I think we all agree that fireworks are an intrinsic part of our summer feasts, and by extension, our cultural identity. When we have friends visiting from abroad, we are very likely to take them see a fireworks display, while our national tourism authority never misses a beat to use a pyrotechnic spectacle in its promotional material, to promote the island.

This however doesn't mean that the practice is a God-given right to enthusiasts. In 2026, I expect we can have a civilised conversation about it, one that can be fruitful to all sides of the argument.

I am not a neutral observer to the subject. I form part of an organisation, intimately linked with the organisation of the feast of Santa Marija in Attard. Festa, street decorations and fireworks constitute an important part of my life, and have shaped who I am, my place in the community I love and serve as Deputy Mayor, my friendships and my sense of belonging to my own town.

On the other hand, I understand the balance that needs to be struck, at all times between the right to enjoy one of Malta's most significant traditions, and the right to enjoy one's own property in safety and peace of mind.

Being close to this world allows me to understand what goes into a display, the months of preparation, the immense skill sets involved, and the pride that a community feels when its fireworks light up the sky above the village square.

However, all this does have an impact on a wider audience that might not have subscribed directly to the enjoyment, and pretending otherwise would be akin to burying our head in the proverbial sand. As a reasonable citizen, I will be the first to acknowledge that residents have every right to feel safe in their own homes, to expect that reasonable limits are respected, and to raise concerns without being made to feel like enemies of tradition.

Both sides of the argument bring an essential part of the puzzle. Those of us involved in the societies understand the craft, the safety protocols that already exist, and the genuine cultural weight these celebrations carry for entire communities. Residents bring the lived reality of what it means to have that celebration unfold in close proximity. A sensible way forward can only be built by taking both of these truths seriously at the same time, rather than treating one as automatically more legitimate than the other.

In practice, that means continuing to strengthen and properly enforce the safety standards that already govern fireworks factories and displays, so that incidents remain as rare as possible.

It means being honest about noise levels and giving residents clear, advance information about timings as already happens in almost all cases. It means listening seriously when specific streets raise genuine safety concerns, however it also means protecting the zones meant for letting off of fireworks from development in a way that this tradition can continue.

It is useless saying we value this craft, if we continue to issue development permits that inch closer to letting off areas. Some of these zones have been established since time immemorial and given the limited space available on the island, they just cannot simply be shifted elsewhere indefinitely.

We must recognise that feasts are not a nuisance to be tolerated but a living tradition that deserves support, resources and respect, provided that support comes hand in hand with responsibility.

That, to me, is what a mature, confident community does when it values both its traditions and its people in equal measure.