th) and the Abreu Callado Foundation in which the “flames from the hot air balloon burners are released to the rhythm of the music” Hot air balloon flights will almost always take place twice a day Considered as “one of the largest and most important festivals in Europe” FIBAQ has partnerships with the chambers of Alter do Chão We appreciate that not everyone can afford to pay for our services but if you are able to we ask you to support The Portugal News by making a contribution – no matter how small You can change how much you give or cancel your contributions at any time Send us your comments or opinion on this article Reaching over 400,000 people a week with news about Portugal This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page The International Hot Air Balloons Festival (FIBAQ) returns for the 27th consecutive year to Alto Alentejo and will bring together participants from several European countries with a total of 30 teams between November 7th to 13th Ponte de Sor and the Abreu Callado Foundation (in Benavila) will be the festival's host locations the event will feature the participation of 30 teams from different countries (Portugal The 27th International Hot Air Balloon Festival promises to light up the skies of the Alentejo where the population is also invited to live the unforgettable experience of flying through the purchase of solidarity bracelets the proceeds of which go towards the Volunteer Firefighters of participating locations “This is a festival that promises to take to the sky all those who dare to dream and fly in a hot air balloon”, says Maria Inês Soares from the organisation, to emphasise that “our social and environmental concern is once again present at FIBAQ therefore the flights to be carried out will be associated with solidarity campaigns that fully benefit the Volunteer Firefighters of the participating municipalities.” a nighttime show that is often considered the climax of a hot air balloon festival The pilots prepare their balloons as if they were going to take off they are stuck a few meters from the ground by the burners create a unique visual spectacle that combines light the responsibility of Publibalão and is co-organised by Alentejo without Borders – Clube de Balonismo being the first and only school in the country for hot air balloon pilots Mission Statement: to assist the integration of foreign residents living in Spain and this is never more accurate than when you establish yourself as a foreign resident in a new country Being able to quickly familiarise yourself with the culture and customs can help ease the transition during a challenging time This is why Euro Weekly News makes it our mission to provide you with a free news resource in English that covers both regional and national Spanish news – anything that we feel you will benefit from knowing as you integrate into your new community and live your best life in Spain you can forget about translating articles from Spanish into awkward English that probably don’t make much sense Let us be your convenient and essential guide to all things that will likely affect you as a foreign resident living in Spain WORK on a factory that will produce the first Portuguese aircraft is expected to start in 2024 ‘The first prototype of the plane is expected to be launched in the first half of 2026 and the second prototype in the second half of 2026’ ‘We hope that by October or November 2024 we will already be starting construction of the factory’ Ponte de Sor is involved in three mobilising programmes of the Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR) It is hoped to create around 500 direct jobs and more than 1,000 indirect jobs The first programme is ‘Aero.next Portugal’ (a consortium) which will be responsible for producing the first Portuguese aircraft This project includes around ‘€140 million of investment’ of which 61 per cent (€75m) is for the Alentejo project It also includes the production of an unmanned aircraft with ‘distinct capabilities’ from those that exist for maritime surveillance and a third project related to advanced air mobility ‘Neuraspace’ is the second project which aims to help solve problems related to space debris with a radar being created in Ponte de Sor to respond to this need ‘Around €200m is being invested’ and it is expected to create 20 to 30 direct jobs Finally, ‘Newspace’ is related to the production of microsatellites and involves ‘around €60 million of investment’, creating more than 100 jobs, according to sicnoticias.pt the satellites one is a little more advanced even as a result of the PRR’s imperative It is expected that by the end of 2024/2025 there will already be an effective verification of the completion of this project’ ‘Now it is part of preparing the programmes which is the mandatory permanent discussion between all members of the consortia and it is work done by the consortium representatives’ Hilário emphasised that ‘Neuraspace’ followed ‘exactly the same path’ while hoping that these two projects will be implemented in the territory by 2024 ‘The last two projects are now in the preparatory phase but they have a considerable execution rate’ ‘There’s a lot of programme content and technical and scientific work allocated to these projects