“Protecting the environment is not a gratification of a whim but it is a duty,” said President George Vella during the Green Flag Award ceremony.

He added that “the environment is essential for people’s physical and mental health.”

The Green Flag Award ceremony saw 43 schools in Malta and Gozo recognised for introducing sustainable practices in their schools.

St Martin’s and St Thomas More Colleges as well as Marsaxlokk Primary School received this prestigious award for the first time. St Joseph School Blata l-Bajda and St Joseph Mater Boni Consilii Poala received this award for the ninth consecutive year.

The President explained that the Green Flag Award is a prestigious certificate attesting the efforts of schools to foster a sustainable lifestyle among students. He mentioned that this is a globally known award and that it is built on international quality levels.

This means that the students are part of a prestigious and powerful programme involving around 20 million students from around 59,000 schools spanning 74 different countries.

The President also encouraged the students to continue being young ambassadors of the protection of the environment.

He ended by congratulating all the students as, through their exemplary collective effort and work, their school has now earned the Green Flag Award and he also thanked them because their example and work will not only benefit their school, but also the whole country.

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