The government has announced a €1 million investment project that is set to see the installation of the latest technology LED lighting in the fortified city of Mdina.
This investment is part of a larger €3 million project aimed to beautify Maltese buildings and landmarks that hold great architectural and cultural value on the island.
Mdina, historically Malta’s first capital city, is a significantly popular touristic site, holding immense value both locally and internationally.
During a news conference led by the Transport, Infrastructure and Capital Projects Minister Ian Borg and the Parliamentary Secretary for Citizenship and Communities, Alex Muscat, the National Development and Social Fund (NSDF) announced a one million euro investment project led by Infrastructure Malta that is set to install latest technology LED lighting in the fortified city of Mdina.
During the day, Mdina’s elevated geographical position in the northern region of Malta naturally allows for its visual enjoyment from numerous towns and villages across the island.
This new lighting initiative should further emphasise Mdina’s unique structural qualities by night - without imposing a greater impact on the environment - as well as decreasing the amount of light damage on the fortification itself.
Minister Ian Borg spoke about the importance of preserving Malta’s heritage.
“This LED lighting system will bring about many sustainable advantages, such as: the visual appearance of Mdina, energy consumption, pollution and less maintenance,” he said.
To shed more light onto Mdina’s architectural beauty, the first phase of the project will be to install advanced external lighting on some of Mdina’s most noteworthy building structures like the Mdina gate, the Greek gate, the Vilhena palace the cathedral and the Carmelite church. The project’s second phase will replace the lighting inside the city’s streets and the third phase will change the lighting around the fortification itself as well as at Howard Gardens opposite Mdina Gate.
“Our commitments in ensuring our projects are carried out in a professional and serious manner remains strong in order to continue beautifying our country and ascertain Malta’s position as a centre of attraction both within Europe and beyond,” Borg said.
Parliamentary Secretary Alex Muscat feels that this project will have a big impact on Maltese society. Besides increasing the aesthetic value of Mdina, he believes it will also increase the social and historical value of the city while fostering a sense of authenticity among the Maltese.
Recalling that this project would not have been possible had it not been for the Maltese residency and citizenship initiatives, the parliamentary secretary said that this is a clear demonstration of how the NDSF's work is translating into wealth.
The agreement on this social grant was signed by NDSF Chief Executive Ray Ellul and Infrastructure Malta Chief Executive Fredrick Azzopardi.