FIRST April 2023

ISSUE 341 APRIL 2023

A CAPSULE OF THE WORLD

SPRING AFFAIR

“The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.” Marcel

Proust

SPRING AFFAIR

“Our memory is like a shop in the window of which is exposed now one, now another photograph of the same person. And as a rule the most recent exhibit remains for some time the only one to be seen.”

“Even though our lives wander, our memories remain in one place.”

“The places we have known do not belong solely to the world of space in which we situate them for our greater convenience. They were only a thin slice among contiguous impressions which formed our life at that time; the memory of a certain image is but regret for a certain moment; and houses, roads, avenues are as fleeting, alas, as the years.”

“We exist only by virtue of what we possess, we possess only what is really present to us, and many of our memories, our moods, our ideas sail away on a voyage of their own until they are lost to sight! Then we can no longer take them into account in the total which is our personality. But they know of secret paths by which to return to us.”

“The bonds between ourselves and another person exists only in our minds. Memory as it grows fainter loosens them, and notwithstanding the illusion by which we want to be duped and which, out of love, friendship, politeness, deference, duty, we dupe other people, we exist alone. Man is the creature who cannot escape from himself, who knows other people only in himself, and when he asserts the contrary, he is lying.”

“Remembrance of things past is not necessarily the remembrance of things as they were.” Marcel Proust

Marcel Proust

EXCLUSIVE SERIES: THIS IS

chapter in this issue

WINE. Super Tuscans. Kings of the Hill. Bolgheri contains some of the most prized vineyards in the whole of Tuscany. Photography Marco Giuseppe Timelli.

LA DOLCE VITA. Slow Travel. Cruising in France through Champagne, Burgundy and Provence. Top deck on the Coquelicot –A Belmond Boat, Champagne. Photograph © Belmond

An Easy, Pleasant Way to Entertain. Let’s do Brunch.

ĠEMMA –Pensions and Retirement. Why Compound Interest

ACTIVE AGEING

Refurbishment of Dar Il-Mistrieħ, Floriana.

CareMalta –Aging in a Better Environment.

WORLD EARTH DAY Sustainable Spaces –Urban Greening. Malta International Airport’s Journey to Net Zero.

Citadel Insurance –Promoting Sustainability at Every Turn. Financial Incentives –Cleaner, Greener, Sustainable Transport

Saint Francis of Assisi at the National Gallery London.

INTERIORS. The Kaleidoscopic World of Luke Edward Hall. Photography Billal Taright, courtesy Vendome Press.

KING CHARLES III. Countdown to Coronation. Portrait of HRH Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, Buckingham Palace, 1972. Photography Allan Warren

AUCTION Chagall et la Musique. Marc CHAGALL, L'Ange devant l'Opéra –1981 © Christie’s Images Limited 2023.

Slow Travel Reimagined

TOP-DECK LIFESTYLE, BESPOKE ITINERARIES AND AN EXCLUSIVE PARTNERSHIP WITH THE WORLD’S OLDEST CHAMPAGNE HOUSE, MAISON RUINART, TAKE TRAVELLERS DEEPER INTO THE EFFERVESCENCE OF CHAMPAGNE

Belmond has been a pioneer of luxury travel for over 45 years with a portfolio of one-of-a-kind experiences in some of the world’s most inspiring destinations. Since the acquisition of Venice's iconic Hotel Cipriani in in 1976, Belmond has continued to perpetuate the legendary art of travel. This spring Belmond is launching a new luxury barge, part of its unmatched French collection: Coquelicot, A Belmond Boat, Champagne. From May, Coquelicot will take guests on a cinematic and highly personalised journey of Champagne, as the boat glides along the region’s canals from Épernay to Sillery, unveiling exquisite views from a unique vantage point. Photography courtesy Belmond.

This page: The lounge’s sensational skylight is a celebration of Champagne’s water mapping legacy. The barge’s interiors and exteriors capture the essence of Champagne, with nods to the region’s hues and character.

