The Foundation for the Conservation of the Maltese Honey Bee was announced as one of two runners-up in the Golden Bee Award on World Bee Day, 20th May 2025.
Held at the historic Ljubljana Castle in Slovenia, the ceremony brought together global leaders and organisations dedicated to the protection of bees and other pollinators.
"The Golden Bee Award, established by the Republic of Slovenia, is recognised as the world's highest honour in the field of pollinator protection," the Foundation for the Conservation of the Maltese Honey Bee said. "This prestigious award for pollinator conservation, has been presented to several notable recipients in recent years. In 2024, the Wheen Bee Foundation from Australia was recognised for its impactful work in education, research, and community engagement. In 2023, Dr Slobodan Davidović of Serbia received the award for his research on wild bee genetics. Previous winners include Boštjan Noč from Slovenia in 2022 and Professor Lucas Alejandro Garibaldi from Argentina in 2021."
"This year's award ceremony was led by President of Slovenia, Nataša Pirc Musar, following an official announcement by the Minister for Agriculture, Forestry and Food, Mateja Čalušić. The top prize was awarded to Osmia Future, a Polish company that developed an innovative digital system to optimise orchard pollination. Their work reduces pesticide use through strategic nest planning while also advancing pollinator education, marking a significant step forward in sustainable agriculture."
Two runner-up finalists were recognised with special certificates for outstanding achievements in pollinator conservation: Dr Ivana Tlak Gajger of Croatia, for her pioneering Beekeeping Experiential Laboratory, and The Foundation for the Conservation of the Maltese Honey Bee, for its visionary National Insect Initiative, the statement read.
Representing Malta at this event was Sairita Cassar, a passionate and long-standing supporter of the Foundation.
"The Foundation's recognition by the Golden Bee Award jury stems from its instrumental role in securing the official designation of the Maltese Honey Bee (Apis mellifera ruttneri) as Malta's National Insect. This historic milestone was formalised through Legal Notice 233 of 2024, following a formal submission by the Foundation to the Environment and Resources Authority (ERA) on World Bee Day 2023. The campaign was supported by a legal research paper, produced in collaboration with the University of Malta, which outlined the ecological significance of the endemic bee and the urgent need for its legal protection."