FIRST September 2020

SEPTEMBER 2020

REAWAKENING Operation World

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Surfacing the most beautiful spaces

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EDITORIAL

No filters were used to capture the surreal orange sky across San Francisco's iconic Golden Gate Bridge due to the California wildfires. Photograph Om Malik, September 2020.

OPERATION WORLD

Reawakening

“Through the machineries of greed, pettiness, and the abuse of power, love occurs.”

Thomas Pynchon, Gravity's Rainbow (1973). ith the fires taking place in California and record high temperatures across the world we have to collectively and individually think of ways in which we can live sustainably and in a less exploitative manner; both in taxing the world's resources and others people's economic welfare.

All of this cannot even begin to make sense if we do not start from a healthy frame of mind. We already have the technological tools and know-how to stop and even reverse some of the ecological damage. But goodwill and political motivation have to come a long way before we can see some major positive results.

Despite the barrage of bad news globally, the silver lining is a reawakening: to realign our moral compasses towards a better world that younger generations can be hopeful for.

ON THE COVER. Photograph by Jonas Thijs.

EDITORIAL CONTENT AND SALES MANAGER SEAN ELLUL SELLUL@INDEPENDENT.COM.MT DESIGNER CONRAD BONDIN CBONDIN@INDEPENDENT.COM.MT PRODUCTION MANAGER ANDRE CAMILLERI ACAMILLERI@INDEPENDENT.COM.MT PUBLISHER STANDARD PUBLICATIONS, STANDARD HOUSE, BIRKIKARA HILL, ST JULIAN’S. TEL: 00356 2134 5888, WEB: WWW.INDEPENDENT.COM.MT FACEBOOK FIRSTMAGAZINE PRINTER PRINT-IT. FIRST IS PUBLISHED AS A COMPLIMENTARY MAGAZINE WITH THE MALTA INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY AND IS NOT TO BE SOLD SEPARATELY. NO PART OF THE PUBLICATION MAY BE REPRODUCED WITHOUT THE PRIOR AGREEMENT OF THE PUBLISHER. FIRST MAGAZINE SINCE 1993.

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CONTENTS

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Eastern Mediterranean. Pilgrim the feast of the Assumption of th

Zoom in on remote shoots. This image released by Elite World shows French model Héloïse Guérin in a photo shoot taken by her husband Victor Demarchelier for the brand Massimo Dutti.

Photograph Victor Demarchelier/Elite World via AP.

30 Fashionista. Plans for Paris Fashion Week SS21. Photograph Augustin De Montesquiou.

Inspiring beds in Celia Forner’s new book Bedtime: Inspirational Beds, Bedrooms and Boudoirs. Photograph courtesy of Vendome Press.

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Atelier Maison on being longlisted for the International Dezeen Awards 2020 Emerging Interior Design Studio of the Year.

Photograph Alexandra Pace.

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White Gold. Europe‘s porcelain obsession and Marco Polo. Piazza San Marco, Canaletto, oil on canvas.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

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EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN

WORLD ALZHEIMER’S MONTH. Facing Dementia. Photograph Charles Buchler.

CONTENTS

[S E P T E M B E R I S SUE 2 020]

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ms crawl outside the Holy Church of Panagia of Tinos on he Virgin Mary. Photograph Thanassis Stavrakis/AP.

14 Stephen La Rosa‘s dives into Moreish Mezze. Photograph Stephen La Rosa.

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Creative Freedom.

Zoom in on remote shoots.

White Gold.

The European Obsession with Porcelain.

REMOTE FASHION

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Walking with Satie.

Because Paris is a place of dreams.

Paris Fashion Week SS21.

Bedtime: Inspirational Beds, Bedrooms & Boudoirs.

Get inspired by fabulous beds and bedrooms in Celia Forner‘s new book.

FASHIONISTA

N. Beirut‘s violent August 4th explosion. Photograph Hussein Malla/AP.

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PHOTO DIGEST EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN

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COFFEE TABLE

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ARCHITECTURE

Jerusalem.

The feast of The Dormition of the Theotokos.

Atelier Maison's Sacred Builds.

Greece.

The feast of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, on the Aegean island of Tinos.

Digital Successes. Despite the pandemic, the digital innovation sector continued to flourish writes Parliamentary Secretary for Financial Services and Digital Economy, Clayton Bartolo.

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DIGITAL ECONOMY

Beirut.

Lebanon’s violent explosion.

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DEMENTIA

Geres. Apple Watch‘sParliamentary Activity Rings.

Boosting Economics.

Secretary for Lands and Construction Chris Agius writes about government schemes in these difficult times.

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Self and wellbeing.

World Alzheimer’s Month.

We need to get off our butts, writes Richard ECONOMY

20 Facing Dementia.

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The impact of exercise on mental health.

Regular exercise produces numerous benefits, writes Richard Geres.

Museums reopened.

Gauguin and the Impressionists at the Royal Academy, London.

The benefits of music and animal-assisted therapies.

Musuems reopening. Gauguin and the Impressionists at the Royal Academy, London. Paul Gauguin, Blue Trees (Your Turn Will Come, My Beauty!), 1888. Oil on jute sackcloth, 92 x 73 cm © Ordrupgaard, Copenhagen. Photo: Anders Sune Berg.

PORCELAIN

MENTAL HEALTH & FITNESS

MEZZE

Relaxing Mezze. Stephen La Rosa dives into Baba Ghanoush and other moreish Mezze.

ART

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CR EA TI VE FR EE DO M

REMOTE FASHION

The Covid pandemic has seen an accelerated shift in fashion and advertising, from photographers, videographers and magazine editors to models, who by necessity, have started wielding more control over their own images during remote photo and video shoots.

Top and above: These captivating images released by Elite World show French model Héloïse Guérin during a photo shoot taken by her husband Victor Demarchelier for the brand Massimo Dutti. Photography Victor Demarchelier/Elite World via AP.

odeling agencies have asked companies to ship clothes directly to models while photographers and creative directors have found innovative ways to pick their best shots over Zoom. Elite World Group, which manages over 4,000 fashion talent globally, pivoted at the height of the pandemic to survive, when traditional shoots were impossible due to travel restrictions and social distancing. The agency urged brands to send clothes and accessories to their models, while models were encouraged to show off their personalities when shooting products themselves. The result can be felt and seen in the photography, which often reveals a more personal interaction behind the images, and a naiveté which is welcome and charming.

French model Héloïse Guérin experienced this first hand, styling some of her own shoots entirely. Products were mailed to her home where she and her husband, photographer Victor Demarchelier would conduct the shoots. Even though the shoots have involved a bevy of Zoom and Facetime meetings with clients, the situation allowed for plenty of room for creativity and freedom.

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PARIS FASHION WEEK SS21

FASHIONISTA

Walking With Satie

“Because Paris is a place of dreams Francoise Hardy, tous les garcons et les filles Juliette Greco, Jeanne Moreau and Catherine Deneuve And I'm walking with Eric Satie Along the boulevards of Paris in the springtime Un orchestre d'oiseaux, every so often breaks This map of feelings Drifting through these landscapes of love” Malcolm McLaren, extract from Walking With Satie, from the album Paris. Photography Chris Karidis.