along with technological research which not being physically implemented the telescope or the satellite control radar or the production line doesn’t mean that nothing is being done’ Subscribe to our Euro Weekly News alerts to get the latest stories into your inbox Euro Weekly News is the leading English language newspaper in Spain by delivering news with a social conscience we are proud to be the voice for the expat communities who now call Spain home With around half a million print readers a week and over 1.5 million web views per month EWN has the biggest readership of any English language newspaper in Spain The paper prints over 150 news stories a week with many hundreds more on the web – no one else even comes close Our publication has won numerous awards over the last 25 years including Best Free Newspaper of the Year (Premios AEEPP) Company of the Year (Costa del Sol Business Awards) and Collaboration with Foreigners honours (Mijas Town Hall) All of this comes at ZERO cost to our readers All our print and online content always has been and always will be FREE OF CHARGE Download our media pack in either English or Spanish the brief challenged the architect to develop a building in connection with the existing complex providing the much needed extra bedrooms while ensuring the well-being of the patients as a priority the resulting program includes ten double rooms and four individual rooms all equipped with private facilities.  images © joão morgado the design by the architect results in a program that utilizes the minimum space for the required functions in order to fit within the area of land available and maintain a connection to the existing building the concept is based on this principal and aims to provide a very user-focused experience the volume dematerializes itself through the projection of rooms outward distorting the main façade and forming a special sculptural moment that creates an eye-catching landmark for the town the internal rooms aim to capture as much of the outdoor landscape as possible the protrusions on the façade are designed to large dimensions (3.5/4.5m) in order to bring in vast amounts of daylight the resulting geometry of the design therefore defines the image of the building the scale also aims to establish a relationship with the surrounding trees and create a distinction within the urban landscape the concept by nuno piedade alexandre results in a functional program that prioritises the needs of the users architect: nuno piedade alexandre photography: joão morgado drawings: courtesy of nuno piedade alexandre happening now! partnering with antonio citterio, AXOR presents three bathroom concepts that are not merely places of function, but destinations in themselves — sanctuaries of style, context, and personal expression. Text description provided by the architects. With it’s beginning in 2015, this building has only been completed in 2018. It’s about a health care residence for elderly people, with 10 double rooms and 4 individual rooms, all of them equipped with their own private facilities. The building main aim was that of nurturing the necessity of extra bedrooms on the main existing building having therefore functionally some connections and circulations been established between the two. The geometric complexity that therefore results defines and marks the buildings image that which when introducing an expression of vertical elements had the aim of establish a relation with the surrounding tree mass and to distinguish itself in the urban landscape of the street where it stands the project results from a functional program and the relation of the building with the surrounding urban grid You'll now receive updates based on what you follow Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors If you have done all of this and still can't find the email You will be automatically redirected to the requested page after 3 seconds.Don't close this page Thierry Ligonnière, the CEO of ANA - Aeroportos de Portugal, revealed that the company is making investments of 120 million euros in national airport infrastructure this year, as reported by Postal The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of ANA was speaking at the opening day of the 7th edition of the Portugal Air Summit as per him, the company is “working” on “planning the future” of its infrastructures ANA teams “are also looking at the near future of existing airports.” we are implementing and delivering a plan with 120 million euros of investments” Thierry Ligonnière recalled that “major operations are underway” at Porto airport very sensitive investment of 50 million in what is the airport’s biggest asset “There are obviously operations in Faro which represent an investment of “around 20 million” It's to be mentioned that the number of passengers passing through the airport Faro in the first half of 2024 it increased by 3,3% compared to the same period last year according to data from the National Statistics Institute (INE) the company is investing “over 50 million” in the “new Porto Santo airport terminal” without specifying the amount invested in this case the company is “currently intervening in the terminals of Ponta Delgada and Horta” within the scope of planned investments