The idea for a Malta Map Society was germinated about ten years before, in 1999, during the Proceedings of History Week of that year by Dr Albert Ganado and H.E. Dr Ivan Fsadni. After their meeting, Dr Fsadni compiled various aims and objectives of different map societies or circles from all over the world and prepared a lot of the groundwork.
The foundation meeting of the Malta Map Society was held on the 14th of November 2009 in the Pardo Hall at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Merchants Street, Valletta.
The meeting started with an introductory speech by Dr Ganado who thanked the audience present for accepting his invitation to lay the foundations for the formation of a Malta Map Society. Dr Ganado then proceeded to give a signed offprint of a paper which he had published in Imago et Mensura Mundi, and which he had delivered at the IX Congresso Internazionale di Storia della Cartografia in Rome. The paper, entitled ‘Italy’s Sixteenth Century Contribution to the Cartography of Malta’, was distributed to all the members present as a memento of this historic occasion.
After the presentation, Dr Ganado dedicated a few words to the memory of his father Dr Roberto Federico Ganado who had instilled in him his love for Melitensia and Maltese cartography. A very keen collector himself, his father must have been, together with Magistrate Dr Edgar Parnis, one of the main collectors of Melitensia at that time. What started as a hobby for Dr Ganado, became a lifelong passion, which has in turn developed into a mission. This has led to the birth of The Malta Map Society.
Dr Ganado then proceeded to pass a motion to nominate an ad hoc committee, which was approved by the members present, to draft a Statute for The Malta Map Society.
The first statutory meeting of The Malta Map Society was held on Saturday, March 6th 2010 at 10.30 am at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Pardo Hall, Merchants Street, Valletta.
The meeting was chaired by Dr Ganado, who was nominated for President of the new society. Dr Ganado read out the statute of the new society which was unanimously approved. Members discussed a number of topics, such as the immediate setting up of a website, documenting the numerous antique oil paintings on the island which feature maps and which are found mostly in private collections, the maps kept at the National Library and a number of other topics including the fascinating subject of variants of Maltese maps. Dr Ganado gave a number of examples of these and also revealed that, following the successful Miniature Maps of Malta exhibition in Gozo, a number of new variants had been identified by collectors and visitors.
The first committee meeting of the newly formed Malta Map Society was held on Saturday, March 13th, at 10.30 am at the Museum of Fine Arts in Valletta. Dr Albert Ganado was confirmed in his role as President. H.E. Dr Ivan Fsadni was elected Vice-President, Mr Joseph Schirò was elected Hon. Secretary, Mr. Claude Micallef Attard was elected Hon. Treasurer, and Dr Austin Sammut was appointed to act as Public Relations Officer. Dr Ganado and several other members made generous donations to the new society. It was also decided to publish a four-page newsletter on a regular basis.
Aims of the Society
The aims of the Society are to support, encourage and disseminate the study and preservation of maps, with a particular emphasis on early maps. The Society is an independent, voluntary, non-profit organization. VO 0545