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he Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode has confirmed that Paris Fashion Week will go ahead this autumn. The shows will take place from September 28th to October 6th and will implement a series of recommendations by public authorities, and complemented by a platform set up for Paris Fashion Week online. According to the official provisional calendar, 88 brands will be showcased including Chanel, Dior, Balmain, Louis Vuitton, Giambattista Valli, Stella McCartney, and Vivienne Westwood. The official calendar brings together the houses of fashion shows calendar and the houses of presentations calendar and includes both physical and digital events. Among the big houses missing from the schedule are Alexander McQueen, Saint Laurent, and Valentino (with Valentino showing in Milan instead).

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Operational Programme I – European Structural and Investment Funds 2014-2020 “Fostering a competitive and sustainable economy to meet our challenges” Project part-financed by the Cohesion Fund Co-financing rate: 85% European Union Funds; 15% National Funds

PHOTO DIGEST

“You are so brave and suffering, I forget you are suffering”

EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN AROUND THE WORLD IN 12 FRAMES

“If people bring so much courage to this world the world has to kill them to break them, so of course it kills them. The world breaks everyone and afterward many are strong at the broken places. But those that will not break it kills. It kills the very good and the very gentle and the very brave impartially. If you are none of these you can be sure it will kill you too but there will be no special hurry.”

Ernest Hemingway – A Farewell to Arms. he Church of the Holy Sepulchre, located in the Christian Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem, is built on the traditional site of Jesus’ Crucifixion and burial. Every August 25th, an early morning religious procession marking The Dormition of the Theotokos (God-bearer) which commemorates the Virgin Mary passes through Jerusalem’s Old City. Thousands of Christian Orthodox clergy and pilgrims usually take part in the annual event carrying an icon of the Virgin Mary from the Church of the Holy Sepulchre to Mary’s Tomb Church, located on the foothills of the Mount of Olives, near Gethsemane garden, which is regarded as the burial place of the Virgin, according to Christian tradition.

Photography this page Maya Alleruzzo/AP. Top: In a much-reduced procession this year, Orthodox nuns carrying herbs and flowers, bring the icon of the Virgin Mary from the Church of the Holy Sepulchre to the tomb where she is believed to be buried, outside the Lions’ Gate to Jerusalem’s Old City. Right: An Orthodox nun tends to candles at the tomb of the Virgin Mary.

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PHOTO DIGEST

Top: Metropolitan Dorotheos of Syros and Tinos lifts an icon believed to perform miracles during a service in the Holy Church of Panagia, on Tinos, Greece in celebrations for the feast day of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. Centre Pilgrims attend a service in the Holy Church of Panagia.

Bottom left: A pilgrim crawls in front of the Navy band outside the Holy Church of Panagia.

Bottom right: Nineteenyear-old pilgrim Nikos Katseris is reflected in an icon as he crawls at the entrance of the Holy Church of Panagia.

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or nearly 200 years, on August 15th, Greek Orthodox faithful have flocked to the Aegean island of Tinos for the feast of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, the most revered religious holiday in the Orthodox calendar after Easter. A pilgrimage to the Holy Church of Panagia Evaggelistra of Tinos, or Our Lady of Tinos, is for many the highlight of the year. This year, pilgrims came in small groups or alone, walking and many crawling, ignoring bloodied knees and aching arms to climb a hill to the church housing an icon of the Virgin Mary believed to perform miracles.

Normally, the annual celebration is a crowded affair with a procession carrying the icon down to the port, with thousands packing the flagstone street, kneeling, and waiting for the icon to pass over them. This year, with Covid imposed restrictions in place, there was no procession or massive crowd, instead, the icon stayed inside the church as pilgrims trickled in.

Photography this page Thanassis Stavrakis/AP.

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PHOTO DIGEST

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PHOTO DIGEST

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t only took a few seconds to destroy 40% of Beirut on August 4th, causing ten times more harm and damage than the infamous 15year civil war, killing more than 170 people and injuring thousands. Hitting Beirut’s rich cultural center, the massive explosion from the port shook the northeastern side of the Lebanese capital.

With damages reported as far as 20 km from the epicenter, the country’s wheat silos made from reinforced concrete shielded the southern side of the city.

Above: French Alpha Jets of the Patrouille de France spray white lines of smoke, as they fly over the scene of the August 4th explosion that hit Beirut’s seaport. Still standing right next to the blast, the country’s wheat silos, a 50- meter high structural wonder made from reinforced concrete shielded the southern side of the city (Photograph Hussein Malla/AP).

Far left: ‘My Government Did This’ written in front of the scene of the explosion. At 5:48 pm the Beirut fire brigade received the call from the nearby port reporting a big fire. Ten firefighters, including a female paramedic, piled into a fire engine and an ambulance and raced toward the scene, and their ultimate death (Photograph Hussein Malla/AP). Left: A candle lights a makeshift altar next to a destroyed building (Photograph Felipe Dana/AP).

Top right: A man plays on a piano in an apartment damaged by the explosion (Photograph Hussein Malla/AP). Above: A painting clings to a wall of the heavily damaged Sursock Palace, one of the architectural gems of the city built in 1860 by Moussa Sursock (Photograph Felipe Dana/AP). Left: Syrian refugees rest on makeshift beds outside their destroyed house.

After fleeing the bloody civil war in their country, many have found themselves displaced again after the explosion (Photograph Felipe Dana/AP).

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DEMENTIA

SELF AND WELLBEING

World Alzheimer's Month is the international campaign by Alzheimer's Disease International (ADI) every September to raise awareness and challenge the stigma that surrounds dementia. World Alzheimer's Month was launched in 2012.

World Alzheimer's Day is on 21 September each year. This World Alzheimer's Month, we are highlighting the importance of talking about dementia. Often used interchangeably, dementia and Alzheimer's disease actually have very different meanings. Dementia is an umbrella term, which describes a wide range of symptoms, while Alzheimer's disease is one type of dementia, but not the only one.

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DEMENTIA

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DEMENTIA

“O

ne of the most important challenges facing the Maltese society is the increasing population of senior adults. This is the inevitable consequence of living a healthier life which, coupled with advances in medical care, increases life expectancy. As a result,

neurodegenerative diseases normally associated with old age, such as many forms of dementia, will also increase. This will bring about a significant demand not only on health and social care services but also on society as a whole as most of the care for individuals with dementia is provided by family members who act as main caregivers. It is therefore clear that

the devastating impact of dementia cannot be ignored and the costs of not facing the dementia challenge will be considerably high both in human and financial terms."

Charles Scerri PhD, National Focal Point on Dementia, January 2015.

Taken from: Empowering Change: A National Strategy for Dementia in the Maltese Islands, 2015-2023.

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DEMENTIA (WHO) Global Burden of Disease Report, dementia contributes to 11.2 per cent of years lived with disability in people aged 60 years and over. This is due to the fact that dementia has a disproportionate impact on independent living in the older adult population.

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SELF AND WELLBEING

FACING DEMENTIA

Dementia is a term describing a number of conditions characterised by progressive deterioration in mental functions including memory, judgement, communication skills and behavioural changes serious enough to interfere with daily life.

Although dementia becomes increasingly more prevalent in the senior adult population, early onset dementia may occur and is frequently misdiagnosed. It is estimated that in the Maltese Islands, 6,071 individuals had dementia in 2015, a figure equivalent to approximately 1.5 per cent of the general population. Main photography Eberhard Grossgasteiger.

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ementia is a syndrome due to illness of the brain, usually of a chronic or progressive nature, in which there is disturbance of multiple higher cortical functions, including memory, thinking, orientation, comprehension, calculation, learning capacity, language and judgement. These symptoms of cognitive function are mostly the result of structural and chemical changes that occur in the brain leading to considerable cell death. It is a progressive illness with patients becoming more in need of help and support in performing everyday activities.

