To mark the occasion of the Olympic Day, an Olympic Monument has been inaugurated in the area adjacent to sports facilities at Tumas Cassar Street, Gharb.

Olympic Day was introduced in 1948 to commemorate the birth of the modern Olympic Games on 23 June 1894 at the Sorbonne in Paris. The goal was to promote participation in sport across the globe regardless of age, gender or athletic ability.

This was a personal initiative of the Secretary-General of the Maltese Olympic Committee Joe Cassar, who contacted Joe Bajada, and in his letter on behalf of the Olympic Committee, described Bajada was the person who could transmit the importance of a Sports Monument in Gozo, which would be the first Olympic monument on the island.

Bajada selected the locality of Gharb and contacted Mayor David Apap, who not only accepted his proposal for placing the monument in the locality, together with Council members realised not only the monument with the Five Olympic Rings, also made the bust of Pierre de Coubertin, the founder of the International Olympic Committee. To further complete this Monument, an Olympic Urn was also built.Minister for Gozo Clint Camilleri inaugurated the monument, which had been made possible through financial assistance from EcoGozo within the Ministry for Gozo.

In a short but symbolic and significant ceremony the Olympic Urn was lit by the athlete Stefan Azzopardi from Gharb, assisted by Guzeppina Galea, a Special Olympics athlete.

After the Olympic Anthem was played, short speeches were given by Joe Cassar, Secretary-General of the Maltese Olympic Committee, Mayor David Apap, and Minister Clint Camilleri.

Joe Cassar mentioned the Olympic values, as well as the process that led to the installation of the monument with the coordination of Joe Bajada.

He thanked the Mayor of Gharb who, despite the very limited time-line, accepted the proposals submitted to him so that now the island of Gozo is also decorated with this Olympic monument.

Mayor David Apap remarked that despite being given only a few days, he felt that an Olympic monument in their locality would be a sporting attraction and hoped that this place would be an incentive for more young people to start practising sport and will also help to have Gozitan athletes participating abroad.

He thanked the Ministry of Gozo for making this project possible through EcoGozo and promised to keep this monument maintained.

The Minister for Gozo said that in today’s world, with the diverse interests of all countries, sport is that thing that manages to bring many countries closer together and the concept that sport is indispensable for life and our society.

He thanked all those who gave their input so that now even in Gharb we have another sports attraction that continues to beautify this characteristic village.

Plaques were presented by the Maltese Olympic Committee to athletes Stefan Azzopardi and Guzeppina Galea, sports coordinator Joe Bajada, Mayor David Apap and Minister Clint Camilleri.

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