Catherine Tabone is the Executive Director of the Valletta 2018 Foundation.  She is a graduate of the Universities of Malta and Cambridge where she specialised in cultural history.  Over the years, she occupied various managerial positions within the Public Administration of Malta and was also curator of the National Museum of Ethnography.  Ms Tabone was appointed Director for Culture in 2013 with the responsibility of providing policy, direction and advice on the arts, heritage, and audio-visuals.  She was directly involved in all meetings relating to culture, heritage and audio-visuals held as part of Malta’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union.  Moreover, she spearheaded Malta’s recent ratification of the 2003 UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage and led collaboration talks and initiatives between Malta and the Holy See.  Ms Tabone is a published researcher and was, for many years, a member of the Board of the Faculty of Arts of the University of Malta.  She currently sits on various Boards and Committees related to citizenship as well as cultural and natural heritage.  Ms Tabone is also active in a local NGO promoting the valorisation of historic sites.