Minister for the National Heritage, the Arts and Local Government Owen Bonnici presented an investment in 29 fireworks factories for them to enhance health and safety standards.
Interested fireworks factories applied for a scheme, which is worth €170,000.
This scheme, which has been issued every year since its inception in 2018, aims at bolstering the health and safety standards throughout the work carried out by hundreds of pyrotechnicians who work tirelessly, on a voluntary basis, to prepare the Maltese festa as part of the socio-cultural fabric of our towns and villages.
Minister Bonnici thanked the beneficiaries present for their hard work and dedication in keeping alive our national traditions.
“Through this scheme, we continue to build on our commitment towards our traditional practices, especially those which complement the Maltese festa as part of our commitment to safeguard the intangible cultural heritage of our country”, said Minister Bonnici.
On behalf of Arts Council Malta, Director of Funding and Strategy Mary Ann Cauchi elaborated on the need for schemes which directly address our traditional culture.
“We aim to ensure that the widest spectrum of society benefits from Arts Council Malta support opportunities for the benefit of everyone”, said Cauchi.
Dating back several decades, the fireworks culture in Malta is still considered an artistic tourist attraction and is forming part of Maltese cultural heritage.
This scheme allocates funds, up to €5,000 per fireworks factory, for them to upgrade their infrastructure so that volunteers can work in a safer environment, both during the manufacturing process and the letting off fireworks.
This scheme also allows funds to enable these factories to invest in resources that will improve the quality of our innovative pyrotechnic product while still maintaining top level health and safety practices.
The scheme covers investment in equipment and gear to improve safety while the letting off of fireworks, investment in machinery and tools to facilitate the fireworks production process and increase production safety, investment in health and safety education resources in fireworks manufacturing, restoration of fireworks factories and efforts in strengthening cooperation between local and European fireworks factories.
