The minister was speaking at a press conference held at the Dun Karm Scerri Primary School in Naxxar, following a tour of the activities that the school had organised as part of its Ghal Sahha u Ambjent Ahjar (for better health and environment) campaign.

The minister said thee conference, organised by the World Health Organisation (WHO) is the fourth of its kind and will discuss health hazards caused by environmental risks. Health and environment ministers from 52 European countries are expected to attend, together with a number of non-governmental and social organisations.

Malta organised a pre-ministerial meeting last March which was attended by representatives from 47 countries, in which a framework of declarations, that will now be discussed at the summit, was prepared.

Dr Deguara took time to explain to the children the policies the government had taken over recent months on health and environmental issues. He mentioned the Maghtab landfill closure and the smoking ban. Making reference to a lecture on healthy eating the children had just attended, he mentioned the nutritional campaigns that had been implemented by the Health Department.

The activities organised by the school were linked to the WHO conference, at the request of the organisation’s regional office. In fact, both the Health Ministry and the Rural Affairs and Environment Ministry provided the school with sponsors and contacts.

The activities focused on the three main health risks that will be the main items of the action plan to be discussed by the conference in Budapest: Children’s Environment and Health Action Plan (CEHAPE) – which are traffic related risks, obesity and pollution.

Apart from the talk on healthy eating, the children were also given the opportunity to prepare a breakfast with fruit and other food they had brought from home.

Police officers from the Mobile Squad talked to the children about pedestrian safety while in the school yard the children had the chance to become acquainted with traffic rules such as the zebra crossing, right of way and traffic lights, through a track that was set up. As they whizzed around the path with their scooters and bicycles, two police officers controlled the “traffic” and gave occasional words of advice when they were needed.