English Version :
1,600 trees and shrubs have been planted in a joint initiative between Parks Malta and Puttinu Cares. The trees and shrubs, funded by Parks Malta, were planted in return for every €300 or more that the public donated to Puttinu Cares. The initiative was launched in April, to help collect funds for Puttinu Cares. Parks Malta invested €35,000 in return. The trees and shrubs are being planted in Mosta and Birżebbuġa, in two designated open spaces that the Ministry for the Environment, Energy, and Enterprise is embellishing for the public’s enjoyment.
The trees and shrubs were planted in Mosta at the Ta’ Millbrae area, which is being transformed into a picnic area, and in Birżebbuġa at a site that will house one of Malta’s largest family parks. Each tree will carry a tag, commemorating the memory of a patient or the organisation that made the donation. Preparatory work by Parks Malta included data collection for each tree, to allow benefactors to virtually monitor the progress of their tree through a geotagging system.
Saluting Dr Victor Calvagna’s work with Puttinu Cares, the first tree as part of this initiative had in fact been planted in Dr Calvagna’s memory. “It is admirable to see the public sector and voluntary organisations join forces for such a noble cause. Puttinu carries out invaluable work with patients and their families at the most difficult of times, and, through Parks Malta, we wanted to support their work as well”, Minister Dalli said. “The initiative helped to green our spaces and simultaneously collect donations for Puttinu”, Minister Miriam Dalli remarked. The minister encouraged the public to continue supporting Puttinu Cares through the Christmas period as well.
Celebrating the collaboration, Parks Malta Director General Adrian Attard reiterated their commitment. “As Parks Malta, our aim is to continue working and collaborating on similar initiatives to contribute towards a better environment for our society”, Mr Attard added. Puttinu Cares CEO Rennie Zerafa thanked Parks Malta for the collaboration, allowing the memory of a loved one to symbolically live on through a planted tree. Dr Victor Calvagna’s family and the Mosta Local Council were also present.
Maltese Version
Inizjattiva bejn Parks Malta u Puttinu Cares twassal għat–tħawwil ta’ 1,600 siġra
Il-memorja ta’ pazjenti li tilfu l-ġlieda kontra l-kanċer ingħatat il-ħajja permezz ta’ inizjattiva bejn Puttinu Cares u Parks Malta, li għal kull donazzjoni ta’ €300 jew aktar mill-pubbliku għal Puttinu, Parks Malta ħawlet siġra jew arbuxell. It-total ta’ siġar imħawla fil-Mosta u f’Birżebbuġa hu ta’ 1,600, b’investiment ta’ madwar €35,000 minn fondi ta’ Parks Malta. Is-siġar tqassmu fil-Mosta u f’Birżebbuġa, f’żewġ spazji miftuħa fejn il- Ministeru għall-Ambjent, l-Enerġija u l-Intrapriża qed jirriġenera spazji miftuħa għall-familji.
Fil-Mosta, is-siġar ġodda se jsebbħu żona mitluqa (magħrufa bħala Ta’ Millbrae) biswit Ġnien l-Għarusa tal- Mosta, li qed tiġi riġenerata fi spazju għall-picnics. F’Birżebbuġa, is-siġar u l-arbuxelli ġodda se jingħaqdu mal-proġett tal-gvern li jittrasforma żona kbira f’Birżebbuġa f’wieħed mill-akbar parks għall-familja f’Malta. Kull siġra se jkollha tabella li tfakkar il-persuna jew l-organizzazzjoni li tkun għamlet id-donazzjoni, jew xi persuni għeżież għalihom, speċjalment dawk li jkunu għaddew mill-marda tal-kanċer. Id-dettalji għal kull siġra nġabru fix-xhur li għaddew, hekk kif Parks Malta bdiet it-tħejjijiet għat-tħawwil. Il-benefatturi se jkunu jistgħu jaraw il-progress tas-siġar tagħhom b’mod virtwali, b’sistema ta’ geo-tagging.
Il-Ministru għall-Ambjent, l-Enerġija u l-Intrapriża Miriam Dalli sellmet il-memorja ta’ Dr Victor Calvagna, li kien imexxi l-ħidma ta’ Puttinu. L-ewwel siġra fil-picnic area ġdida fil-Mosta tħawlet b’memorja għal Dr Calvagna, meta tħabbret din l-inizjattiva f’April li għadda. “Kemm hu sabiħ li naraw is-settur pubbliku u l- volontarjat jaħdmu flimkien għal għanijiet daqstant nobbli, bħalma hija l-għajnuna imprezzabbli li Puttinu Cares tagħti lill-pazjenti fl-aktar mumenti diffiċli tal-ħajja”, qalet il-Ministru Dalli. “Fl-istess waqt, Parks Malta rat kif tkompli tħajjar lill-pubbliku jgħin lil Puttinu, billi żewġet l-impenn soċjali ma’ dak ambjentali. Dawk li taw donazzjoni lil Puttinu mhux biss għenu lil persuni fil-bżonn, iżda taw is-sehem tagħhom għal ambjent aħjar”, irrimarkat il-Ministru Miriam Dalli. Il-Ministru Dalli ħeġġet lill-pubbliku jkompli jkun ġeneruż ma’ din l-għaqda volontarja, speċjalment fi żmien il-Milied.
Id-Direttur Ġenerali ta’ Parks Malta Adrian Attard, saħaq dwar l-importanza ta’ kollaborazzjonijiet bħal dawn. “L-għan ta’ Parks Malta huwa li nkomplu naħdmu u nikkollaboraw f’inizjattivi bħal dawn biex b’hekk nipprovdu ambjent aħjar għas-soċjetà tagħna”, qal is-Sur Attard. Il-Kap Eżekuttiv ta’ Puttinu Cares, Rennie Zerafa, esprima sodisfazzjon għall-koperazzjoni li l-għaqda sabet minn naħa ta’ Parks Malta, biex il-pubbliku li jagħmel donazzjoni jkollu siġra li tissimbolizza l-ħajja ta’ xi ħadd għażiż. Dan filwaqt li l-ambjent ikompli jissebbaħ. Il-familja ta’ Dr Victor Calvagna u l-Kunsill Lokali tal-Mosta attendew għat-tħawwil tas-siġar.