Regional/Cultural Day
Sette Giugno
The anniversary of the 1919 riot, when Maltese workers protested against the British colonial government and the cost of living. The British soldiers opened fire, killing four Maltese. The day is observed with ceremonies, and the reminder that the struggle for independence began with a riot over bread. The Sette Giugno is a symbol of the Maltese resistance to colonial rule, and the four martyrs (Manuel Attard, Joseph Bajada, George Carana, and Emmanuel Zammit) are remembered as heroes of the independence movement. The monument to the four martyrs stands in the square of Valletta, near the Palace of the Grand Masters.