Malta is not New York.
But it is a city that many Maltese people, especially those from the city of Marbella, would like to see become a hub of business and culture, if not a global hub of tourism.
“Maltese people are accustomed to a lot of other countries,” said Ola Marzullo, who is the Maltese Ambassador to the US.
“There’s so much tourism coming from all over the world, so we are used to that.”
It has already hosted a number of international conferences, including one in June when the Malta International Film Festival hosted a world premiere of “The Maltese Book of Secrets”.
And there is a good chance that Maltese companies will start working in the US soon.
But Marzuloa said that even if tourism is booming, he fears the city’s status will soon slip away.
“People will want to see it for themselves and to feel at home.
I think the people will just get bored of it,” he said.
For Marzilhos parents, the city is a place where their son would have never been allowed to attend school. “
I think there is no future for Maltese in New York, and I think it will be very difficult to get Maltese tourists coming here.”
For Marzilhos parents, the city is a place where their son would have never been allowed to attend school.
“He wouldn’t have been able to go to school because he was not allowed to come here.
I don’t think he would have gone to the cinema or the museums, he would not have gone anywhere,” he recalled.
“We are worried about his future, and his future in America.”
And for many Maltas, the real danger is not the US, but the city itself.
“It’s too expensive.
It’s too far away from home, and we have the risk of becoming part of the problem.
It will be worse here because of the climate,” Marzilo said.
But he said he is hopeful that his parents, like many Maltais, will eventually return to the city.
“This is a small city, so they won’t have a big problem with it, and they will enjoy it and feel good.
“
They will be here for their children, and for their grandchildren, and their grandchildren’s children.”