“A river seems a magic thing. A magic, moving, living part of the very earth itself.” Laura Gilpin

This page: Featuring three glamorous cabins with ensuite facilities and an indoor salon with an exceptional champagne bar, Coquelicot sets a new standard of sophistication for slow-paced sailing in France.

COQUELICOT. THE FRENCH WORD FOR “RED POPPY”

Designed by successful French duo, Monaco based Humbert & Poyet, to complement the ever-changing views and create an intimate sanctuary on the water, Coquelicot boasts an impressive outdoor deck, three double cabins with marble ensuite bathrooms, and an indoor lounge for dining and recharging. The boat’s Art Nouveau interior design inspiration captures the essence of Champagne, with nods to the region’s hues and character. Local fabrics in earthy tones and raw materials reflect Champagne’s agricultural heritage, while fluted walls, decadent interiors and pieces of art pay homage to the land’s glorious present. Coquelicot’s namesake, the red poppy, can be found in subtle references such as the hand-cut red marble side tables and the tone-on-tone hand-painted petals that line the hallway, while the lounge’s sensational skylight is a celebration of Champagne’s water mapping legacy.

The vessel’s top deck is the jewel in the crown: two seating lounges, an open kitchen and a shaded dining area offer a choice of spaces to unwind and laze around while meandering the calm waterways, framed by potted herbs and wildflowers that root the space in the locality.

As part of the collaboration between Belmond and Maison Ruinart, Coquelicot’s guests can enjoy unrivalled access to Taissy vineyard, referenced as early as 1733 in the Maison’s archives, while enjoying a technical tasting of iconic Maison Ruinart cuvées. Back on board Coquelicot Maison Ruinart’s Chef, Valérie Radou, and Coquelicot’s Head Chef will work hand in hand to prepare an exceptional five-course lunch on the boat’s cinematic top deck. A true lesson in French art de vivre, this dining experience includes five seasonal dishes inspired by regional cuisine and paired with prestigious cuvées such as Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs and Dom Ruinart Rosé.

Framed by the idyllic landscape and in the comfort and privacy of their own luxury boat, guests will delve deep into the world of Maison Ruinart, as their ambassador reveals the story, characteristics and technical aspects of each bottle.

Above and below: Coquelicot's extensive outdoor deck for relaxing pursuits, sensational dining and sparkling conversations. Antique lighting and iconic furnishings create a space of enduring style, while potted herbs, wildflowers and other useful blooms hem the fringes, rooting the space in the locality.

Guests of Coquelicot can craft their own itinerary by selecting unique activities –whether it’s an art-focused tour of Champagne, a historic voyage through the mighty castles, an active adventure on two wheels or a series of epicurean visits to Europe’s most celebrated and most secret wine producers, guests will have the liberty to design their own journey and marvel at the region’s treasures at their own pace. Bon-vivants are invited to embrace the conviviality which permeates the locale, and alternate an al fresco soirée on the top deck with an off board Michelinstarred restaurant experience or a less inhibited dinner in one of the quaint villages scattered across the region.

Top and Left: Roomy, indulgent cabins epitomise French style, creating a graceful sanctuary on the water. Local fabrics in earthy tones and raw materials reflect Champagne’s agricultural heritage.

Days of discoveries are followed by memorable nights aboard the new barge. After a refreshing aperitivo by the boat’s Champagne bar – stocked with a curated selection of the guests’ preferred labels –the private Chef will serve a menu of sophisticated dishes, prepared using the finest seasonal ingredients from trusted local suppliers.

When sleep beckons and nighttime slows down return to the intimate sanctuary of your bedroom, where the motion of the boat rocks you to sleep as it makes its way under the stars along the canals to the village of Sillery.

Coquelicot, A Belmond Boat, Champagne is part of Les Bateaux Belmond, the brand’s unrivalled collection of boats in France. The fleet includes: Alouette, A Belmond Boat, Canal Du Midi; Pivoine, A Belmond Boat, Camargue; Napoléon, A Belmond Boat, Provence; Amaryllis, A Belmond Boat, Burgundy; Fleur De Lys, A Belmond Boat, Burgundy; Lilas, A Belmond Boat, Burgundy.