Individuals with dementia may also develop behavioural and psychological symptoms including disinhibited behaviour, delusions and hallucinations, verbal and physical aggression, agitation, anxiety and depression. Although different individuals experience dementia differently, understanding how the disease progresses is crucial in planning and providing the right amount of care as well as helping caregivers and patients to foresee the changes that will occur with time.

ge remains the most important non-modifiable risk factor in developing dementia and although it is possible to have dementia early on in life, the risk increases exponentially with advancing age. Women are more likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease whilst men are more prone to vascular dementia. Having a first degree relative increases the risk slightly compared to absent family history. Cardiovascular morbidities such as high blood pressure especially in mid-life, hypercholesterolaemia, diabetes and obesity are major risk factors, as is stroke.

Recent studies have also suggested that a link exists between depression and dementia even though the exact cause is not yet known. Repeated head trauma may trigger processes in the brain that results in dementia pugilistica, a form of the condition usually found in individuals practicing sport where head injury is likely. Conversely, active engagement in mental, physical and social activities may act as protective factors and delay the onset of the most common forms of dementia. A healthy and balanced diet low in saturated fat reduces the likelihood of developing dementia as it reduces the risk of heart disease and stroke.

here are various types of dementia with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) accounting to approximately 70 per cent of all dementia cases. Other common forms of dementia include vascular dementia, Lewy-body dementia, frontotemporal dementia and dementia secondary to disease including other neurodegenerative conditions such as Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. It is not uncommon that various types of dementia coexist (mixed dementia), especially in the late stages of the condition. According to the World Health Organisation’s

Sourced from the national dementia strategy document Empowering Change: A National Strategy for Dementia in the Maltese Islands, 2015-2023, by Charles Scerri PhD. Dr Scerri is a graduate from the University of Dundee in Scotland and lectures neuropharmacology and dementia studies at the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Malta. He is the Chairperson of the Malta Dementia Society, Vice-Chairperson of Alzheimer Europe and National Focal Point on Dementia in Malta. For further reading the strategy document may be accessed from the Dementia section on activeaging.com.mt.

Photography this page Bruno Aguirre.

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t is estimated that in the Maltese Islands, 6,071 individuals had dementia in 2015, a figure equivalent to approximately 1.5 per cent of the general population. As the population ages, the number of individuals with dementia will increase significantly such that by the year 2030, it is projected that 9,883 individuals will be affected. It is well recognised that dementia presents a psychological and financial challenge both to those with the condition as well as their caregivers and family members.

A diagnosis of dementia has a significant social, psychological and financial impact on the individual. Disease progression varies between subjects and although a number of drugs are present that slow down the cognitive decline, no cure is currently available. With time, the affected individual gradually loses mental function and thus autonomous capacity, becoming more dependent on others for personal care. Professional advice should be sought at an early stage to help the individual with dementia in planning for future personal, financial and legal issues. Activities of daily living will become progressively impaired together with loss of communication skills, changes in mood and behaviour leading to increased agitation, confusion, anxiety and aggression. These disturbances in behaviour are the usual trigger for hospitalisation and need for admission in nursing care homes.

Most of the care for individuals with dementia occurs at home with relatives acting as the main caregivers. The major burden of support for individuals with dementia usually falls on one person (in most cases the spouse) who takes on the role of the main domestic caregiver and, as a result, often experiences considerable hardship in terms of the physical and emotional burden. Interestingly, gender-specific differences exist in the provision of dementia care with women mostly affected in terms of number of caregivers and level of caregiver stress. According to Alzheimer Europe (2006), almost half of the caregivers spend more than 10 hours per day caring for an individual with late stage dementia.

PHOTOGRAPH BY NICK KARVOUNIS

DEMENTIA Getting a better understanding of what it is and what can be done

What is dementia?

Dementia is an umbrella term that refers to a progressive decline in mental abilities.

A number of diseases lead to dementia with the most common being Alzheimer’s disease.

Approximately 1.5% of the Maltese population currently live with dementia.

What are the signs and symptoms?

• Loss of recent memory (asking questions repetitively) • Difficulty in concentrating • Finding it hard to carry out familiar tasks like shopping, housework or getting dressed • Struggling to find the right word and to follow a conversation • Confused about space and time • Misplacement of items • Poor judgement and difficulty in solving problems that interfere with your daily life • Becoming more withdrawn from society • Changes in mood (anxiety, depression) Dementia is not a natural part of ageing. If you suspect that you, or someone close to you, might have dementia it’s best to call the National Dementia Helpline on 1771 for further information.

Live the life you deserve

Caring for persons

with dementia

T: 2258 4200 | E: info@caremalta.com

www.caremalta.com

DEMENTIA The benefits of music and animal-assisted therapies

DEMENTIA While medical treatment for older persons living with Alzheimer’s in long-term care is absolutely necessary, keeping their interests alive goes a long way towards stimulating mental ability and triggering memory, says Robert Grech from CareMalta’s senior management team. Photograph CareMalta.

Music is around us from the cradle to the grave. Music appreciation and interest have a special effect on our cognitive behaviour, whether calming or stimulating, throughout our life.

This will continue in the eventuality of us acquiring Alzheimer’s or any other form of dementia.

Animal-assisted activities (AAA) are also part and parcel of daily residential life across all CareMalta elderly homes and work wonders with older persons’ well-being.

A study conducted in 2019 on ‘The effects of animal-assisted activity on the behaviour of older persons living with dementia within a Maltese longterm care (LTC) facility’ revealed an overall decrease in frequency and sometimes cessation in negative behaviours of the older person participants. There was also an improvement in social interaction and communication.

Carried out by former care administrator Thea Debono as part of her master's degree, the aim of the Specific music therapy features regularly on CareMalta’s weekly activities programme study, authored together with Dr Maria Aurora Fenech from the here may come a time when the person living Department of Gerontology and Dementia Studies at the University with Alzheimer’s will need more care than of Malta, was to investigate the effects of AAA on the behaviours of anyone at home can offer. CareMalta provides older persons living with dementia within a Maltese LTC facility. quality services in nursing and residential care for Being the first of its nature within the local context, a qualitative older persons, as well as specialised dementia care, prospective approach was used. Following a pilot study on two across the nine elderly homes it operates. However, it other residents, a series of 12 AAA sessions were administered by also strongly believes that participation in daily the young researcher with the help of a six-year-old white mixed residential life through various social activities for its residents breed chihuahua female dog. The results support the fact that AAA should form an integral part of the care process. improves behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia in There is accumulating evidence which shows that persons with older persons living with the condition in a LTC facility and that Alzheimer’s enjoy music. Their ability to positively respond to these activities work best if tailored to the needs and characteristics music is also noticeable in the late and severe stages of of the individual patient. dementia. Music activities can help improve behaviour, Alzheimer’s will be our next big challenge. As numbers are on the especially agitation, mood and cognition. Music has a distinct increase, unfortunately, neuroscience has not yet come up with ability to elicit emotions and memories. This will provide an evidence-based results on how exactly the cerebral changes affect important link to the person’s past and close the gap between behaviour and memory. This is impeding scientists to develop an the caregiver and the person suffering from Alzheimer’s through effective pharmacological treatment to slow down or stop the a non-verbal communication channel. A calm person will progression of the disease. As time passes, there will be a bigger cooperate more with their caregiver, and benefit from the care demand for dementia-related services, with the burden on family being provided. members and informal caregivers eventually taking its toll.

