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Swieqi Is-Swieqi Saint Andrew's | |
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Motto: Reduci ad Pristinum Publicum Statum | |
Coordinates: 35°55′15″N14°28′48″E / 35.92083°N 14.48000°E | |
Country | Malta |
Region | Northern Region |
District | Northern Harbour District |
Borders | Għargħur, Naxxar, Pembroke, San Ġwann, St. Julian's |
Government | |
• Mayor | Noel Muscat (PN) |
Area | |
• Total | 3.1 km2 (1.2 sq mi) |
Population (Jan. 2019) | |
• Total | 14,452 |
• Density | 4,700/km2 (12,000/sq mi) |
Demonym(s) | Swieqi (m), Swiqija (f), Swiqin (pl) |
Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (CEST) |
Postal code | SWQ |
Dialing code | 356 |
ISO 3166 code | MT-57 |
Patron saint | Our Lady the Immaculate Conception, Mother of the Church |
Day of festa | 8 December |
Website | Official website |
Swieqi (Maltese : Is-Swieqi) is a town in the Northern Region of Malta. It is a residential area just 15 minutes by bus from Sliema and within walking distance of Malta's nightlife and entertainment centres, Paceville and St. Julian's. As the town developed, residential estates took over farmland. The town's name means "water channels", a reminder of the region's past.
It has an estimated population of 14,452 as of 1 January 2019. [1]
The area's quiet environment and central location have made it popular with the upper-middle/high class population of the island. Vacant property in this area is scarce. Swieqi has seen its population rise over the years. It accommodated 8,099 people as of November 2005; a small number of service industries, IT facilities and English-language schools have taken root.
The municipality of Swieqi comprises Swieqi, Tal-Ibraġ, Madliena and part of St. Andrews. Madliena and St. Andrew's originally formed part of Ħal Għargħur. The hamlet of Madliena owes its origin to the Chapel of St. Mary Magdalen, which was built in the 15th century. Tal-Ibraġ is a newly developed hamlet which, over the past decade, has almost reached its maximum development potential. St. Andrew's is on the outskirts of Swieqi at the border with the locality of Pembroke. The town's coat of arms features a red and gold zig-zag motif indicating the valleys and fields of Tal-Ibraġ, blue waves indicating the watering courses (swieqi in Maltese) and a silver saltire. Madliena is indicated with the red letter M. Swieqi has its own local council, and in 2007 it had its own postal code instated (SWQ....). The town fell under the jurisdiction of St. Julian's, Birkirkara, San Ġwann, Naxxar and Ħal Għargħur at different times in its history. [ citation needed ]
Swieqi is a predominantly Nationalist-oriented town, and at one time, the PN even polled 85% of the total votes, though it elected Professor Arnold Cassola to its local council, who would also become General Secretary of the Green Party in Europe, and who successfully contested Italian elections. Swieqi is the former hometown of Dolores Cristina, former Minister for Education, Culture, Youth and Sport, Michael Frendo, former Minister for Foreign Affairs, and also Timothy Alden of the Democratic Party. [2] Joe Borg, former Minister for Foreign Affairs and now EU Commissioner for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries also lives here. A twinning agreement has been signed between the Swieqi Local Council and the Council of Taormina. This partnership was signed by the Mayor of Taormina Dott. Mario Bolognari and Swieqi's former mayor, Paul Abela. It is the aim of the Councils to lay out the foundations for a new and profound relationship of friendship and solidarity. The twinning should serve to strengthen the existing links between the Maltese and Sicilian Populations.[ citation needed ]
In July 2002, eleven youths from Swieqi participated in a youth exchange programme, mainly financed by the European Union's programme YOUTHS. The title of the project was "Intercultural Learning and European Awareness through our traditions". The aims of the exchange were "To create an intercultural awareness for disadvantaged youths in Malta and Ireland, to give Malta and Ireland a better understanding of youths and culture within an EU Country and an applicant country, to create a greater union with the EU and to take a holistic approach with young people from a disadvantaged background". The group visited Galway, the Aran Islands and Connemara, with its partner, Foroige, an Irish youths organization. In April 2004, one month before Malta's membership in the EU on 1 May, 14 youths from Swieqi participated in a Youth Exchange Youth Participation in an Enlarged EU. The partner group was from Kerimaki, Finland. The group was also received by the President of the Republic and the Minister for Tourism and Culture. [ citation needed ]
Swieqi Day is celebrated on 9 September. In the Middle Ages, when the area of the Swieqi Local Council formed part of the Birkirkara Parish, Swieqi was just a stretch of public land void of any buildings. In the first few twenty years of the 16th century, a certain Augustinu Borg occupied a piece of land in Swieqi, in an area known as Nadur Callel. Apart from occupying this land, Borg also decided to build a house and a garden without a legal permit. Therefore, one could say that the first known inhabitant of Swieqi was an illegal builder called Augustinu Borg! A couple of Birkirkara residents, amongst them Ġorġ Lanza Zarb, could not bear to see public land to be stolen so selfishly. Therefore, they joined forces and filed a lawsuit against Augustinu on 9 September 1527. Justice was not served for six years. On 29 August 1533, the court decided that the plot on which Augustinu Borg built was public land and therefore it ordered that this be classified as 'reduci ad pristinum publicum statum', meaning that the land was to be restored to its original state.
