Bank of Valletta has presented Fondazzjoni Wirt Artna with a sponsorship for the Foundation’s Hands on Heritage project, which is now in its 10th year. Hands on Heritage reaches hundreds of schoolchildren who, through Skola Sajf and other privately organised summer classes, have the opportunity to learn more about their heritage through practical “hands on” sessions at

various historical places.

The sponsorship was presented by Bank of Valletta chief officer financial markets and investments Charles Borg to Fondazzjoni Wirt Artna director Mario Farrugia at a Hands on Heritage session held for schoolchildren at the War Museum in Vittoriosa.

Established 10 years ago by Fondazzjoni Wirt Artna, the Hands on Heritage project seeks to provide students of various ages with an innovative way of learning more about their heritage through direct activities unlike the methods usually employed in the classroom.

“We are proud to have supported Fondazzjoni Wirt Artna for these past 10 years, during which thousands of children have benefited from informative and interesting sessions about Malta’s unique history and culture,” said Mr Borg.

Thanking Bank of Valletta for the sponsorship, Mr Farrugia explained how, through this project, participating school children are engaged in a variety of extra-curricular activities directly linked to the heritage site where the session is held.

“At present, the Hands on Heritage project is being offered by trained staff at the Malta at War Museum, the Kordin III Neolithic Temple Complex, Fort Rinella and its 100 ton gun, the Notre Dame Gate and the Saluting Battery. During a typical session, students have the opportunity of learning some of the patterns of life, crafts and skills of the original builders/users of the respective building. For example, at Kordin III in Paola, students are taught how to make ancient pottery using original skills. Students are introduced to elementary basics of Maltese prehistory and archaeology by means of an engaging narrative. The children are also made aware of the controversies that heritage sites are subject to in their conservation by means of debates, chart-making and such aids,” he explained.

At Fort Rinella in Kalkara, school parties are introduced to similar aspects of late 19th century military life. They participate in hands-on sessions in visual military signalling using semaphore flags and heliographs, as well as being shown how to lift heavy weights using a pulley. Soldiers’ uniforms and equipment are brought to life by displaying such items through live re-enactment.

At the Malta at War Museum in Vittoriosa, students venture into the turbulent daily life of the Maltese in wartime Malta. In doing this they experience aspects of the daily chores that people living in air raid shelters had to perform daily, handle period artefacts and carry out basic science exercises that help them better understand how people managed to live, despite all the hardships of the time. In addition, they have the opportunity to view an original film from the time, Malta GC, which gives the subject a wider dimension. The students also have the chance to re-enact the life of specific civilians during an air raid or else daily life during the war, by handling original gas masks and hand-held sirens.

At Notre Dame Gate in Vittoriosa, students are introduced to the basic elements of historic fortifications, their design, building and functionality, whereas at the old Saluting Battery in Valletta, they venture into the complex world of historic artillery, learning about metallurgy, the science of trajectory and lifting, the chemistry involved in projecting a shell and many other aspects related to the subjects. They are also introduced to the fascinating subject of time measuring, with explanations of how man took centuries to solve the riddle of longitude and displays of some of the time-measuring instruments used.

Each visit, complete with hands-on activities, has a duration of about two hours. Information is provided by resident custodians and education officers. More information is available from Fondazzjoni Wirt Artna on [email protected]