in national airport infrastructures according to the executive president of ANA “if we can move forward with the investments if we can actually obtain the necessary licenses to be able to move forward with these investments” recalling that there is “some debate at the moment which “is known” and “is in the media” we have a magnificent project to expand Terminal 1 and also to expand Terminal 2,” he said works are planned that “are normally invisible to the general public but which contribute” to the operation and functioning of the airport Thierry Ligonnière also indicated that this year will be marked by “new records” for air traffic at airports in Portugal “We are approaching or surpassing some symbolic traffic thresholds” such as “35 million passengers in Lisbon four million in Madeira” and getting “closer to three million Passenger numbers that “say something” stressing that the country has also taken steps forward in terms of air connectivity: “It was another fantastic year [2024] The Portugal Air Summit takes place until Saturday at the Ponte de Sor Municipal Aerodrome ANA - Aeroportos de Portugal had signed a contract with Acciona for the structural reinforcement of the runway at Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport The project began on July 31st and will last for 19 months, the intervention planned at Porto airport was on the track and adjacent areas ANA – Aeroportos de Portugal intends to increase taxes only at Lisbon airport. The proposal for 2025 is an increase of 2.85% Airports in the Azores and Madeira will not be included FL360aero | All right Reserved 2025 Construction work on a factory that will produce Portugal's first aircraft, in Ponte de Sor (Portalegre) with two prototypes due to be launched in 2026 Speaking to the Lusa news agency on the sidelines of the Portugal Air Summit (PAS) taking place at the Ponte de Sor Municipal Aerodrome until Sunday, the mayor, Hugo Hilário, explained that "the first prototype of the aircraft is expected to be launched in the first half of 2026 and the second prototype in the second half of 2026". "And we hope that by the year [2024], at the time of the PAS, around October, November, we'll have already started building the factory," he said. The municipality of Ponte de Sor is involved in three mobilising agendas of the Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR), worth more than 200 million euros, with the expectation that around 500 direct jobs and more than 1,000 indirect jobs will be created. The first mobilising agenda is "Aero.next Portugal" (a consortium), which will be responsible for producing Portugal's first aircraft, the LUS 222. This agenda includes around "140 million euros" of investment, "61 percent" of which for the Alentejo (75 million euros), and also includes the production of an unmanned aircraft with "distinct" capabilities from those that exist for maritime surveillance and a third component related to advanced air mobility. The second mobilising agenda, "Neuraspace", aims to "help solving" the problems related to space waste. A radar will be created in Ponte de Sor to meet this need. This project involves "around 20 million euros" and will create around 20 to 30 direct jobs. The third mobilising agenda under the PRR, "Newspace", is in turn related to the production of microsatellites and involves "around 60 million euros" of investment, creating more than a hundred jobs. "The other agendas, one of the satellites is a little further along, it has to be carried out, as we know, even by the end of 2026 due to the PRR, and it is hoped that by the end of 2024/2025 there will already be effective verification of the realisation of this agenda on the ground," he said. We appreciate that not everyone can afford to pay for our services but if you are able to, we ask you to support The Portugal News by making a contribution – no matter how small. You can change how much you give or cancel your contributions at any time. an aircraft, wow. Let it be a short haul EU routes electric aircraft, that would be a novelty. Send us your comments or opinion on this article. Reaching over 400,000 people a week with news about Portugal, written in English, Dutch, German, French, Swedish, Spanish, Italian, Russian, Romanian, Turkish and Chinese. Notifications can be managed in browser preferences. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs says 'diplomatic actions may be considered' after the incident I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice The twin sons of Iraq’s ambassador to Portugal have been arrested on suspicion of carrying out a brutal attack on a 15-year-old boy – but the two teenagers may be protected from prosecution by diplomatic immunity laws is in a coma and is said to be fighting for his life after he was violently beaten in the town of Ponte de Sor in central Portugal on Wednesday He has had reconstructive surgery on his face, which was disfigured in the attack, and his prognosis is poor after suffering a head injury, according to Jornal de Noticias The incident allegedly followed an altercation at a bar in Ponte de Sor where one of the 17-year-old twins is training to become a pilot at a nearby air base Police are investigating what caused the attack on Rúben