1 comment.The state of the environment says a lot about a country – President Vella
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President Dr George Vella has said that “the state of the environment, be it natural or built, and the care, or lack of, that one gives it, says a lot about a country. We think global but we have to act local.”
The President was speaking at the Malta Architectural and Spatial Planning Awards, which was held online. He congratulated the winners in the ten categories considered in these awards, as well as all those who came in for a commendation.
These awards were meant to highlight projects that stood out, to be given due recognition, and encourage emerging and established architects and designers who have shown vision, and commitment to high environmental standards in their projects.
The President explained that. “now is the time for discussing in a constructive way, what changes would we like to see taking place to avoid the repetition or continuation of practices that could have left us short of arriving at the desired optimal levels in our planning policies.”
“Events like this one give me hope,” said the President, adding that if there is enough will from all the stakeholders that determine this delicate balance, “we can manage to identify the right formula for the well-being of our people.”
The President remarked that the Covid-19 pandemic has been an “eye-opener” in this regard as everyone has come to appreciate the importance of having adequate living spaces.
He went on to say that he truly believes that architects and spatial planners are “key players in all this as they are the agents of change whose duty is to preserve what we have while ensuring that our future generations can look back at our generation and thank us for making the right decisions at the right time.”
The President concluded that it is “our responsibility to use the latest trends, the latest materials, the latest technologies, and the best of design to enhance the characteristics of our Maltese heritage, and avoid all trends, however modern, that lead us to adopt styles and structures that are anonymous, albeit international, but do not reflect in any way any particular redeeming Maltese characteristic.”
Photo by Anthony Zammit
Mr President talk is cheap just look around you and tell us where the environment is not being destroyed. The government failed us people and you are part of it.