The National Book Council Salutes Charles Briffa – A Beacon of Scholarly Rigour and Devotion to the Maltese Language

The National Book Council (NBC) extends its heartfelt condolences to the family and loved ones of Professor Charles Briffa, who passed away last Saturday.

Prof. Briffa’s legacy speaks for itself, both as a scholar and a teacher of Maltese literature, literary criticism, linguistics, and translation, as well as a researcher in the fields of the Maltese language and cultural studies. The many students who studied under his guidance will certainly be able to vouch for the enduring impact he has left on their academic trajectory. 

Over the years, Briffa also served as an adjudicator for various competitions organised by the NBC, evaluating both poetry and prose.

He was also a five-time recipient of the National Book Prize: in 2000 for his research work in the ‘Kullana Kulturali’ series, In-Novella Maltija, in 2009 for the research volume Il-Letteratura Maltija: L-Istorja tan-Narrattiva, in 2011 for his translation of Beowulf as well as his non-fiction book for children and young adults Il-Lingwa, and in 2013 for the non-fiction work Joseph Vella Bondin: Drammaturgu.

Prof. Briffa was known for the seriousness of his research and his unwavering dedication to the Maltese language, qualities that defined him. We believe his work will continue to serve as a guiding light for both current and future generations.