described by Jornal de Noticias as a “calm and tranquil” boy local to the area The brawl came to a violent end at around 4am in the centre of the town Witnesses are said to have reported the brothers to the police after they saw the car’s diplomatic plates The victim was airlifted to a hospital in Lisbon where he remains in a critical condition “Everything depends on the next 48 hours,” the victim’s stepfather Marco Silva told Sic News yesterday As the two young men have diplomatic passports they benefit from diplomatic immunity which exempts ambassadors and their families from prosecution the police confirmed to the Lisbon-based newspaper The police will continue to investigate the case and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has told Lusa News Agency that “diplomatic actions may be considered” could be expelled from his position for his son's actions According to the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations a country can make any member of diplomatic staff from another state "persona non grata" at any time either recall the person concerned or terminate his functions with the mission,” states article 9 of the convention The student has since been expelled, the school wrote in a post on its Facebook page. “An incident occurred in the early hours of 17 August in a bar brawl involved a student, who does not live on-campus,” said the post by G Air Training Centre. “The actions of the student are intolerable and damages the good name of the school and all its students and staff [...] according to the school’s code of conduct, the expulsion process has been started for this student”. The Independent has contacted the Iraqi embassy of Portugal who did not comment on the attack. Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies Portuguese author José Luís Peixoto will be visiting colleges and universities in the East Coast on a lecture tour sponsored by Lisbon-based Instituto Camões Peixoto will lecture at Boston College and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology; on November 4 he will be at Brown University (Providence at the University of Massachusetts (Boston) José Luís Peixoto will be one of 20 Portuguese language writers featured at the exhibition “New Textualities in Portuguese Language” at the Healey Library sponsored by the Center for Portuguese Language and Instituto Camões showcases writers in the Portuguese language from Portugal José Luís Peixoto is one of Portugal’s most acclaimed He is the author of many books of fiction He has been awarded several national and international prestigious literary prizes and in 2007 he was distinguished with Spanish Calamo Literary Award for the best novel “The Piano Cemetery” published in Spanish translation His novels are translated in a total of 20 languages has created a literary award for young authors on his name Created in 1992, Instituto Camões is a Lisbon-based Portuguese grant making institution dedicated to promoting the Portuguese language and culture worldwide the institute runs multiple centers in 24 countries For more information >> You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser to improve your experience and security Kurdistan Region — The Iraqi ambassador to Portugal has been recalled by Baghdad after he was unable to maintain diplomatic immunity for his twin sons who are accused of brutally assaulting a teenager “Portugal has not declared the Iraqi ambassador ‘persona non grata,’ he was recalled by his own country,” the country’s foreign minister told reporters in Lisbon according to the AFP news agency Prosecutors have investigated the ambassador’s sons about a brutal attack in August 2016 on a 15-year-old boy whose lawyer said left him in a coma with a fractured skull after he was run over with a car and beaten and kicked on the ground The alleged bar brawl took place in the town of Ponte de Sor where one of the brothers was training as a pilot Investigators were unable to move forward with criminal charges because the sons have diplomatic immunity Saad paid 40,000 euros (about $43,000) to the victim’s family and an additional 12,000 euros to cover the boy’s treatment per the terms of an out-of-court settlement the Lusa News Agency in Portugal reported on Tuesday Saad has been Iraq's ambassador to Portugal since 2015 He was born in Baghdad and has worked in Iraq's Ministry of Foreign Affairs where he has held nearly a dozen posts since 1970 The opening of the exhibition um blue is just a little more than a month away, scheduled for 19 May in the Centro de Artes e Cultura de Ponte de Sor, and so the artist Sérgio Fernandes opened the door of his studio to reveal the genesis, the first strokes and oil pigments that get together on the canvases and which constitute his more recent series of works. This was an opportunity to see the beginning of what will undoubtedly be a consistent, solid, aesthetic and visually captivating work, deeply in tune with what the artist has been building in recent years. His production is determined by a specific personality and an equally unique essence, as well as strong formal and aesthetic lines that remain in place, even in spite of the transfer and transition between colours, tones and different visual intensities. His