Mr Vincent Gauci and Perit Godwin Cassar are the winners of the sixth edition of the Buonamico Award under the patronage of the President of Malta.

This annual award, organised by the Environment and Resources Authority, recognises the valuable contribution of people in favour of biodiversity and the environment.

In his speech during the awards ceremony, President George Vella stated that harmony, respect, and care should be the principles that drive us towards the future. He said that from a wider perspective, the Environment and Resources Authority not only works as a regulator but is directly involved in the harmony we wish to see, and in the respect and care we should have towards the Maltese islands. “These roles are not only key from an infrastructural perspective, but they are fundamental in promoting quality of life, people’s mental health, and national unity,” added the President.

Harmony, respect, and care are three qualities highlighted by the President as still underlying the professionalism of Mr Gauci and Perit Cassar, who throughout the years have been instrumental for our country to be more involved in the challenges related to the climate and the environment. The President added that stories like those of Mr Gauci and Perit Cassar give us a glimmer of hope in favour of better environment and quality of life. “The work of environmental professionals, unlike that of politics, is often done in silence, and there are only a few opportunities where people can appreciate the importance of research and long years of work in this field,” said President Vella.

The President concluded his speech by congratulating Mr Gauci and Perit Cassar for their significant contribution to the people of Malta and thanked the Environment and Resources Authority for its work towards a better environment and a better life for the people of Malta and Gozo.