The opening ceremony is at 7pm on Monday and at 9pm the first ball will be served. The marathon is due to come to an end on Thursday 19 August. Apart from non-stop volleyball, there will be live performances by prominent local and foreign entertainers every evening.

The marathon has grown in significance steadily over the years, most of all because of the equally growing number of volunteers, Fr Fenech said – thanking them for their commitment and preparation.

He also thanked the media for their coverage. This year the three main TV stations will be giving 72 hours of air-time, a gesture that has been followed by the radio stations. Rai Sports and a Spanish station are also going to cover this year’s event and talks are also going on with Sky Sports.

Dar Tal-Providenza will receive 50 per cent of this year’s proceeds, with the balance being divided between the Ursuline Sisters Creche and the Lourdes Home in Gozo.

Both Mr George Said, of the Trade Fair Organisation, and Mr Peter Gauci, from Go Mobile, gave short comments at the press conference. Mr Said said that the marathon was an opportunity for the organisation to give something back to the community and show that, even though it is a commercial enterprise, it too has a deeper interest in the local community.

Mr Gauci said that the sponsorship given to Kerygma was the largest the company gives to any organisation. The marathon had not only become a part of Malta’s calendar of activities but was also a part of Go Mobile’s. “At Go Mobile we all enter the spirit of the marathon at this time of the year,” he said.

Donations can be made at the Trade Fair grounds during the marathon, by SMS on Go Mobile numbers: 5075002 for Lm2, 5075003 for Lm3 and 5075005 for Lm5 donations. The telephone lines are: 5004-9553 for Lm3, 5004-9555 for Lm5 and 5004-9550 for Lm10 donations. Alternatively, money can be also deposited direct into bank accounts. HSBC Acc. 058078387050, BOV Acc. 1460433901 and APS Acc, 12501110011.