Fez — Maltese writer, poet, and artist Matthew Schembri met readers at Goethe-Institut Rabat on September 17 for a literary evening centered on his books, creative process, and the stories behind his work.
The event formed part of Rabat World Book Capital 2026 and was organized by the Consulate General of Malta in Morocco in collaboration with Goethe-Institut Rabat and the European Union. The gathering invited audiences to discover Schembri’s work and take part in an open discussion with the author.
Schembri told MWN Lifestyle magazine that he saw the event as an opportunity to introduce his writing to a new audience.
“I found it as a great opportunity to share my work,” he said.
His work crosses several age groups, from children to adults, although his published books currently focus largely on young adult fantasy and poetry.
Schembri is also developing a four-book YA fantasy series.
From ‘Stessi’ to Rabat
His first novel, “Stessi,” which translates into English as “Selfies,” began as a winning manuscript in Malta’s Novels for Youth Literary Contest.
The National Book Council confirms that “Stessi” won the contest in 2016 before being published by Merlin Publishers in 2018. The book follows a young protagonist who receives a mysterious purple camera that quickly proves to be anything but ordinary.
Schembri’s broader creative practice also includes visual art and poetry. His published collection “Ħassartek” grew from an erasure process using words from “Stessi,” showing how his writing often moves between literary and visual experimentation.
Malta looks toward wider cultural exchange
Malta’s Consul General in Casablanca, Ivan Vassallo, described the Rabat gathering as the first literary event of its kind in the initiative.
“We look forward to this together with other events,” Vassallo told MWN Lifestyle magazine.
He pointed to upcoming cultural programming involving Maltese musicians and Malta’s participation in the Marrakech Short Film Festival.
The festival will run from September 25 to 30, with Malta as its Country of Honor. The program will include Maltese short films, filmmaker encounters, and professional exchanges between the two countries.
Vassallo said the wider aim is to expose Moroccan audiences to different forms of Maltese culture.
“We hope it would be a good opportunity to know each other,” he said.
The Consulate General has increasingly emphasized cultural cooperation alongside its diplomatic work, with Vassallo’s official profile identifying stronger people-to-people ties between Malta and Morocco as one of his priorities.
For Schembri, the Rabat evening offered a smaller and more personal version of that same goal. A Maltese writer, a Moroccan audience, and a conversation built around fantasy, poetry, and storytelling became another point of contact between two countries looking for more ways to meet through culture.
