Din l-Art Helwa receive grant for projects on Gozo & Comino

Din l-Art Helwa have received financing in the form of a grant as part of the Assistance Schemes for projects by Local Councils, Administrative Committees and NGOs contributing towards the implementation of the Eco-Gozo Action Plan (2010 -2012), the Ministry for Gozo has approved a project to install interpretation panels and audio visual equipment for heritage buildings in Gozo and Comino plus a Heritage DVD of these islands. The Ministry for Gozo has awarded €24,000 for this project.

The buildings in question are St Mary’s Tower and St Mary’s Battery on Comino, Xlendi Tower and Qala Battery in Gozo.

The Minister for Gozo, Giovanna Debono visited Xlendi Tower, which is one of the sites that is benefiting from this grant, with the installation of ten interpretation panels. In the presence of officers and members of Din l-Art Helwa and the Mayor of Munxar, Joseph Sultana, the Minister said that by virtue of the interpretation panels tourists visiting these historic sites in Gozo and Comino will be able to find out interesting information on the site itself while while also increasing their knowledge about these jewels of the islands. She added that these panels will be another source of learning for Gozitan students during cultural and educational excursions organised by their respective schools.

Besides the interpretation panels in Xlendi Tower, Din l-Art Helwa is to install twelve similar interpretation panels in St Mary’s Tower and four in St Mary’s Battery, which are both on Comino and eight in the Qala Battery. The information given by these panels include historical sites, ecological zones, other historic sites of interest in the surroundings, traditions and lifestyles and marine biodiversity in the localities. Children who visit these sites will be given interactive project work sheets to enhance their educational experience. In St Mary’s Tower on Comino, Din l-Art Helwa will also install audio visual equipment and seating so that visitors can watch videos related to historical sites in Gozo and Comino.

The Xlendi Tower is being restored as a joint venture between Din l-Art Helwa and the Munxar Local Council, expenses on a 50/50 basis. Medserv is sponsoring Din l-Art Helwa’s share of the expenses.

The Xlendi Tower was built in 1650 and since the two towers preceding it do not exist today, this makes this tower the oldest one in Gozo. This is true if we are not to consider the Comino Tower which was built in 1618. The Xlendi Tower was first projected by Baliff Baldassare de Demandolx in 1649 and after slightly more than a year it was already completed. It was paid for by the Universita of Gozo and the Grand Master of the time, Lascaris, ordered that 2 iron guns be mounted.