Last Monday, Wignacourt Tower's renewed restoration was launched by the Malta Tourism Authority in the presence of the Minister for Tourism Dr Edward Zammit Lewis, Paul Bugeja, CEO of the MTA and Ray Tabone, mayor of St Paul's Bay as well as other local councillors. Simone Mizzi, executive president of Din l-Art Ħelwa welcomed the Minister for Tourism and MTA officials together with Din l-Art Helwa Council members, Luce Mule Stagno, Maria Grazia Cassar and Martin Vella, among other volunteers.

The MTA was successful in obtaining European Regional Development Funds for this restoration which was carried out by AX Holdings Construction with MTA architect, Perit Kevin Fsadni and Restoration Unit Perit Amanda de Giovanni. A WWII Beach Post just below the tower was restored at the same time reflecting the many layers of military defence buildings in the area.

For the occasion, Wignacourt Tower, the oldest of Malta's coastal towers still surviving today, and built by Grand Master Wignacourt in 1610, was floodlit to reflect many colours.  Here it is in bright pink, shining in all its mighty splendour.

The Tower has been looked after by Din l-Art Helwa since 1970 and enjoyed the benefit of an early restoration by the organisation in 1975. On the occasion of the European Year of Built Heritage when the Council of Europe held its conference in Malta, the Tower was restored by Din l-Art Helwa and the work had then cost Lm3,000. Today the sum spent on its restoration and that of the beach post was of some €100,000. The exciting discovery of the remains of the original bronze pulley system installed by the Knights of Malta were found to be still in place. 

Mrs Mizzi welcoming the Minister said that Din l-Art Helwa was grateful that the Tower, exposed as it is to the elements, should be the beneficiary of EU funds especially because St Paul's Bay was a beautiful area where the new lease of life it had been given could be of benefit to both the visitor and the resident population and was an example of the synergy that could be achieved by both a government authority and an NGO working together.