The First Ritual Year Conference is to be held at the University of Malta Junior College, Msida, Malta, from Sunday 20 to Thursday 24 March, 2005. The theme, Rituals and Culture, includes sub-themes such as the Ritual Year in Malta, Easter and Spring, Ritual and Society, Ritual and Family, Ritual and Worship Resources, Art and Ritual, processions, life cycle parallel to the Ritual Year Cycle and any aspect of the ritual year.

The Conference is organized on behalf of the Ritual Year Working Group of the International Society for Ethnology and Folklore (SIEF), founded in Athens, Greece, in 1964, with its official seat in Amsterdam since 2001. No less than forty-five foreign scholars are presenting the results of their recent research on rituals in Europe, the Mediterranean Basin and Africa. They come from Austria, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Latvia, Malta, the Netherlands, Nigeria, Norway, Poland, Romania, Russia, Scotland, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The organising committee will publish the proceedings, sponsored by APS Bank, and without whose strong financial support the conference would not be possible. Other sponsors of the Conference are Air Malta, University of Malta Junior College Administration, Mr Denis Calleja of the Computing and Information Technology Department of the University of Malta Junior College, University of Malta Library, the Malta Photographic Society, Heritage Malta, Malta Tourism Authority, Indigo Ltd, Publishers Enterprises Group Ltd, Zurrieq Local Council, and P. P. Saydon _urrieq Secondary School.
To attend all or any sessions on Sunday 20, Monday 21, Tuesday 22 and Thursday 24 March, please write to Dr George Mifsud-Chircop, University of Malta Junior College, Pjazza Guzè Debono, Msida. MSD 10, by 7 March 2005 and will receive the programme. University students and senior citizens pay discounted fees.
The Organising Committee includes Mr Saviour Seisun, Head, Department of Maltese, University Junior College, Mr David Calleja, Mr Mario Cutajar, Mr George Farrugia, and Dr Gorg Mifsud-Chircop as convener and SIEF representative in Malta. They wish to thank APS Bank for sponsoring this International Conference, as well as the Junior College Administration for providing the premises and for their support in hosting and organising the Conference.