Swieqi is represented by Swieqi United FC in the Maltese BOV First Division. Despite being the oldest organization in the locality, the club is nevertheless one of the youngest football clubs in Malta and its committee is composed of residents of Swieqi. Swieqi United is often referred to as: 'Swieqi's Pride' since the club has successfully exported Swieqi's name across the island and made the locality much more visible on the sporting and international arena.
Swieqi Overseas RUFC is a rugby union football club the plays in the top division of the Maltese rugby league.
Swieqi also has a tennis club in Triq il-Ħemel which offers tennis courses.
Since June 30, 1993, Malta has been subdivided into 68 localities, governed by local councils, Maltese: kunsilli lokali, meaning municipalities or borough, and the considered by the Maltese as the equivalent to a basic village or towns, where appropriate. These form the most basic type of local government and are subdivisions of the country's first-level regions.
Attard is a town in the Central Region of Malta. Together with Balzan and Lija it forms part of "the Three Villages" and has been inhabited since the Classical Period. It has a population of 12,268 as of 2021. Attard's traditional Latin motto is Florigera rosis halo due to its many flower gardens and citrus orchards. Attard is abundant in public gardens. The inhabitants of Attard are known as saraċini.
Mellieħa is a large village in the Northern Region of Malta. It has a population of 10,087 as of March 2014. Mellieħa is also a tourist resort, popular for its sandy beaches, natural environment, and Popeye Village nearby.
Birkirkara is a city in the eastern region of Malta. It is the second most populous on the island, with 24,356 inhabitants as of 2020. The town consists of five autonomous parishes: Saint Helen, Saint Joseph the Worker, Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Saint Mary and San Gorg Preca. The city's motto is In hoc signo vinces, and its coat of arms is a plain red cross, surmounted by a crown.
Victoria, also known among the native Maltese as Rabat or by its title Città Victoria, is an administrative unit of Malta, and the main town on Gozo. Victoria has a total population of 6,901, and is the most populous settlement in Gozo.
Rabat is a town in the Western Region of Malta, with a population of 11,497 as of March 2014. It adjoins the ancient capital city of Mdina, and a north-western area formed part of the Roman city of Melite until its medieval retrenchment.
San Ġwann is a town in the Northern Region of Malta, with a population of 14,244 as of 2021. Prior to its establishment as a distinct municipality, it was a fragmented community comprising parts of Birkirkara and St. Julian's. San Ġwann emerged as a new parish in 1965 and was officially recognised as a town in 1968. The Local Councils Act of 1993 identified San Gwann as a separate district with its own statutory local government authority, marking its transition from being part of the neighbouring localities. With the first San Gwann Council was elected on 16 April 1994.
Għargħur is a village in the Northern Region of Malta. It is situated on a hilltop between two valleys, and has a population of 2,768, as of March 2014.
Xgħajra is a small village in the South Eastern Region of Malta. It is located on the coast, about halfway between Valletta and Marsaskala. Its local football club is known as the Xgħajra Tornadoes F.C. Contrary to popular belief, it has no relation to the Gozitan village Xagħra. Its population stood at 1,732 in March 2014.
Madliena, formerly spelt Madalena, is an area in Swieqi, in Northern Region, Malta, formerly part of the adjacent town of Għargħur.
Malta is for non-local government purposes divided into districts as opposed to the local government regions at the same level. The three main types of such districts – statistical, electoral at national level, and policing – have no mainstream administrative effect as the regions and local councils function as the only administrative divisions of the country.
Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq is an urban village in Malta situated between the limits of Madliena, Magħtab, Għargħur and Pembroke. The area is situated at the mouth of the island's longest valley called 'Wied il-Kbir'. The name Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq in Maltese can be translated to 'sea of pebbles' in English. It has a population of approximately 1,250 people.
This page list topics related to Malta.
The coastline of Malta consists of bays, sandy beaches, creeks, harbours, small villages, cities, cliffs, valleys, and other interesting sites. Here, there is a list of these different natural features that are found around the coast of Malta.
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The Northern Region is one of six regions of Malta. The region includes the northwestern part of the main island of Malta. The region borders the Eastern, Southern and Western Regions, and is also close to Gozo Region.