Frendo, Henry (29.8.1948-)HistorianBorn in Sliema and raised in Floriana, Frendo was educated at the Lyceum and the Royal University of Malta from where he graduated BA (Gen.) (1969), and BA (Hons.) first-class in history (1970), MA (1973), and D. Phil. (1976) from Oxford University. He also studied at the University of Perugia, in 1967. Frendo was editor of Il-Hajja (1970-71), Assistant Lecturer in history, Royal University of Malta (1972-73), and international visitor, Dept. of State, Educational and Cultural Affairs Bureau, USA (1973). He was also Commonwealth scholar in residence at University College, Oxford (1973-76), lecturer in History University of Malta (1976-78), and guest lecturer in political science, University of Florence (1977). Frendo was appointed Associate Professor, European History and Politics, University of Malta in 1988 and Professor in 1992. In the Faculty of Arts he has been assistant to the dean and chairman of the Ph.D. committee. Frendo joined the office of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees in Geneva and served as information officer, external affairs division (1978-79), desk officer, Middle East and North Africa (1979-81), UNHCR Geneva, UNHCR envoy and liaison officer in Mozambique, Zimbabwe (1980), programme officer (1982), deputy representative (1983), and representative of UNHCR in Eygpt (1984). He also held special assignments in Ethiopia, Sudan, Djibouti (1982-84), and served as head of mission in Papua New Guinea (1984-85). In 1985 Frendo took up residence in Australia and served as administrative officer and consultant at the Ministry of Immigration and Ethnic Affairs in Victoria. He worked at the Australian Institute of Multicultural Affairs, Melbourne (1985-86) as consultant to the Australian National University, Canberra and was senior researcher, Javanese and Tonkinese migrant labour in New Caledonia, Department of History, La Trobe University, Melbourne (1985-86) and senior tutor in European politics at the same university (1986-88). He also lectured in Maltese studies at the Department of Multicultural Studies, Phillip Institute of Technology, Melbourne - Soviet politics at Monash University, Melbourne - and Imperalism, Nationalism, Decolonization, at Deakin Universities Geelong. He founded the Maltese Historical Assocation of Australia (1987). Frendo was also international visitor (Inter Nationes German Foreign Office, 1990), Salzburg Fellow (1991), guest professor, Augsburg University (1992), Marquis Scicluna Senior Research Fellow, London (1993), visiting fellow, Clare Hall, Cambridge (1996), and European Union International Visitor (1996). Frendo, who was also mayor of Attard, heads Malta's delegation to the European Congress of Local and Regional Authorities (1994-96, reappointed 1996-98) in Strasbourg and is a member of its North-South working group (1994-). He was the first chairman of the Local Councils' Association and is president of the College of Mayors, was MUT Council Member and chairman, University Section - executive member, International Association of University Professors and Lecturers (UNESCO, Paris) (1977-78 and 1990-94). He was also executive member, CMTU (1991-93). He is director, University Broadcasting Services (1993-) and chairman, European Cultural Foundation (Amsterdam), Malta Committee (1993-). Frendo has published Sette Giugno 1919 (1970), Birth Pangs of a Nation: Manwel Dimech's 1860-1921 (1971, 1972), Ir-Rieda ghall-Helsien (2 vols. 1980, 1990), Party Politics in a Fortress Colony: The Maltese Experience (1979, 1991), The Popular Movement for a New Beginning (1981), Malta's Quest for Independence (1989), Maltese Political Development 1798-1964 (1993), Maltese Journalism 1838-1992 (1994), Malta: Culture and Identity (with O. Friggieri, 1995), and Attard the Life of a Maltese Casale (1997). He has also published numerous articles, chapters, and interviews, as well as papers in learned journals and international current affairs magazines. A regular columnist in In-Nazzjon Taghna and It-Torca, Frendo has been editor of Storja (1978, 1996), reviews editor, Journal of Mediterranean Studies (1991-), co-ordinator and presenter of Maltese Imprint, a radio programme on Voice of the Mediterranean (1989-91), and of Il-Gimgha Gewwa, a TVM weekly current affairs discussion (1993-94). Frendo is married to Margaret Debono and they have a daughter, Juliana and two sons, Benjamin and Oliver. Source: Maltese Biographies of the Twentieth Century (1997), editors Michael J. Schiavone and Louis J. Scerri
  
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