[Verzjoni bil-Malti]

This year the Malta Aquarist Society is celebrating the 40th anniversary of its establishment. The society was established in 1970 by a few tropical fish enthusiasts with a lot of passion and dedication. It was not easy to strengthen the society and to start finding members to sustain it.  Finances initially where very limited but with the perseverance, passion and dedication most of the issues where being tackled, mainly thanks to the few people who were with the society from the start namely Simon Lungaro Mifsud and his brother, Dun Vincez, Dr.Agius Ferrente, Profs J.A.Manche and other who helped in the process.

The first challenges where to create the memorandum and articles of the society and to increase the number of members in order to spread the Tropical Fish keeping hobby across the Maltese islands.  From the first committees a lot of effort was put to offer services to its ever increasing members.  Apart from this, the society started to publish and distribute its own magazine with the name ‘Ilma Car’. This leaflet contained information, articles, frequently asked questions together with expert’s responses as well as other educational material on the hobby.  This magazine is still being published to date.

One of the biggest problems the society always had to face since its inception was the premises, which were essential for the members to meet and have the monthly meetings as well as other activities.  This problem still existed till recent times but with the perseverance and constant effort the society managed to find adequate premises where to hold its meetings and activities and continue to evolve further.

I cannot go without mentioning the exebitions organized annually by the Society throughout these 40 years.  The annual shows are always very popular with the general public and this is shown by the cooperation and attendance at every show.  During the first years when technology , transport and other logistical means where limited, Members used to carry liters of water and other equipment from their homes in order to collectively assemble the exebition. The platforms on which Aquaria used to be placed where not as sophisticated as todays and members used to improvise with stones and bricks in order to assembly the stands the best they could.

Today the society is in its developed state due to the hard work of those who started the society in 1970 as well as those who with the same enthusiasm and dedication work every day to keep the society active and offer service to its members, even tough challenges and issues are the order of the day.

I would like to thank everyone for the cooperation and wish every participant all the success in this year’s annual show which should proudly commemorate the 40th year from the Malta Aquarist Society’s establishment.

Charles Grima

President