pieces, as Sérgio explains, “in a first approach appear to be monochrome paintings but they never were as a whole”. They are objects with their “own will,” and that is why the artist wants to give them time to reveal themselves, both during the conception, building and implementation process and the moment they are displayed and welcomed by the viewer. Everything that Sérgio produces is precisely born from a constant attention that he has for certain details. SF – I have always been very appreciative of the details of things, whatever those are. I have been paying attention, since my childhood years, to certain things like the sunlight, how it shines on objects, on the matter and how shadows and such things appear. I remember sitting for hours, just seeing life passing by me, looking at the sky and finding those moments fascinating. Deep down, to me, is like being in the world and being part of it. Based in Lisbon, he is the owner of this studio since 2014, in a floor he shares with nine other artists. His working area is individual, allowing the art that is born in it to exist in its own reality, the one of pure enchantment and indescribability. SF – The area is very important, because everything emanates from it. CB – And is this your space of reflection and conception, where the first moments of your artistic creation unfurl, or, rather where you find yourself with the brush, the ink and canvas, materializing what you have previously idealized? SF – Both. I’m very disciplined, I’m in the studio every day, for at least six hours. During that period, I’m producing or just observing what I have done already. I need to be daily surrounded by what is mine, in order to think and see the path ahead. However, a lot happens outside of it. One needs to see new things and be available to absorb as much as possible. If you stay only in the studio, the job can start to repeat itself or get exhausting. Between the absolute contemplative freedom and, in parallel, the interpretation that may be suggested by the several titles of the works, important and understood by Sérgio as some kind of auras, it is up to the viewer to conduct their own experience. This therefore may be essentially visual, or, in accordance with the artist’s standpoint, reflect a combination and relationship between nostalgia, memories, times, lights and colours. Like it is said at the end of the poem “um beijo” of Ana Cristina César, a paramount reference, it is revealed an exhibition that was built “always in blue, but it was a happy blue.” 1992) has a PhD in Media Art and Communication from Universidade Lusófona Her research focuses on new media arts and curatorship She has a master's degree in Art Studies - Art Theory and Criticism from the Faculty of Fine Arts of the University of Porto and a degree in Visual Arts - Photography from the Porto School of Art She has published scientific articles and critical texts She was a research fellow in the international project Beyond Matter at the Zentrum für Kunst und Medien Karlsruhe and was a researcher at Tallinn University Subscribe to the Newsletter (EN Version)! I accept the Privacy Policy Subscribe Umbigo the Portuguese press has reported.29/08/2014ShareA teenage girl from Luxembourg has died in a road traffic collision while on holiday in Portugal According to the Portuguese daily Correio da Manhã was one of seven passengers involved in a crash between two vehicles in Ponte de Sor on Wednesday night The details have since been confirmed by Luxembourg Portuguese newpspaper Contacto The fatal collision happened at around 10.30pm on a roundabout where the newspaper said another vehicle drove too fast and rammed the car in which the victim was travelling Do not miss the news - sign up to receive the wort.lu newsletter in English delivered to your inbox six days a week. ReportDeveloping nations expect AI productivity boost soon, UN findsGlobal development slowing due to wars, trade tensions and Covid-19 Step-by-stepA guide to having your baby in LuxembourgFrom a positive pregnancy test and pre- and post-natal care, to your baby’s first vaccinations InvestigationPremiumPalestine abuses scrubbed from ESG investment reportsInvestments deemed sustainable - including in Luxembourg - see human rights concerns in Palestine territories removed, investigation shows PoliticsLuxembourg lawmakers divided over Israel-EU relationsAttempt to find unified position on extension of EU-Israel trade agreement failed during divisive committee meeting World of workJob market last year grew at slowest pace since financial crisisLuxembourg created fewer new jobs in 2024 than any year since the 2008-9 banking crisis Public administrationGovernment to create administration overseeing housing aidNew office aims to improve access to housing support and reduce delays AustraliaAustralians mark election day with 'democracy sausages' and in 'budgy smugglers'Australians fired up barbecues and wore tight-fit swim trunks called "budgy smugglers" to voting centers as they welcomed election day on Saturday (3 May) with some unique and quirky traditions. GrantsEU to propose €500m package to attract researchersPlan to double grant amount by 2025 and continue support in 2026 and 2027 Advertiser contentTreat yourself to a