The Din l-Art Helwa guardianship of 11 sites has been renewed, including on Gozo and Comino.

DLH has said in a statement that it will be able to continue caring for 11 heritage sites whose guardianship was today renewed for a further 10 years by the Government.

Dwejra Tower in Gozo and St Mary’s Battery on Comino, are two of the heritage sites covered in the guardianship.

Most of the sites were first granted to the NGO by government in 2003 making this the third 10-year renewal.

Over that time, the NGO said that it has spent millions of euro to restore and maintain the sites, using a “veritable army” of volunteers to open the majority of these sites to visitors on a regular basis.The funds for restoration and maintenance are raised from generous corporate sponsors, donations, memberships and fundraising events, and by tapping into EU and other funds.

In Malta, the guardianship deeds were renewed for the Church of Our Lady of Victory, Valletta, the Red Tower in Mellieha, Wignacourt Tower in St Pauls Bay, Torri Mamo in Marsascala, XutuTower in Wied iz-Zurrieq, the Msida Bastion Guardian of Rest in Floriana, the Ghallis and Qalet Marku towers in Naxxar, and St Mary’s Fort.

The deeds were signed by the Superintendent of Cultural Heritage, Kurt Farrugia, and by the Executive President Alex Torpiano, and Secretary General Simone Mizzi for DLH.

DLH looks after a number of other sites, and has also helped to restore numerous others over which it does not have guardianship. It was recently given the guardianship of the historic Australian Bungalow , which is currently being restored and will be re-assembled in Ta’ Qali.

It has also managed to secure sponsorship for other sites such as the mediaeval chapel at San Cir for which it is currently awaiting formal guardianship.

Photos:  Simon Wallace / DLH

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