The good thing about music is that it is easily and widely The best possible approach is to improve the lives of people with accessible. The different genres, from jazz to classical and dementia through activities and involvement, keeping their interests mellow, can serve as a background to any activity being alive while also keeping them safe. organised. Specific music therapy features regularly on our weekly activities programme. Singing sessions, reminiscing CareMalta operates Casa Arkati, Casa San Paolo, Villa Messina, through music therapy, or even a special guest playing a specific Roseville and Casa Marija, as well as Zammit Clapp, Żejtun and musical instrument, are all examples of such activities.

Bormla Homes under the public private partnership scheme, and the Technology has also helped a great deal in combining music and services at Mellieħa Home. For more information, call 2258 4200, activities, hence setting the right environment. visit www.caremalta.com or e-mail info@caremalta.com.

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MENTAL HEALTH & FITNESS especially given the Western distinction between “mind” and “body” that implies mental and physical health can be separated.

In fact, increasingly robust evidence suggests that exercise is not only necessary for the maintenance of good mental health, but it can be used to treat even chronic mental illness. For example, it is now clear that exercise reduces the likelihood of depression and also maintains mental health as we age. On the treatment side, exercise appears to be as good as existing pharmacological interventions across a range of conditions, such as mild to moderate depression, dementia, and anxiety. There is also emerging clinical evidence that exercise has a positive relationship with the outcome of different mental diseases, such as depression, Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease, improving not only patients’ quality of life but the disease itself.

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epression. In 2020, major depressive disorder (MDD) will be second only to coronary heart disease as a cause of illness burden worldwide. Because no single treatment is

SELF AND WELLBEING

subjected to either pharmacological, supervised exercise, or home exercise. The patients in the exercise groups achieved between 40-45% remission, comparable to the outcome of the patients that received antidepressive medication.

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lzheimer’s disease. Exercise is seen as one of the most important lifestyle changes associated with the prevention of Alzheimer’s disease. Several studies have reported the relationship between physical activity and reduced incidence of dementia or cognitive deterioration. An analysis conducted in 2007 of 10 studies investigating the effects of exercise intervention treatments for subjects with dementia suggested positive effects of this non-pharmacological approach, including improved psychosocial function, physical health and function, and reduced caregiver distress.

In another study, Teri and colleagues observed that daily 30 minutes of physical training (aerobic, flexibility and strength) improved the scores for physical role functioning and reduced the number of hospitalizations in patients. It also decreased depressive symptoms and improved quality of life. Rolland and colleagues demonstrated that patients undergoing a year of exercise intervention showed significantly improved quality of life, as compared to the sedentary group.

THE IMPACT OF EXERCISE P ON MENTAL HEALTH We are all aware that regular exercise produces numerous benefits for physical health and wellbeing, such as reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes. However, the positive effects of exercise on mental health are less known writes Richard Geres, Fitness Consultant & Registered Nutritionist.

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ost of us find that a sunny walk or workout in the gym improves our mood in the short term.

Exercise is well known to stimulate the body to produce endorphins and enkephalins, the body’s natural feel-good hormones which can make problems seem more manageable. The simple act of focusing on exercise can give us a break from current concerns and bad moods.

Further, depending on the activity, people may benefit from calming exercises, be energized, and get outside or interact with others, all of which are known to improve mood and general health.

However, the idea that physical exercise might have a direct, therapeutic effect on mental health is less immediately obvious -

effective for everyone, there has been great interest in the development and evaluation of alternative therapies for MDD. Physical exercise is one such therapy that has received considerable attention. Some studies have shown an inverse relationship between aerobic exercise and strength training and depression in elderly people. The efficacy of the exercise treatment is influenced by the intensity of the exercise and by the evaluation process used.

For example, aerobic exercise at an intensity consistent with public health recommendations (for example, brisk walking) can be regarded as an effective treatment of mild and moderate depression. In a study by Blumenthal and colleagues in 2007, patients diagnosed with major depression were

arkinson’s disease. In Parkinson’s disease, motor alterations occur that are expressed as tremors, rigidity as well as posture and balance changes. This can lead to an increased prevalence of falls and fatigue experienced by the patients. Exercise might help by protecting against the disease as well as a supplementary treatment. Population studies have suggested that exercise may be related to a reduced risk of developing Parkinson’s disease.

Clinical studies have investigated the effectiveness of exercise, and have shown positive effects on motor performance, gait, and activities of daily living. A study by Thacker and colleagues suggests that the intensity of exercise might influence the neuroprotective effect. Higher intensities of exercise would increase the protective factor, compared to lower intensities. Strength and balance training have been shown to improve functional capabilities which might positively influence their independence and quality of life. Therefore, strength training should be considered an important treatment component for patients with Parkinson’s disease.

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ow much exercise? Psychiatrist Madhukar Trivedi has shown that three or more sessions per week of aerobic exercise or resistance training, for 45 to 60 minutes per session can help treat even chronic depression. Effects tend to be noticed after about four weeks (which incidentally is how long neurogenesis takes), and training should be continued for 10-12 weeks for the greatest anti-depressant effect.

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PORCELAIN

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PORCELAIN

WHITE GOLD

THE EUROPEAN OBSESSION WITH PORCELAIN or THE INTERWOVEN STORY OF MARCO POLO, A SHOPAHOLIC KING, AND A DODGY ALCHEMIST There is a reason why porcelain used to be called the “white gold". Chinese potters first started using kaolin, porcelain’s essential ingredient, centuries ago during the Shang Dynasty (16001046 BC), and by the end of the Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD) they had perfected the technique and recipe, as porcelain became whiter and whiter. Its manufacture remained a guarded secret and monopoly of the Chinese emperor for a centuries, and Chinese porcelain imported to Europe was held in high esteem until manufacturing secrets were finally discovered throughout Europe.

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alued for its durability, delicacy and exotic origin, porcelain was truly white gold. In the fourteenth century, returning from his travels to China with a haul of silks, perfumes and spices, Marco Polo returned with a small graygreen jar. He called it porcellana - the Italian nickname for the cowry shell, the shape of which resembles the bellies of little pigs called porcellini. It was only many years later, after the sixteenth century, that a robust market of export porcelain exclusively made in China

for Europe began, when the Dutch and Portuguese established their bustling trade with the Far East.

Indeed at the time the craze for Chinese export porcelain reached epic proportions with over 70 million pieces entering Europe in the 17th and 18th centuries for customers desperate for more.

Meanwhile Europeans where at a loss on how to make porcelain at home and countless futile experiments were made, including mixing crushed eggshells and seashells. And then in the very beginning of the 1700s there was a spark and a breakthrough involving a shopaholic king and a dodgy alchemist.

This is really the stuff of fairy tales.

Below: After the forming of ceramic wares, the glazing comes. Although, high-fired porcelain wares don’t need glazing to be impermeable to liquids; the process is used for decorative purposes.

Besides other types of g laze, an iron-containing glaze is used. After glazing porcelain ware is decorated using cobalt, copper, and colored enamels.

(Image courtesy of Herend.)

The German Johann Friedrich Böttger is often credited as the creator of European porcelain. In his career Böttger claimed that he was an alchemist and knew how to turn lead into gold.

