On Friday 10th
October, 2008 at The City Hall Blue Room, New
York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg signed a
Proclamation renaming a section of Astoria
Boulevard South in front of the ‘Maltese Center’
as ‘Malta Square’.
The renaming of the
street was the fulfillment of a promise made 16
years ago by Astoria Councilman Peter Vallone to
Maltese Center President Tony Curmi, both
present at the signing ceremony. In thanking
Mayor Bloomberg, Mr Curmi stated that “this is a
glorious day…one of the tiniest nations on earth
is being honoured by the greatest city in the
world.”
An unveiling
ceremony had been organized in January 2008, in
the presence of the Ambassador of Malta to the
United States of America, Mark Miceli-Farrugia,
and the Ambassador of Malta to the United
Nations, Mr Saviour Borg. On that occasion,
Councilman Vallone had stated “I wanted to make
sure that I got this done before I left
office….This is to honour what the Maltese
people have done for Western Civilization, and
for what they have done for New York City.”
