English Version :
The Valletta Green Festival officially kicks off
The Valletta Green Festival—the annual event which is synonymous with the Maltese Cultural Calendar—has opened today and will take place until Sunday 1st May.
Minister for the National Heritage, the Arts, and Local Government Owen Bonnici and Minister for the Environment, Energy, and Enterprise Miriam Dalli were present for the Valletta Green Festival’s official opening.
Minister Bonnici stated that, “Year after year, the Valletta Green Festival is increasing in popularity. This is because the main theme is about the environment and this is dear to many people. In fact, the Government’s priority is to have more environmental and sustainable projects in urban areas for the benefit of the citizens.”
Minister Bonnici also said that, “Such activities strengthen the artistic and cultural aspects and continue building ‘green’ collaborations with various entities. We will continue to strengthen the cultural and creative sectors, as well as engaging directly with the public.”
Minister for the Environment, Energy and Enterprise Miriam Dalli urged the public to attend the festival to enjoy the infiorata and the various activities taking place. “Visitors can experience the work carried out by the various entities responsible for the protection of nature and the environment while gaining more information on valleys, biodiversity, natural habitats and waste separation, among others,” she said.
Valletta Cultural Agency Chairman Jason Micallef said, “The Valletta Green Festival is the first in a series of open-air events the Agency is organising this spring. The festival is being held until Sunday 1st May and clearly shows the agency’s commitment to raise environmental awareness not only by means of its projects and buildings but beyond”.
The theme for this year’s edition is the importance of public spaces, the protection of natural habitats and the effect this has on the flora and fauna of our islands. The festival’s main attraction, the infiorata, was designed by the VCA’s graphic designer Clint Spiteri and is taking place in Pjazza San Ġorġ. This year’s infiorata, made up from some 50,000 plants and herbs, features the design of a frog in a 500 square metre area, highlighting the habitat destruction of the Painted Frog, the only amphibian we have in Malta.
This year’s festival also features the Ruff Mudder canine obstacle adventure, which will be introduced at Laparelli Gardens on the 30th April from 10am till 4pm. Further to last year’s initiative, the Valletta Cultural Agency will continue its urban greening contribution and will be leaving behind a 15% legacy introducing several plants and trees in Bull Street and Charles Street, Valletta.
Maltese Version :
Jiftaħ il-Valletta Green Festival 2022
Il-Valletta Green Festival – l-avveniment annwali sinonimu mal-kalendarju kulturali Malti – fetaħ dalgħodu u ser jibqa’ għaddej sa nhar il-Ħadd l-1 ta’ Mejju.
Il-Ministru għall-Wirt Nazzjonali, l-Arti u l-Gvern Lokali Owen Bonnici u l-Ministru għall-Ambjent, l-Enerġija u l-Intrapriża Miriam Dalli kienu preżenti għall-ftuħ tal-Valletta Green Festival.
Il-Ministru Bonnici stqarr li, “Sena wara l-oħra, il-Valletta Green Festival qed jibqa’ jżid fil-popolarità. Dan għaliex it-tema hija waħda ambjentali u għal qalb ħafna nies. Fil-fatt, il-prijorità ta’ dan il-gvern hi li jkun hawn iżjed proġetti ambjentali u sostenibbli fiż-żoni urbani għall-benefiċċju taċ-ċittadini.”
Il-Ministru Bonnici sostna wkoll li, “Attivitajiet bħal dawn jibqgħu jsaħħu l-aspetti artistiċi u kulturali filwaqt li jkomplu jibnu kollaborazzjonijiet ambjentali ma’ diversi entitajiet. Ser nibqgħu nsaħħu s-settur kulturali u kreattiv, kif ukoll nibqgħu bl-impenn dirett mal-pubbliku.”
Il-Ministru għall-Ambjent, l-Enerġija u l-Intrapriża Miriam Dalli ħeġġet lill-pubbliku biex jattendi l-festival u jgawdi l-ġmiel tal-infjorata u l-attivitajiet li qed jittellgħu. “Il-viżitaturi jistgħu jesperjenzaw ix-xogħol li jagħmlu entitajiet differenti għall-protezzjoni ambjentali u naturali filwaqt li jiksbu aktar informazzjoni dwar il-widien, il- bijodiversità, il-ħabitats naturali u s-separazzjoni tal-iskart, fost oħrajn”, qalet il-Ministru Dalli.
Iċ-Chairman tal-Aġenzija Kulturali għall-Belt Valletta Jason Micallef innota li, “Il-Valletta Green Festival huwa l-ewwel minn serje ta’ avvenimenti tal-Aġenzija Kulturali għall-Belt Valletta fil-miftuħ din ir-rebbiegħa u jibqa’ għaddej sal-Ħadd l-1 ta’ Mejju. Dan il-festival juri biċ-ċar l-impenn tal-aġenzija li toħloq kuxjenza dwar l-ambjent mhux biss fil-proġetti u l-binjiet taghħa, iżda lil hinn.”
It-tema għall-edizzjoni ta’ din is-sena hija l-importanza tal-ispazji pubbliċi, il-protezzjoni tal-ħabitats naturali, u l-effett li dan għandu fuq il-flora u l-fawna tal-gżejjer tagħna. L-attrazzjoni prinċipali tal-festival, l-infjorata, ġiet iddisinjata mid-Disinjatur Grafiku tal-Aġenzija Kulturali għall-Belt Valletta Clint Spiteri u tista’ titgawda fi Pjazza San Ġorġ. Aktar minn 50,000 pjanta, li jinkludu l-ħwawar, joħolqu din l-infjorata li tittratta d-disinn ta’ żrinġ fi spazju ta’ 500 metru kwadru u hija intiża biex tqajjem kuxjenza dwar il-qerda tal-ħabitat taż-Żrinġ Malti (Painted Frog) li huwa l-uniku amfibju li għandna f’Malta.
Il-festival ta’ din is-sena ser jinkludi wkoll il-korsa ta’ ostakoli Ruff Mudder għall-klieb, li se ssir fi Ġnien Laparelli nhar it-30 ta’ April mill-10am sal-4pm. Wara l-inizjattiva tas-sena l-oħra, l-Aġenzija Kulturali għall- Belt Valletta se tkompli bil-kontribut tagħha favur it-tħaddir urban u se tħalli warajha legat ta’ 15% ta’ diversi pjanti u siġar fi Triq il-Gendus u Triq San Karlu, il-Belt Valletta.