The Metropolitan Chapter of Malta on Monday announced the appointment of Petra Caruana Dingli as Chairperson of the Metropolitan Cathedral Archive of Malta in Mdina.

It also announced the appointment of Mario Gauci as the Archivist and Director of the Metropolitan Cathedral of Malta.

Petra Caruana Dingli

Dr Caruana Dingli is a senior lecturer at the Edward de Bono Institute for Creative Thinking and Innovation at the University of Malta, and also lectures within the Faculty of Arts.

She holds a doctorate in the field of literature from the University of Oxford and has long-standing experience working within the non-governmental sector in cultural heritage. Dr Caruana Dingli is also a council member of the heritage NGO Din l-Art Ħelwa and editor of its magazine Vigilo. She is a council member of the University's academic staff association UMASA.

Dr Caruana Dingli has written widely on subjects related to cultural heritage and literature. Besides numerous articles, she is co-editor of Encounters with Valletta: A Baroque City Through the Ages published by the University of Malta in 2018. She is co-editor (as Petra Bianchi) of Encounters with Malta (2000), a history of Malta seen through the eyes of visitors to the island. She is also co-editor of Modernist Malta: the Architectural Legacy (2009) published by the Kamra tal-Periti.

She graduated B.A. in English, Philosophy and Sociology at the University of Malta. She then graduated B.A.(Hons) and M.A. at the University of Malta. She wrote her doctoral thesis on literature at the University of Oxford, UK, and graduated D.Phil. in 2000. She obtained an M.B.A. in business management from the Maastricht School of Management in 2003.

Dr Caruana Dingli was director for environment protection at the Malta Environment and Planning Authority from 2011-2013. She was formerly director and executive president of the environment and heritage NGO Din l-Art Ħelwa, and director of the British Council in Malta until 2011. Dr Caruana Dingli has been a member of the following boards and committees: Today Public Policy Institute (2008-2018); Civil Society Committee of the Malta Council for Economic and Social Development (MCESD) (2013-2015); Committee of Guarantee (2008-2011); Valletta/Mdina/Cottonera Rehabilitation committee (2008-2011); Majjistral Nature and History Park Management Board (2007-2011); Council for Voluntary Organisations (2008-2010); St James Cavalier Centre for Creativity Management Board (2000-2008).

Mario Gauci

Mr Gauci holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Archives, Libraries & Information Studies and a Masters Degree in Baroque Studies both obtained from the University of Malta.
He has been serving as Senior Assistant Archivist for the Metropolitan Cathedral Archives in Mdina since January 2005.

His scholarly works specialize in the management of ecclesiastical and institutional archives. He has processed significant documents of the Metropolitan Chapter, the Archives of the Inquisition, Musical collections and various bequests.

Together with the preceding archivist and close friend, the late Mgr John Azzopardi, Mr Gauci was actively involved in restructuring the managerial and administrative setup of the Cathedral Archives.

His experience in the field of archival studies has led him to share knowledge whenever requested. He has been overseeing several projects including the digitization of Diocesan archives of Malta (2012-to present) and another major digitization project with the Hill Monastic Library of Saint John’s University Minnesota, USA (2014-2020). He also promotes and facilitates effective collaboration with scholarly institutions both locally and international.

In 2011 Mario Gauci was offered a brief scholarship at the Archivio di Stato of Bologna. He participated in local and international conferences which includes L’Inquisizione Romana e I Suoi Archivi organized by the Congregazione per la Dottrina della Fede, held at the Biblioteca del Senato della Repubblica in Rome (2018). He is also co-editor along with Mgr John Azzopardi ARCHIVUM CATHEDRALIS MELITÆ FONS HISTORIÆ (2018). His published and unpublished studies include research in arts, social history, the archival scenario in Malta and architecture. In 2019 he published The Mdina Cathedral Museum - A Monumental Complex of Maltese Baroque Splendor. Over and above his work, he gives occasional lectures in collaboration with various departments within the University of Malta.

Mr Gauci is currently managing a new library project which includes a rich Melitensia collection. We congratulate Mr Gauci on his careful and conscientious management of the Cathedral Archives, conserved and enriched by the Metropolitan Chapter over the past 600 years.