Hundreds of people gathered at Bajja s-Sabiħa in Birżebbuġa, on Sunday evening, to celebrate the closing of the sixth edition of the Saving Our Blue summer campaign.
The event also inaugurated the Days of Action in favor of the Sustainable Development of Malta, which aim to promote and raise awareness about sustainable development.
The theme of the event, “Design Together the Future We Want”, focused on the importance of preserving the sea and increasing public awareness of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Malta’s Days of Action in Favor of Sustainable Development will take place between 18 September and 8 October as part of the European Week for Sustainable Development, with more than 30 activities and initiatives around Malta and Gozo, organized by government entities, voluntary organisations, the private sector and individuals.
The Sunday evening event included a number of activities for all ages. The children enjoyed interactive stories about environmental conservation and a puppet show that highlighted the dangers of single-use plastic and litter in the sea. Local football clubs teamed up with the Malta Football Association (MFA) to organize a six-team beach soccer tournament, while a bicycle track promoted sustainable transport options. The public could also experience rowing along the coast together with the Rowing Club of the University of Malta.
Representatives from the Environment and Resources Authority (ERA), Environment Malta, Saving Our Blue, the Directorate for Sustainable Development, Circular Economy Malta, InterConnect Malta, the Regulator for Energy and Water Services , Project Green, Wasteserv Malta, the Water Services Corporation and the Geoscience Department of the University of Malta were present to provide information on sustainable development and various environmental topics. These included, among others, the impact of single-use plastic, the threat of invasive species, light pollution in the sea, and how one can adopt a sustainable lifestyle while being aware of the environment around us.
This year, Saving Our Blue introduced a Virtual Reality (VR) Mobile Unit , which allowed visitors to virtually explore Malta’s seven marine protected areas. The initiative also organized several clean-ups, installed 52 ballot bins in the beaches to reduce cigarette waste, and took part in several educational activities. In collaboration with Ambjent Malta, Saving Our Blue hosted educational boat trips, walks and sessions in the Buskett Hub, where students learned about waste in the sea and the importance of preserving nature. In addition, through Summer School and other summer programs, almost 450 children were taught about the importance of protecting the sea and marine ecosystems.
The public is encouraged to follow ‘Saving Our Blue’ and ‘Sustainable Development Malta’ on social media to keep themselves informed.
