President of Malta George Vella has urged architects to ensure that the common good is central to their daily practice, rather than any short-term gains.

The President attended the Malta Architecture and Spatial Planning Awards 2021, organised by the Planning Authority.

In his address, the President appealed to all those working in this field not to disregard established parameters, be they structural, aesthetic, functional or environmentally-friendly and encouraged them to develop them further and to keep them relevant for current needs.

Whilst reminding architects that they are not simply architects of built spaces, but also architects of the citizens' well-being, the President urged them to keep in mind that contemporary architecture is the heritage they will leave to future generations.

The President stated that architects, engineers, designers, administrators, and legislators, all in their respective fields, are duty-bound to ensure that the common good is central to their daily practice, rather than any short-term gains that will only benefit personal or sectoral interests in the long run. He added that this way of thinking and methodology applies to all projects.

"All the submissions for this award are living proof that it is possible to combine aesthetics, function, form, innovation, efficiency, performance, and practicality in any design, whilst respecting the surrounding natural, built or historical environment," said the President.

Whilst congratulating all the nominees and the winners, the President encouraged them to think of the future and augured that their projects serve to embellish and to instil pride.

At the start of the event, the President reiterated his condemnation of military action and aggression in Ukraine. On his first opportunity of speaking in public since the start of the war in Ukraine, the President recommended that all diplomatic options should be explored. He appealed to keep our thoughts with the Ukrainian people and the suffering that they are going through.