Augustus kept Böttger under lock and key, and was eventually coaxed into working on the porcelain project under the direction of Ehrenfried Walther von Tschirnhaus, a mathematician, physicist, physician, and philosopher. "The two worked together for a good five years, using two decades of Tschirnhaus’s own research. There is a hurried sense of discovery in Böttger’s existing notebook, as he records the ratios of white clay and alabaster. But just as the duo produced their first solid porcelain" Tschinhaus dies, writes Thessaly La Force for the New Yorker article 'The European Obsession with Porcelain'. According to La Force, Böttger kept experimenting and refined the formula to the extent that porcelain could be manufactured. La Force continues to write: "Augustus was a self-confessed shopaholic who had what he called die Porzellankrankheit, or “porcelain sickness”.... one can never get enough of the things one wishes to have more and more.”

In 1733, Augustus died at the honorable age of sixty-two, his kingdom a financial ruin, with nine children from six different women, and a collection of thirty-five thousand seven hundred and ninety-eight pieces of porcelain." Left: Augustus the Strong, Elector of Saxony and King of Poland, oil on canvas, Nicolas de Largillière.

Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. Image source Wikipedia.

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PORCELAIN

In the fourteenth century when Marco Polo returned from his travels to China with a bounty of silks, perfumes and spices, he also returned with a small gray-green jar, and the seed for the European obsession with porcelain was planted. It was only many years later, after the sixteenth century, that a robust market of export porcelain exclusively made in China for Europe began. Above: Entrance to the Grand Canal near the Punta della Dogana and Santa Maria della Salute, Canaletto (workshop of), oil on canvas, 61x79.5cm.

Rijksmuseum Amsterdam.

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A

ugustus II the Strong was born in Dresden in 1670, the younger son of the Elector Johann Georg III. Being the second son he had no hopes of inheriting the electorate, and his older brother, Johann Georg IV assumed the post after the death of their father in 1691. By a twist of fate, Elector Johann Georg IV contracted smallpox from his mistress in Venice during the carnival season and died with died without legitimate issue, leaving Augustus to become Elector of Saxony - Friedrich Augustus I. In a further stream of good fortune, following the death of the Polish King, Augustus won election as King of the Polish– Lithuanian Commonwealth in 1697.

Augustus’ great physical strength earned him the nickname “the Strong”. He liked to show that he lived up to his name by breaking horseshoes with his bare hands.

He is also notable for fathering a very large number of children (nine children from six different women).

Augustus is perhaps best remembered as a patron of the arts and architecture. He had beautiful palaces built in Dresden and introduced the first public museums, such as the Green Vault in 1723, and started a systematic collection of paintings that are now on display in the Old Masters Gallery.

In 1701 Augustus rescued the alchemist Johann Friedrich Böttger, who had fled from the court of the King of Prussia who had expected him to produce gold.

In doing so Augustus would successfully sponsor the efforts to discover the secret of manufacturing porcelain.

Augustus imprisoned Böttger and attempted to force him to reveal the secret of manufacturing gold, and Böttger’s transition from alchemist to potter was made in an

attempt to avoid these impossible demands. Being an alchemist by profession rather than a potter, gave Böttger an advantage and he soon realised that the current approaches of the day, which involved mixing fine white substances like crushed eggshells into clay, would not work. His approach was to bake clay at higher temperatures than had ever before been attained in Europe, an approach that yielded the breakthrough that had eluded European potters for years, and so the manufacture of fine porcelain in Europe began. Initially a prized and guarded secret, industrial spies and defecting workmen soon spread the knowledge of production throughout Europe.

Porcelain has 3 main ingredients, kaolin, quartz, and feldspar. Kaolin is the most important material of the three, even though it accounts for only a small proportion. Other materials like alabaster, ball clay, bone ash, glass, steatite, and petuntse can be also added to the mixture. Clays used for porcelain wet very quickly and are of lower plasticity than other pottery clays. The clays’ water content can produce large changes in how easy they are to work with, thus range of water content is very narrow and carefully controlled.

After the forming of ceramic wares, the glazing comes.

Although, high-fired porcelain wares don’t need glazing to be impermeable to liquids; the process is used for decorative purposes. Besides other types of glaze, an ironcontaining glaze is used. After glazing porcelain ware is decorated using cobalt, copper, and colored enamels.

Ceramic wares are then heated in a kiln to make their bodies become non-porous. Porcelains can be once or twice-fired: in the first case, they are fired at 1000 degrees Celsius first and 1300 degrees for the second time.

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COFFEE TABLE

Above: Bright yellow walls reflect back the Provencale sun in this cheerful bedroom where a quilt in the traditional red and yellow covers the bed.

Photograph Simon Upton/TIA Digital Ltd. Right: In the bedroom of a house designed by Richard Rogers a double bed with an integral headboard in bright yellow lacquer creates a cheerful focal point to the space. Photograph Eric Morin/TIA Digital Ltd.

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COFFEE TABLE

BEDTIME Inspirational Beds, Bedrooms & Boudoirs Get inspired by hundreds of the most stylish, iconic, and simply fabulous beds and bedrooms ever designed. "We often get our best ideas in bed; are at our most vulnerable, and most secure; or choose to hide from the world", writes Celia Forner, a former Ford supermodel of the year in the introduction to her new book. "This book is about extraordinary beds... it entices the reader into beautiful beds throughout history and across style genres". Photography courtesy of Vendome Press.

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COFFEE TABLE

Top: A guest bedroom is dressed in Indian cashmere, and the headboard is upholstered with an antique carpet; the light fixture and hanging lamp are Egyptian, the chair is Syrian, and a carpet serves as a pelmet above the door. Photograph Simon Upton/TIA Digital Ltd. Top far right: A wrought-iron four-poster bed occupies a roof terrace which has been decked out with local rugs. Photograph Michel Arnaud/TIA Digital Ltd. Above left: The bedroom of a boutique style luxurious wooden treehouse, made entirely of wood and grass. The interior has a rustic feel, with the talents of regional artists adding many of the finishing touches, for example a Swahili canoe forms the base of the bed in Boat Room and the graphic tribal batik is from Ivory Coast. Antique kilims are laid on the floor. Photograph Andrew Twort/TIA Digital Ltd. Above right: A chinoiserie bedroom with hand-painted Chinese wallpaper. Photograph James Fennell/TIA Digital Ltd. Far right: Architect Marco Bezzoli designed this master bedroom, seen from across the outdoor pool, against Cape Town’s spectacular Table Mountain. Huge sliding doors that disappear into the wall either side when open mean it‘s also possible to jump straight into the pool from the bedroom itself. Photograph Mark Williams/TIA Digital Ltd. 32

COFFEE TABLE

n our bedrooms, we take leave of our daily woes. Far from the bustle of the kitchen, the sociability of the living room or the indulgence of the dining room, this part of the home is reserved for intimacy, romance, and dreaming.

Bedtime: Inspirational Beds, Bedrooms and Boudoirs is an inspiring, visual journey into the sleepiest, yet most salacious, room of the house.

Celia Forner whisks you through the bedrooms of queens and emperors, designers and decorators, today’s most exclusive hotels, and even the most evocative fictional boudoirs from stage and screen.

Taking us from Marie Antoinette to the Maharaja of Indore; from Sofia Loren and Peggy Guggenheim to Rudolph Nureyev; from Gone with the Wind to 2001: A Space Odyssey, Bedtime is a must have for anyone who dreams of sleeping like a king or queen.

Designers and clients alike will find fresh inspiration in this king-size source book, which shows astonishing breadth of vision in collating more beds and bedrooms than one could possibly dream of, and is an invaluable addition to any design collection.

ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTORS. Celia Forner, former Ford’s Supermodel of the Year, is an art collector, jewelry designer, curator of the Portable Art exhibition at Hauser & Wirth, and CEO of ALLEVEN, a luxury beauty brand. Married with two children, she divides her time between London, New York, and Mallorca—much of it in bed.

Gianluca Longo is Contributing European Editor for W magazine, a British Vogue Contributing Editor and Cabana’s Style Editor at Large.

Bedtime: Inspirational Beds, Bedrooms and Boudoirs,

by Celia Forner, foreword by Gianluca Longo. Published

by Vendome Press. Hardcover with jacket, 288 pages, 330 colour, B&W illustrations, 25.4 x 30.5 cm, GBP £50.

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ARCHITECTURE

Above: Architects Paula Agius Vadala (right) and Katja Abela established their studio, Atelier Maison, in 2014.

Photograph Alexandra Pace.

Spiritual Builds

Local architecture and interior design studio, Atelier Maison, headed by architects Paula Agius-Vadala’ and Katja Abela, has been longlisted for the International Dezeen Awards 2020 Emerging Interior Design Studio of the year. Atelier Maison applied for the competition with two of their latest completed projects, both of which happen to be of a spiritual nature – The Sacred Auditorium and The Student’s Chapel. Although both projects differ in scale, the spaces created are both aesthetically beautiful and highly functional. Photography for The Sacred Auditorium Alexandra Pace, photography for The Student’s Chapel Marilyn Camenzuli.

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Left: Seating was a dominant feature in the design for the Sacred Auditorium. White Light Pictures Ltd supplied the contemporary Lola Seat made by global leaders in the manufacture of seats Euro Seating of Spain. Lola‘s sleek perimeter frame is made from beech compressed wood. The architects visited the factory to see for themselves the pure craftsmanship in the manufacture of this seat and to ascertain the high standards of this project, following the entire manufacturing and production process which takes place in Ezcaray (La Rioja), Spain, starting from the raw material itself. Euro Seating has four centres in which all its seats are manufactured. The architects made a detailed tour of the facilities; from the wood technological centre, where Euro Seating has the capacity to make personalized seats offering custom solutions with all the necessary requirements, to the plastic injection centre where the company has 100 injection moulds to develop every type of project, from the beginning to the very end. The architects verified how the Lola seat was created, identifying customer needs, an exclusive design for an exclusive project. Photograph Alexandra Pace.

ARCHITECTURE

The natural grain of the travertine stone, supplied by Halmann Vella, adds visual interest at close quarters. Lighting was introduced only when and where necessary. In some cases it was concealed within the interior architecture. Photograph Alexandra Pace. Below: When designing the interior for the Sacred Auditorium, the composition and balance of all the elements in the space had to work together to create one holistic experience, providing a sense of belonging. Photograph Alexandra Pace.

T

he Sacred Auditorium was the result of a 5-year long renovation and refit of the auditorium at the headquarters of the M.U.S.E.U.M. society.

The concept was simple: to create a beautiful place where you feel like you belong, and to create a timeless interior to be enjoyed by generations to come. The aim was to make the auditorium appear as though it was carved out of stone, thus making visitors feel grounded and almost embraced within honey-coloured travertine.

When designing the interior for the Sacred Auditorium, the composition and balance of all the elements making up the space had to work together to create one holistic experience, providing a sense of belonging.

With the help of natural materials, architectural interventions, and some imagination (and determination), the auditorium transformed into a tranquil and contemporary space.

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ARCHITECTURE

Right: The upper tier cradles the Sacred Auditorium at the Society of Christian Doctrine. White Light Pictures Ltd supplied the carpeting for the upper-tier and the digital laser projection equipment.

Photograph Alexandra Pace.

Below: With the help of natural materials the Sacred Auditorium transformed into a tranquil and contemporary space. The aim was to make the auditorium appear as though it was carved out of stone, thus making visitors feel grounded and almost embraced within honey-coloured travertine, supplied by Halmann Vella.

Photograph Alexandra Pace.

Above: The ceiling was one of the most challenging and important elements of the entire Sacred Auditorium project. With a strong presence within the space, it had to be both functional and beautiful. Dramatic lighting supplied by Light Design Solutions.

Photograph Alexandra Pace.

T

he space that is coined The Student’s Chapel at St Dorothy’s in Zebbug was originally a very standard room, made up of four walls and 2 large windows. The interior architecture of the space was redefined by introducing a number of layered planes. Each layer appearing to be isolated, and geometric shapes – like arches and squares – appear cut out from these planes, while giving the illusion of depth. Atelier Maison made use of the play of geometric shapes - pastel shades of lavender and vanilla, and 3dimensional planes come together to create a beautiful space where prayer and reflection can take place.

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ARCHITECTURE

N

ow the firm has been longlisted for the International Dezeen Awards 2020 Emerging Interior Design Studio of the year after applying for the competition with these two projects. Earlier this year, Atelier Maison won the Emerging Architect Award at the Malta Architecture and Spatial Planning Awards 2019. Established in 2014, by architects Paula Agius-Vadala’ and Katja Abela, the practice is focused on innovative ideas in the form of custom design and attention to detail, whilst looking at architecture holistically.

This is translated through the balance of form and volumes, timeless materials, colour, and geometry, which all unite as part of a new contemporary architecture. For Atelier Maison new contemporary architecture should be an architecture of hope - one which is responsibly designed, and one which gives a worthy past to future generations.

Dezeen is the world’s most popular and influential architecture and design website and Dezeen Awards are a benchmark for international design excellence and the ultimate accolade for architects and designers everywhere. The Dezeen Awards is now in its third year, and it identifies the world’s best architecture, interiors, and design, as well as the studios and the individual architect and designers producing the most outstanding work.

“We are so honoured to be even considered for the emerging interior design studio, as these awards recognise talent from all around the world,” says Paula. Katja adds that “it really shows that Maltese architects and designers can compete on an international level.”

Top left: An architecture of hope in the Student’s Chapel at St. Dorothy’s in Zebbug. Carpeting was supplied, laid, and finished by White Light Pictures Ltd. Photograph Marilyn Camenzuli. Above: Light and shadow at play in the Chapel. Photograph Marilyn Camenzuli. Left: In The Student’s Chapel, the team at Atelier Maison made use of the play of geometric shapes – pastel shades of lavender and vanilla, and 3-dimensional planes come together to create a beautiful space where prayer and reflection can take place. For the light fittings, LEDS C4 Architectural Lighting, supplied by Elektra, was chosen – various LED options and variety of different frames and accessories allowed for a 100% custom downlight.

Photograph Marilyn Camenzuli.

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DIGITAL ECONOMY DESPITE THE PANDEMIC, THE DIGITAL INNOVATION SECTOR CONTINUED TO FLOURISH

DIGITAL SUCCESSES

2020 has been a year that no one was expecting it to be. Since social distancing has become the order of the day to decrease the spreading of COVID-19, the pandemic has altered all plans for this year. As the interaction between people is one of the most valuable assets that humanity has in terms of communications, due to restrictive measures, this was shifted even further to making use of digital tools. Such technology was already being used on a widescale, and the pandemic gave it a huge boost. Meetings between work colleagues were held through video conferences rather than in meeting rooms, students were taught through online sessions rather than in physical classrooms, while services had to shift to online means and to strengthen their presence in order to cope with the negative repercussions that COVID-19 brought with it, writes Parliamentary Secretary for Financial Services and Digital Economy, Clayton Bartolo.

