We speak to Dursa and Livingstone of youth migrant NGO Spark 15 about the organisation’s most ambitious event so far – a one-day festival commemorating World Refugee Day, taking place at Argotti Gardens in Floriana on 19 June
Dursa Mama Kadu (left) and Livingstone Ngetuny from Spark 15. Photo by Joanna Demarco
One of the casualties of the COVID-19 pandemic was the curbing of the many festivals which mark the Maltese summer months. From the traditional village feast to more recently established large scale musical events and cultural activities, the variety of festivals would habitually turn Malta into more than just a place to be enjoyed for its ‘sun and sea’ – instead taking full advantage of the island’s beautiful weather and culturally-rich locations to accommodate a wide variety of cultural and artistic expression.
It is no surprise that, as pandemic-related restrictions finally begin to ease (seemingly for good), a lot of these events are set to return with renewed vigour. Not only that – new ones will be added to their ranks.
One of these is the Spark 15 Refugee Festival.
Organised by the titular migrant youth NGO and taking place at Argotti Gardens, Floriana on 19 June, the event will be a celebration of music and food, all the while taking its cue from the annual celebration of World Refugee Day. But above all – and here is where its unique edge above the other festivals comes in – it will also be actively motivated by a sense of mission that is at the root of what Spark 15 is all about.
“This festival is hugely important to us, since it’s the most ambitious project we’re organizing as a group so far,” Spark 15 President Dursa Mama Kadu says. “Our aim is to create a space that will allow everyone to reflect on the importance of living together, sharing and caring.”
Indeed, advocating for a harmonious social experience between refugees, asylum-seekers and the Maltese host community was always at the root of Spark 15’s central ethos ever since it was officially inaugurated back in 2017. As such, the festival will serve as something of a celebration of the values that the NGO has always held.
The official inauguration event for Spark 15 in January 2017. Photo by Tumer Gentruck
“By adopting a positive and pro-active intercultural approach that values collaboration, the purpose of the Spark15 Festival is to promote the essential value of universal human rights, and to show how we can all live together,” Dursa says.
Unsurprisingly, the legendarily unifying art of music will be a key feature of the festival… along with food. Fellow Spark 15 member Livingstone Ngetuny elaborates on this aspect of the festival’s programme. “We will be prioritizing refugee artists by allowing them to showcase their talents in the field of music. But they will also be performing alongside Maltese artists,” Livingstone says, while also expressing his confidence that such a coming together will serve as a “turning point” for anyone who may be skeptical about the possibility of such a collaboration happening on a local festival stage.
And while the festival ultimately aims to create a fun atmosphere with attendants enjoying a multicultural music and food on a relaxed Sunday in a beautiful public garden, the Spark 15 Festival will also give space to local NGOs – as well as organisation like UNHCR Malta itself – to inform attendants on their message and mission.
“Youths are the custodians of any given society, and they should be given a chance to lead”
Ultimately, both Dursa and Livingstone mention three key aims for the upcoming event: to raise awareness about the refugee community in Malta and celebrate their talents through music and food; to inspire participants and visitors to work towards concrete actions that can help both the refugee and the host community, and to encourage and foster partnerships between all of the diverse communities and individuals that make up contemporary Malta.
It may be an ambitious goal, but who better than youths to take that idealistic leap forward? As both Dursa and Livingstone conclude, “youths are the future custodians of any given society”.
“As such, they should be given a chance to lead. Having an active youth NGO is the first step in solving numerous challenges youths encounter on a daily basis.”
It is a mission that Dursa, Livingstone and the rest of the Spark 15 team continue to cultivate on a daily basis, working tirelessly to help refugee, asylum-seeker and migrant youths to find solutions for challenges they face in education, employment and any other setbacks they may face as they try to integrate into Maltese society.
With this in mind, the Spark 15 World Refugee Festival seems like the perfect occasion to both recognize the NGO’s ongoing efforts… and simply join them in a well-deserved celebration – an event standing proudly as an equal, in an already packed Maltese summer calendar.
Click here for more information on the Spark 15 Refugee Day Festival
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