Above: Marble ensuite bathrooms to the cabins provide a spa-like feel on board. The combination of contemporary furnishings and antique touches combine to offer an ageless vision of French refinement.

The EU Social Climate Fund

"With the Social Climate Fund, we have achieved investments for citizens across Malta & Gozo that will fund more solar panels, more energy efficient appliances, better insulation, and greener alternatives to transport."

- MEP David Casa, Lead negotiator for the Social Climate Fund

Countdown to Coronation

The coronation of Charles III and his wife, Camilla, as King and Queen of the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms will take place on 6th May 2023 at London's Westminster Abbey and will be conducted by the Archbishop of Canterbury. Charles acceded to the throne on 8th September 2022 upon the death of his mother Elizabeth II. There is a never a moment when the United Kingdom doesn't have a monarch – when a monarch dies, the heir to the throne immediately becomes the new King or Queen. This process is ‘Accession’, and a monarch acquires all of the status and authority of a Sovereign from the very moment of accession. Westminster Abbey has been the coronation church since 1066. When King Charles is crowned, he will be the 40th reigning monarch to have a coronation service at the Abbey.

KING CHARLES III

This page: King Charles III and Camilla, the Queen Consort pose for a photo in the Blue Drawing Room at Buckingham Palace. Photography Hugo Burnand/Buckingham Palace via AP.

THE GREEN MAN

Official Invitation

The invitation for the Coronation is alive with emblematic flowers and wildlife. Designed by heraldic artist and manuscript illuminator Andrew Jamieson, the invitations will be printed on a recycled card with gold foil detailing. Central to the design is the motif of the Green Man in a nod to the monarch’s record of supporting conservation and environmental protection. The Green Man is an ancient figure from British folklore, symbolic of spring and rebirth, to celebrate the new reign. The shape of the Green Man, crowned in natural foliage, is formed of leaves of oak, ivy and hawthorn, and the emblematic flowers of the United Kingdom. The British wildflower meadow bordering the invitation features lily of the valley, cornflowers, wild strawberries, dog roses, bluebells, and a sprig of rosemary for remembrance, together with wildlife including a bee, a butterfly, a ladybird, a wren and a robin. Flowers appear in groupings of three, signifying The King becoming the third monarch of his name. A lion, a unicorn and a boar - taken from the coats of arms of the Monarch and Her Majesty’s father, Major Bruce Shand - can be seen amongst the flowers. Her Majesty’s arms are now enclosed by the Garter, following her installation as a Royal Lady of the Order of the Garter last summer.

The Gold State Coach

On the 6th May, King Charles III and Camilla, the Queen Consort will travel from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey in the Diamond Jubilee State Coach drawn by six Windsor Greys. The coach was created for Queen Elizabeth II to commemorate the 60th anniversary of Her late Majesty’s reign in 2012. The King’s Procession, accompanied by The Sovereign’s Escort of the Household Cavalry, will depart Buckingham Palace and go along The Mall, down Whitehall and along Parliament Street, and around the east and south sides of Parliament Square to arrive at Westminster Abbey. The King and the Queen Consort, in the Gold State Coach, and the royal family will take the same route in reverse and return to Buckingham Palace in a larger ceremonial procession, known as "The Coronation Procession". The Coronation Procession will include Armed Forces from across the Commonwealth and the British Overseas Territories, and all Services of the Armed Forces of the United Kingdom, alongside The Sovereign’s Bodyguard and Royal Watermen. The Gold State Coach was commissioned in 1760 and was first used by King George III, to travel to the State Opening of Parliament in 1762. The coach has been used at every Coronation since that of William IV in 1831. The coach will be drawn by eight Windsor Greys and, due to its weight of four tonnes, will travel at walking pace.

This page: The Gold State Coach on display at the Royal Mews in Buckingham Palace. Photography Yui Mok/PA via AP.