T

he necessity of innovation in such difficult times was the idea behind the Malta Digital Innovation Authority (MDIA)’s Award for Innovative Technologies in response to COVID-19, an initiative which was drafted between the Authority and the Parliamentary Secretariat for Financial Services and Digital Economy. It was launched to encourage the fast deployment of innovative technology to address the current societal challenge, and can also be used in similar future scenarios.

The award was open to any form, including mobile apps, devices, websites, educational or monitoring tools and ways of easing social distance. A total of 23 applications were submitted, and these were evaluated according to four criteria: impact of technology, success of technology outreach, sustainability, and quality of innovation.

The first prize winner was the Department of Electronic Systems Engineering at the University of Malta, which designed and built prototype equipment that uses short wavelength Ultraviolet Germicidal Irradiation

2020 did not hinder the works that were being carried out at the Authority’s new premises in Mriehel.

Despite the impacts that the pandemic brought with it, including the temporary closures of certain suppliers’ factories, as well as the airport and the ports, most of the timelines were respected.

and the concomitant generation of Ozone gas, to substantially reduce the viral bio-burden of up to 9 disposable face respirators concurrently in a few minutes.

The second prize was awarded to Invent3D Ltd, which came up with the innovative idea of 3D Printing and urgent manufacturing of PAPR respirator adapters, retrofitting unusable PAPR systems with modern filtration systems while simultaneously improving airflow.

Furthermore, ear savers were developed to relieve the ears of surgical mask wearers as well as the development of hand sanitizer holders to stop the thefts occurring in hospital.

2020 did not hinder the works that were being carried out at the Authority’s new premises in Mriehel. Despite the impacts that the pandemic brought with it, including the temporary closures of certain suppliers’

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factories, as well as the airport and the ports, most of the timelines were respected.

The new state-of-the-art offices were inaugurated in July, spread across two levels, and are finished to the highest levels and standards. It was fitting and timely for MDIA to relocate its operations to a building that sufficiently caters for its roles and responsibilities. During the official ceremony, MDIA’s CEO Stephen McCarthy described the new premises as a must to accomplish the Authority’s vision and welcome a new era.

MDIA’s Chairman Joshua Ellul spoke about the technology assurance framework which the Authority developed, which vetted, scrutinised and approved Systems Auditors, who are expected to uphold the same levels of standards and assurances in the innovative technology arrangements that they will be auditing. Minister Edward Scicluna remarked that there needs to be a common and coordinated front so that the digital technology is promoted in a holistic way. In this regard I believe that the MDIA is a crucial entity to keep the digital economy sector moving forward.

Another initiative launched this year between the Parliamentary Secretariat for Financial Services and Digital Economy and the MDIA, together with the University of Malta, was a €100,000 scholarship fund for studies and research in Artificial Intelligence. This marked another dimension of the Government’s commitment to strengthen Malta’s resources in the digital space. The scholarship forms part of Malta’s Artificial Intelligence Strategy which was launched last October, in which education was given its due importance since this aspect is not only important for the individual, but also for the country. Having students following courses at Master’s and PhD levels will help in having a more skilled human capital, which will ultimately lead to a better adaption of such technology in our society. The scholarship is not aimed strictly to ICT students, but also to students that can incorporate Artificial Intelligence in their studies.

ECONOMY

CONSTRUCTION AND PROPERTY

BOOSTING ECONOMICS

Economies around the globe were severely affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. Our country was not spared and this took its toll on our economy too. Certain sectors of our economy had to experience an almost total lockdown for a number of weeks. As a government, our top priority was to have a health system prepared for any eventuality, and to assist economically and fiscally those sectors which were directly impacted by the pandemic. Numerous schemes were rolled out to help businesses and their employees during these difficult times writes Chris Agius, Malta's Parliamentary Secretary for Lands and Construction.

D

uring the past 6 to 7 years our country has been experiencing economic growth of an annual 5% increase until we had to face Covid-19. But with all the measures taken, we succeeded to weather the storm in the best possible way. A report published by the International Monetary Fund said that Malta’s economy was expected to be the least affected by this pandemic throughout Europe. This year our economy was expected to shrink by 2.8% but would return to growth in 2021. So we will hopefully return to what has become a norm, yearly growth of our economy, new investments and new opportunities in the employment sector.

Over the past months we have been busy working with different stakeholders to improve and propose different laws and regulations for the sectors which fall under my responsibility. We have enacted a new law that regulates all those working in the real estate sector. The regulation of this sector had been discussed for a number of years and finally we have a law in place where all those acting as a real estate agent, property broker, or property consultant must have a license.

Buying a property is for the majority of buyers, the biggest investment

of their life. It is therefore crucial that those giving advice to those entering a transaction, the transaction of their life, are given the best professional service, and now all those working in this sector must follow a course which will then enable them to apply for a license to operate in the sector.

T

he construction industry and the property market are one of the main pillars which contributed to our economic growth during the past years. The demand for property has been on the increase year after year especially after the numerous schemes launched by the government. The most popular scheme was for those acquiring their first residence, the First Time buyer’s scheme. Those acquiring their first property intended for their sole ordinary residence, are eligible for the exemption from duty on the first €150,000 of the value of the property, which will translate in the saving of €5,250 upon signing of the contract. This year the exempt amount was increased by a further €25,000 to a maximum of €175,000. From the start of this scheme in 2014, more than 19,300 individuals benefitted translating into €60 million left in our families’ pockets.

During the slow down we experienced due the pandemic, besides the several schemes of assistance that we launched, we also assisted the property sector.

Property Transfer tax was reduced from 8% to 5% on the first €400,000 of the property value. Stamp duty was also reduced from 5% to 1.5% for the first €400,000 of the property value. The first-time buyer's scheme was also amended so that those who were deprived of the scheme because of having other minor property registered in their name, will now also be treated as first-time buyers and be able to benefit from the first-time buyer's scheme. These measures had an immediate effect. The months of June, July, and August 2020 surpassed promises of property sales done a year before with a record number of more than 4,000 promise of sales since the launch of these schemes translating into a value of €860 million.

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MEZZE

SHISH TAOUK These skewers will benefit from a few hours of marinating, up to overnight, allowing the flavours to permeate into the meat. The marinade is wonderfully versatile and will work on everything from chicken to pork or even lathered onto some cauliflower before roasting for vegetarian guests.

SERVES 2-3 3 boneless chicken thighs, cut into 2cm cubes 40g yoghurt 1 clove garlic extra virgin olive oil, salt and lemon juice to taste 8 skewers FOR THE SPICE MIX 1tsp smoked paprika 1tsp ground allspice 1/2tsp ground cinnamon 1/2tsp ground ginger 1/2tsp dried oregano 1. Grate garlic into yoghurt. Add juice of half lemon, a generous pinch of salt and spice mix. Stir to combine.

2. Add chicken to the marinade and marinate until ready to cook.

Chill at least 30 minutes or up to overnight in the fridge.

3. Thread chicken onto skewers (3-4 pieces per skewer).

4. Heat a sautĂŠ pan over medium high heat for 2-3 minutes. Add a generous amount of olive oil and allow to heat. Drain excess marinade from skewers and cook 2-3 minutes on each side until nicely browned and completely cooked through.

5. f they are well coloured but undercooked in the centre, place in an oven at 180C until cooked through.

