More than 60 local councils and NGOs attend information session
The €10 million Community Greening Grant launched by Project Green is attracting the interest of several stakeholders, many of whom attended an information session organised today.
Launched two weeks ago, the scheme seeks to encourage and assist communities in planning and implementing their own greening projects. The information session served as guidance on case studies and best practices as interested applicants prepared their proposals. Guidelines were simplified further, and the application process was explained to ensure that all stakeholders could easily follow all applicable conditions when submitting their proposals.
Over 60 local councils and voluntary organisations were in attendance.
Addressing the session, Environment Minister Miriam Dalli said, “We encourage stakeholders to come forward with innovative projects. Likewise, Project Green is providing the necessary tools to help you make your ideas happen, creating more sustainable localities for the people in your community.”
The minister emphasised the importance of sustainability in the design, planning, and implementation of proposed projects, accompanied by a long-term management plan to ensure that projects delivered are cared for.
Parliamentary Secretary for Local Government Alison Zerafa Civelli remarked how local and regional councils are best placed to highlight the environmental needs of their respective localities and how the quality of life of their residents could be improved.
The parliamentary secretary urged both local and regional councils to take part in the scheme, pointing out that through these projects and other green initiatives in localities, local councils would be complementing the Government’s investment towards a greener environment and a better quality of life.
Project Green CEO Steve Ellul stressed that the agency’s objective is to assist all stakeholders contributing to greening localities and encourage them to continue working for a better environment in their communities.
“The projects must be designed for residents, adapting to their needs. This opportunity will encourage local councils and NGOs to help us achieve that,” he said, explaining that the agency was implementing a bottom-up approach. “We want to empower stakeholders by providing the necessary financing and support to create new green public spaces in their localities while reinvigorating existing ones.”
During the information session, stakeholders were also encouraged to identify spaces that are currently underutilised, so that they can give them a new lease of life and turn them into green public open spaces for everyone to enjoy.
More information about the grant, including the guidelines and application form, can be found at www.project.green. The deadline for submissions is Tuesday 28th February 2023, 12:00 (noon) CET.
L-iskema Community Greening Grant ta’ Project Green qed tattira l-interess ta’ ħafna stakeholders
Aktar minn 60 kunsill lokali u għaqdiet volontarji jattendu sessjoni ta’ tagħrif
L-iskema ta’ €10 miljun Community Greening Grant varata minn Project Green qed tattira interess qawwi minn diversi stakeholders, hekk kif ħafna minnhom ħadu sehem f’sessjoni ta’ informazzjoni li saret aktar kmieni llum.
Din l-iskema, li tnediet ġimagħtejn ilu, qed tħeġġeġ u ser tgħin komunitajiet fl-ippjanar u fl-implimentazzjoni ta’ proġetti ambjentali fil-lokalitajiet tagħhom. Is-sessjoni ta’ informazzjoni serviet bħala gwida dwar l-iskema permezz ta’ case studies u prattiċi rakkomandabbli, hekk kif l-applikanti prospettivi qed iħejju l-proposti tagħhom. Il-linji gwida u l-applikazzjoni tfiehmu b’mod aktar sempliċi, sabiex jiġi żgurat li l-istakeholders kollha jkunu jistgħu jsegwu l-kundizzjonijiet applikabbli meta jiġu biex jissottomettu l-proġett tagħhom.
Aktar minn 60 kunsill lokali u għaqda volontarja attendew din is-sessjoni t’informazzjoni.
Fl-indirizz tagħha, il-Ministru għall-Ambjent Miriam Dalli qalet: “Qed ninkoraġġixxu lill-istakeholders biex jersqu ’l quddiem bi proġetti innovattivi. Fl-istess waqt, Project Green se tkun qed tipprovdi l-għodda meħtieġa biex tgħinkom timplimentaw il-proġetti tagħkom, u b’hekk noħolqu lokalitajiet sostenibbli għar-residenti fil-komunitajiet tagħna”.
Il-ministru enfasizzat l-importanza tas-sostenibbiltà fid-disinn, fl-ippjanar u fit-twettiq tal-proġetti proposti, li jrid ikollhom ukoll pjan ta’ immaniġġjar fit-tul li jiżgura li l-proġetti mwettqa jibqgħu jiġu mħarsa.
Is-Segretarju Parlamentari għall-Gvern Lokali Alison Zerafa Civelli rrimarkat li l-kunsilli lokali u dawk reġjonali qegħdin fl-aħjar pożizzjoni biex jidentifikaw il-bżonnijiet ambjentali fil-lokalitajiet rispettivi tagħhom u kif il-kwalità tal-ħajja tar-residenti tista’ titjieb.
Is-segretarju parlamentari inkoraġġiet lill-kunsilli lokali u lil dawk reġjonali jipparteċipaw f’din l-iskema, filwaqt li saħqet dwar kif permezz ta’ proġetti u inizjattivi ambjentali fil-lokalitajiet, il-kunsilli lokali se jkunu qed jikkumplimentaw l-investiment tal-gvern lejn ambjent sostenibbli u kwalità ta’ ħajja aħjar.
Il-Kap Eżekuttiv ta’ Project Green Steve Ellul saħaq li l-għan tal-aġenzija huwa li jassisti lill-istakeholders kollha fil-kontribut tagħhom lejn lokalitajiet aktar ħodor, u li tħeġġiġhom jaħdmu aktar għall-ambjent aħjar fil-komunitajiet tagħhom.
“Il-proġetti għandhom ikunu ddisinjati biex jaqdu l-bżonnijiet tar-residenti. Permezz ta’ din l-opportunità, se nkunu qed nilħqu dawn il-miri flimkien mal-kunsilli lokali u l-għaqdiet volontarji,” qal is-Sur Ellul, filwaqt li spjega kif l-aġenzija qed timplimenta dan bi proċess li jinvolvi lil kulħadd. “Ser nassistu lill-istakeholders billi nipprovdu l-finanzjament u s-sapport neċessarju fil-ħolqien ta’ spazji ġodda pubbliċi fil-lokalitajiet tagħhom, filwaqt li se nkunu qed nirriabilitaw spazji pubbliċi eżistenti.”
Matul is-sessjoni t’informazzjoni, l-istakeholders ġew imħeġġa jidentifikaw spazji li mhux qed jiġu użati, sabiex ikunu jistgħu jagħtuhom ħajja ġdida u jibdluhom fi spazji miftuħa pubbliċi biex jitgawdew minn kulħadd.
Aktar informazzjoni fuq din l-iskema, fosthom il-linji gwida u l-formola t’applikazzjoni, tinsab fuq www.project.green. Is-sottomissjonijiet jagħlqu nhar it-Tlieta 28 ta’ Frar 2023 f’nofsinhar.