EU on Wheels: how the EU impacts different localities
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This past Saturday, 15th of March, JEF Malta organisers, together with EPLO Valletta, hopped on a vintage bus together with 30 registered participants that took them all across Malta in order to see and discuss the EU in practice, in relation to to democracy, tourism or culture. Siġġiewi was the first stop in this chapter of EU on Wheels, followed by St. Julian’s and finally Birgu. A mix of modern and classical, this bus journey represented the country of Malta, a modern-day democracy that doesn’t forget about its rich cultural past and is an integral part of the European Union.
EPLO Valletta is proud to have collaborated with JEF Malta, an organization that promotes European democratic values across the member statesalongside Siġġiewi Local Council, St Julian’s Local Council and Birgu Local Council.
After exploring EU democracy with young minds in Siġġiewi and discussing tourism and the EU’s impact in St Julian’s, the bus arrived in Birgu, where we met the participants. In the form of a panel discussion, this session focused on culture, restoration and EU aid in the preservation of heritage sites.
The event started with a presentation by Ms. Rachel Grillo, researcher at the Inquisitor’s Palace and National Museum of Ethnography in Birgu and one of the most knowledgeable voices in the subject of the history of Birgu.
In the panel discussion that followed, top Maltese experts on the themes of European Union, architecture and cultural restoration and EU funds management brought invaluable perspectives to the issue. Dr. Moira Catania, Director at the Institute for European Studies at the University of Malta, Perit Amanda Degiovanni, Chief Architect and Civil Engineer at Restoration Directorate and Mr. Andrea Camilleri, EU Funding Executive with Servizzi Ewropej f'Malta discussed important topics such as how preservation helps revive towns and streets in Malta and promotes further European integration were discussed.
Taking Valletta and the Three Cities as powerful examples of good restoration, the speakers also pointed out that the few downsides of such actions, like gentrification, must be prevented in order to everyone to benefit from a better preserved, culturally rich and habitable Malta.
The partnerships of institutions and organisations signifies one of the ways that our main mission, bridging the gap between the European Parliament and the people, is achieved. We are delighted that events like this are taking place and the Maltese people are growing closer to the EU. We would like to thank the organisers at JEF Malta, the speakers, the local councils and especially the public, most of them young people, for making this possible. Stay updated through this website and through our together.eu platform for future events.