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MEZZE

RELAXING MEZZE Mezze will always be one of my favourite styles of eating, the joy of eating lots of small servings of different items really appeals to my wanting to try everything I see on a menu, says Mediterranean Culinary Academy’s Stephen La Rosa. These dishes can be prepared and served together for a relaxing meal with friends, although each would make a welcome addition to your next potluck or barbecue. Photography by Stephen La Rosa.

BLISTERED CHERRY TOMATO TABBOULEH This can be made up to a day in advance and allowed to marinate overnight in the fridge. The flavours will be even more incredible the day after this has been made. Make sure to use the ripest tomatoes you can find as they will really bring a lot of flavour to the dish.

SERVES 2-3 30g bulgur wheat 30g Amaranth [gluten free option instead of bulgur] small bunch parsley, finely chopped 3 sprigs mint, finely chopped 1 spring onion, finely chopped 120g cherry tomatoes extra virgin olive oil, salt and lemon juice to taste.

1. Place bulgur wheat in a bowl. Add enough cold water to cover and soak for 30 minutes to hydrate. For a gluten free option, cook the Amaranth in a pot of boiling water for 20 minutes. Drain and use instead of bulgur.

2. Place cherry tomatoes in a frying pan over high heat with a small splash of olive oil and a generous pinch of salt.

Cook over high heat to char and blister

the tomatoes, shaking the pan occasionally, about 5-6 minutes.

3. Strain any excess liquid from bulgur.

Mix bulgur with spring onion. Massage onion into the grains.

4. Add parsley, mint, tomatoes and olive oil. Fold to combine.

5. Adjust the seasoning with salt and lemon juice, the acidic bite of lemon juice should be pronounced.

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MEZZE BABA GHANOUSH This dip that is easy to put together, especially in summer when we have access to such beautiful aubergines. Don’t be shy when you come to char the skins of the vegetable as the blacker and more charred they get, the more a smoke flavour permeates into the flesh, lending to the characteristic flavour of baba ghanoush.

SERVES 2-3 1 medium aubergine 1tbsp tahini 1-2 cloves garlic 2 sprigs mint, finely chopped, keep a small sprig for garnish 1tsp ground cumin lemon juice, salt and extra virgin olive oil to taste 1. Preheat oven overhead grill.

Prick the aubergines with a fork several times. Grill on a baking tray lined with foil. Rotate to make sure it is cooked on all

sides. Once the skin is charred and blackened and the flesh feels tender, remove and cut in half lengthways. Allow to cool.

2. Grate or finely mince garlic, combine with tahini and cumin.

3. When cool enough to handle, spoon out the flesh. If you prefer a thicker consistency, drain some excess liquid from the flesh in a strainer lined with muslin.

4. Mix the soft flesh with tahini, garlic and cumin. Season to taste with lemon juice, salt and drizzle in 2 tablespoons of olive oil.

5. Serve with a generous drizzle of olive oil and mint.

CHICKPEA FLATBREAD WITH ZA’ATAR This chickpea flatbread can be made on the stovetop or in the oven set to grill. If you are using the oven method make sure that your frying pan is heat resistant, preheat the oven to its maximum temperature and set it to overhead grill or broiler setting.

SERVES 2-3 125g chickpea flour 250ml water 1tbsp za’atar 1.5tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1.5tsp salt 1. Mix flour, salt, water and olive oil. Allow the mixture to sit for 30 minutes before cooking.

2. Combine in half za’atar to the batter.

3. Heat a frying pan over medium heat and add a tablespoon of olive oil. Add all the batter to the pan.

4. If you are using the oven, place the pan under the centre of the overhead grill and cook about 10 minutes. Since cooking

times may vary from oven to oven, after 5 minutes of cooking keep an eye on the flatbread until the surface is mildly coloured. Remove from the oven.

5. If preparing on stovetop, cook over medium heat until the base of the flatbread is set, about 3-4 minutes. Once set, flip with a spatula and continue to cook until golden brown and cooked through, about 3-4 minutes. If you have nice colour on the surfaces but the inside is undercooked, bake in an oven at 180C for 5 more minutes.

6. Remove from the pan, brush lightly with extra virgin olive oil and dust with remaining za’atar.

Serve sliced into triangles.

All recipes and photography taken by Stephen La Rosa (IG @stephen_la_rosa) for the Mediterranean Culinary Academy. If you are interested in more recipes like these or are interested in hands-on cooking classes visit www.mcamalta.com 44

MEZZE

ROZ BIL HALEEB The rice pudding can be made up to 2 days in advance and reheated to serve. If you leave the consistency a little bit looser than recommended you can also serve it cold, however, the temperature contrast between the warm rice and the cool peaches is quite lovely. Replace the almond milk with equal parts milk and cream for an even more decadent variation.

1. Combine milk, water, sugar, cinnamon and cardamom in a saucepan and bring up to a boil.

2. Add rice and bring back up to a boil. Reduce to simmer.

Cook for 15 minutes, stirring

occasionally. Do not leave the pot. Once half of the liquid has reduced, stir the pot constantly and bring up the temperature.

3. Cook until the rice is extremely soft and the liquid has thickened. Top up with

SERVES 2-3 100g Arborio rice 100g sugar 1 cinnamon stick 2 cardamom pods 25g pistachio, roughly chopped 500ml almond milk or your preferred alternative 500ml water 2 peaches, chilled and sliced more water if needed. The more the liquid reduces, the more the rice will scorch on the bottom of the pan so it is imperative to keep stirring. It should reach a loose, slightly runny consistency but you can

reduce the liquid to your liking.

4. Pour into serving bowls if ready to serve immediately.

Alternatively store and reheat (stovetop or microwave).

5. Serve topped with pistachios and peach slices.

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ART MUSEUMS REOPENED

GAUGUIN AND THE IMPRESSIONISTS

T

he Royal Academy in London is no exception. Gauguin and the Impressionists: Masterpieces from the Ordrupgaard Collection showcases 60 works drawn from one of the finest collections of Impressionist paintings in northern Europe, assembled in the first decades of the twentieth century by wealthy Danish couple Wilhelm and Henny Hansen.

Wilhelm Hansen was an insurance magnate who created a collection of French paintings between 1916 and the late 1920s. The First World War, during which Denmark remained neutral, gave Hansen the opportunity to buy important works from the most prestigious Parisian galleries. “That people fall in love with paintings is no exaggeration”, writes Laura Cumming, in her article Gauguin and the Impressionists review – a dream collection for The Guardian, about the Manet still life, Basket of Pears, included in this show. She continues, “the man who loved this painting was its owner, Danish collector Wilhelm Hansen, who used to show it to his dinner guests “as an extra dessert after the ice cream”.”

Gauguin and the Impressionists: Masterpieces from the Ordrupgaard Collection is at the Royal Academy of Arts, London, until 18 October.

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Museums around the world have reopened with a bang, many with exhibitions that had been postponed due to Covid restrictions earlier this year. Ironically there are now more fabulous exhibitions running simultaneously than ever before, many of which can also be enjoyed online.

Photography courtesy of The Royal Academy.

Left: Paul Gauguin, Portrait of a Young Girl, Vaïte (Jeanne) Goupil, 1896. Oil on canvas, 75 x 65 cm © Ordrupgaard, Copenhagen.

Photo: Anders Sune Berg. Below: Édouard Manet, Basket of Pears, 1882. Oil on canvas, 35 x 41 cm © Ordrupgaard, Copenhagen.

Photo: Anders Sune Berg.

Exhibition organised by Ordrupgaard, Copenhagen and the Royal Academy of Arts.

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