The recent re-discovery of the beautiful frescoes at the Verdala Palace should be of further joy to anyone who has at least seen a picture of their state before and after their restoration.

They are perhaps by no means the masterpieces of the Sistene Chapel, but they are of further testimony to the abundance of cultural and artistic treasures we have on this small rock.

These particular paintings are the topic of discussion because they were covered up in the age of Imperial correctness - which everyone now realises is absolutely absurd - due to being deemed "indecent". This was in the 1930s and although never forgotten, they had remained covered with brown paint.

Thanks to sterling restoration work, the paintings have been uncovered and they do look fantastic. We are starting to see beautifully restored chapels seemingly pop out from places that we had never seen before and we are also getting used to stumbling across forgotten catacombs that are being discovered.

We should ask ourselves why we are starting to see many little treasures reappearing. It is because we are finally reaping the seeds of what has been sown. The government started this process quite a while back, but that mentality has filtered down further into the mentality of the people and the commercial sector.

Not to mention any particular sector, various companies sponsor many a project, and this is very heartening. Various NGOs also undertake restoration projects and it is good to see that local councils have also tried to do their bit by tapping into EU funds that they can now claim.

This country tends to lose itself in the nitty-gritty daily grind that we all have to go through in a simple attempt to keep pace with the mainstream in this globalised world.

Yet we do tend to jump from one topic to the other and are now immersed in the Budget estimates and low cost carriers. Just a few weeks ago, we were all enthralled with the amazing event that was Notte Bianca. Things did not go 100 per cent to plan, but it was definitely an event which reminded people of the beauty of the Capital city. It was not only the beauty that got to people, but also the fact that there is so much culture, heritage and tradition. Valletta is a city that has gone through various experiences in its lifetime and we are now starting to discover, or rediscover, that it is all there for us to see and to enjoy.

One can relive the time of the knights, the French and now eventually even WWII simply by wandering through. So many people were there and so many seemed absolutely enthralled at how much dreary old Valletta had to offer. It is positive to now see that people are attending all sorts of re-enactments, parades, firing of cannon and street theatre. But the secret is to make these attractions accessible, and to market them to our own people so can enjoy our surroundings and realise that if we do make an effort and take pride in our heritage, the place looks and feels a lot better.