The Minister for Inclusion and Volunteering, Julia Farrugia, visited the San Ġużepp Banda De Rohan Club in Ħaż-Żebbuġ, where the project “Flimkien għall-Festa Tagħna” was presented, an initiative carried out through the More Inclusive Communities Scheme, through which funding of approximately €6,270 was provided.
This project led to the creation of two publications and an animated cartoon for children which, through a story based on a true event, promotes the values of friendship, inclusion, community participation and appreciation of Maltese cultural heritage. The story tells the experiences of three children who are active members of the San Ġużepp Banda De Rohan Club and who, despite each of them living with a disability, contribute to the life of the club and always support each other. Through their experiences, the book conveys the message that friendship, courage and unity can overcome any challenge, while showing that each person has something unique to offer the community.
The publication was made in a printed version as well as in Braille, so that it would also be accessible to children with visual disabilities, while an animated cartoon was created so that its message would reach a wider audience in a modern and interactive way.
The production of the Braille version was carried out in collaboration with the Foundation for Information Technology Accessibility (FITA). The protagonists of the story are three real children — Matthias Camilleri, May Camilleri and Valentina Grixti — who are members of the San Ġużepp Banda De Rohan Club and who inspired the story through their own experiences. They were also involved in the production of the animated cartoon and in the recordings, thus giving life to the characters that represent them.
During the visit, Minister Julia Farrugia said that this project shows how volunteering and local organisations can be a positive force in building a more inclusive society. “It is through initiatives such as these that we are building a culture of respect, participation and equal opportunities from a young age. Inclusion does not only mean creating accessible services, but also ensuring that every child can fully participate in the cultural and social life of our country,” said the Minister.
Minister Farrugia added that the Government will continue to invest in schemes that provide tools to voluntary organisations to develop projects that leave a concrete impact in communities and strengthen the values of inclusion, accessibility and the active participation of persons with disabilities.
For her part, the Assistant Secretary of the San Ġużepp Banda De Rohan Club, Donnaliza Camilleri, explained that the idea behind “Flimkien għall-Festa Tagħna” was born from the experience of volunteering and from the reality that organizations often find it difficult to attract new generations of volunteers. She recounted how, after speaking to several students and noticing that many of them were not involved in any organization, she felt the need to create a story that would inspire children to participate in their community. Therefore, a story was created based on real children with different abilities who, despite their challenges, contribute to society and show that everyone has something valuable to offer. The children themselves were involved in the production of the book and the animated cartoon, including in the recordings, while the publication in braille was also inspired by her experience working with visually impaired children. “This story reminds us that when we work together and recognize the potential of each person, we can build a better community and society for everyone,” concluded Camilleri.
During the event, the San Ġużepp Banda De Rohan Club presented the Minister with copies of the book, including two braille editions that will be distributed to children so that more children have the opportunity to enjoy this educational and cultural experience in an inclusive manner. A copy was also given to the Żebbuġ public library.
The More Inclusive Communities scheme continues to support projects that strengthen communities through inclusion, while encouraging collaboration between voluntary organisations and other entities to create initiatives that make a positive difference in society.
Photos: MIV