stress-free holidayDreaming of a worry-free trip What if the secret to a smooth getaway was simply good preparation and the right protection Advertiser contentReal estate: Why should you take advantage of the start of 2025 to begin your real estate project?The main things we remember about the housing sector over the past 12 months are the rise in interest rates and the fall in property prices Advertiser contentProperty: I've decided to invest!The various forms of government support for investment Advertiser contentThe Luxembourg Times BusinessRun is happening again on 18th September!On Thursday 18th September with the starting gun of the 11th Luxembourg Times BusinessRun fired at the Coque at 7 pm Share this with instagramShare this with facebookShare this with linkedinSections the season of motorcycle gatherings organized by the Portuguese Motorcycling Federation begins with the camaraderie and passion for motorcycles spreading from north to south of the country The traditional ‘Lobos da Neve’ meeting of the Covilhã Motorcycle Club will kick off the National Calendar of Motorcycle Gatherings organized by the Portuguese Motorcycling Federation with 26 scheduled meetings that will bring the passion for motorcycles throughout the country between March and November Summer is the ‘peak season’ for gatherings and it is during the summer period that most events take place Other FMP eventsApril 7 – 26th National Motorcyclist Day – Vila Verde BragaJune 6-9 – 26th Portugal de Lés-a-LésOctober 2-5 – 9th Portugal de Lés-a-Lés Off-Road You can also check here the calendar of the National BMW/Dunlop Motorcycle Rally Trophy 2024 Can-Am is returning to its roots in motorcycles and its two models have been honored with the Red Dot Design Award – adding to the iF Design Award... Acerbis has recently launched the new Assault – a helmet designed for riders to take on the asphalt with no limits or venture into off-road terrain Indian Motorcycle unveiled two new very limited and exclusive motorcycles – the Challenger Elite and Pursuit Elite The 2025 Expo in Osaka served as the stage for the public unveiling of an incredibly innovative concept from Kawasaki – the CORLEO Oben is one of the many Indian manufacturers dedicated to electric motorcycles and its latest model is the Rorr EZ – launched last November Indian Motorcycle is launching two new limited editions this year that promise to stand out: the Challenger Elite and the Pursuit Elite © 2024 Motociclismo - All rights reserved Motociclismo Please enter your username or email address to reset your password © 2024 Motociclismo - All rights reserved Motociclismo Leafing through his father's library Ruben Zahra came across a 19th century lithograph of a zaqq but to his disappointment he learnt that the tradition had died out and nobody played it anymore Mr Zahra is an avid promoter of this instrument and he is on a mission to ensure that children are exposed to the sounds of the zaqq A university lecturer on Maltese folk music Mr Zahra has published a book on the subject and is the leading force behind the Nafra ensemble a group committed to the revival of Maltese traditional instruments Nafra was a common word used in the old days to describe a call of alarm or an important announcement - in this case it's a call to people to tune their ears to traditional folk music which provides innovative arrangements and original music by Mr Zahra is made up of Mario Frendo on viola; Paul Borg Nafra will be giving the public a taste of its music with a performance at the ruins of the Royal Opera House and a 24-strong harmonica orchestra from Ponte de Sor Themed Nafra Sete Sóis Sete Luas (seven suns seven moons) the concert is a spectacular musical journey through a variety of styles that exhibit music virtuosity and entertainment For this concert Nafra has been extended to a larger ensemble of musicians and there will also be guest appearances by singers Eleanor Cassar and Walter Micallef "I believe there is a thirst for this type of music Judging by the popularity of the courses at university I think young people are curious to learn more Today there is more awareness and materials that promote this genre resulting in a greater interest," Mr Zahra said artistic director of Sete Sóis Sete Luas explained that the festival was a project dedicated to Mediterranean arts is promoted through a cultural network of 30 towns from eight countries: Cape Verde It won the EU's Kaleidoscope Prize twice for its high European dimension and cultural quality and the Culture2000 Programme three times Its honorary presidents are the Nobel Prize winners José Saramago and Dario Fo who is joined in Malta by Ponte de Sor's mayor Taveira Pinto sees this festival as a way of bringing together different cultures and genres while interpreting the "different aspects of the Mediterranean soul" "In a globalised world this kind of concert allows a better understanding of the cultural differences," Mr Pinto said Tickets for tomorrow's concert at Lm3 and Lm4 are available from the Malta Arts Festival information stand Otherwise call the Malta Arts Festival hotline on 9999 0145 The festival is presented by the Malta Council for Culture and the Arts please register for free or log in to your account.