Since the Age of Three

Charles was born in Buckingham Palace during the reign of his maternal grandfather, George VI, and was three when his mother, Elizabeth II, acceded to the throne in 1952, making him the heir apparent. In 1958 he was made Prince of Wales and his investiture was held in 1969. Like his father, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, Charles was educated at Cheam and Gordonstoun schools. After earning a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Cambridge, he served in the Air Force and Navy from 1971 to 1976. In 1981, he married Lady Diana Spencer, with whom he has two sons: William and Harry. In 1996, the couple divorced and Diana died in a car crash the following year. In 2005, Charles married his long-term partner, Camilla Parker Bowles.

CULLINAN III, IV AND V DIAMONDS

Queen Mary’s Crown

Queen Mary’s Crown, made by Garrard’s for the 1911 coronation and commissioned by Queen Mary, the consort of King George V, will be used for the Coronation of The Queen Consort. The choice of Queen Mary’s Crown by Her Majesty is the first time in recent history that an existing crown will be used for the Coronation of a Consort instead of a new commission being made, in the interests of sustainability and efficiency. Some minor changes and additions will be undertaken by the Crown Jeweller, in keeping with the longstanding tradition that the insertion of jewels is unique to the occasion, and reflects the Consort’s individual style. These changes will in particular pay tribute to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, as the Crown will be reset with the Cullinan III, IV and V diamonds. The diamonds were part of Queen Elizabeth II’s personal jewellery collection for many years and were often worn by Her late Majesty as brooches. The Cullinan diamonds have been set into Queen Mary’s Crown on previous occasions. Cullinan III and IV were set temporarily in the Crown for the 1911 Coronation, and the Cullinan V was inserted when the Crown was worn as a regal circlet at King George VI’s Coronation in 1937. In addition, four of the Crown’s eight detachable arches will be removed to create a different impression to when the Crown was worn by Queen Mary at the 1911 Coronation. St Edward’s Crown will be used for the Coronation of His Majesty The King.

THE CEREMONY

Westminster Abbey

The date for the coronation of King Charles III, Saturday 6th May, falls just less than a month before the 70th anniversary of the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II who was crowned June 2, 1953. Westminster Abbey has been the coronation church since 1066, and King Charles III will be the 40th reigning monarch to have a coronation service at the Abbey. The first documented coronation held at Westminster was for William the Conqueror on Christmas Day 1066, who probably chose the Abbey for his coronation to reinforce his claim to be a legitimate successor of Edward the Confessor, the English king and saint who had re-founded the Abbey. The Abbey's status as a house of kings also influenced Henry III when he re-built Edward’s church in the Gothic style of architecture from 1245. A large space –or coronation theatre – was planned under the lantern, between the quire and the High Altar. The first king to be crowned in the present Abbey building was Edward I in 1274. The coronation is a solemn religious service, and since the late 14th century every coronation has followed, to a greater or lesser extent, the same order of service laid down in the medieval illuminated Latin manuscript, the Liber Regalis (or ‘royal book’). The Liber Regalis is thought to have been made for the coronation of Richard II’s queen, Anne

of Bohemia, in 1382. It includes instructions for the crowning of a king, a queen, and a king and queen together. The instructions reflect the service as it was performed until the reign of Elizabeth I, and despite various changes after that date the basic format has remained recognisable in all subsequent coronation services. Among the elements of the service which have endured is the anointing with holy oil. A canopy is held over the monarch to shield this part of the ceremony from the congregation as this, and not the crowning, is the most sacred part of the service. The Archbishop pours the oil from the ampulla – an eagleshaped vessel – into the coronation spoon and anoints the sovereign before they are invested with regalia and crowned. The act of crowning takes place in the Coronation Chair, which stands facing the High Altar. The Chair was made in 1300-1301, commissioned by Edward I to enclose the famous Stone of Destiny – an ancient symbol of Scotland’s monarchy which Edward had brought from Scotland to the Abbey in 1296. Elaborately decorated with pieces of coloured glass and gold leaf, the oak Chair was a magnificent, glittering piece of furniture. It has suffered damage over the centuries and has lost much of its original decoration, but remains at the heart of coronation ceremonies. Twenty-six reigning monarchs are known to have been crowned in the Chair.

This page: The quire, lantern and High Altar, Westminster Abbey. Inset: From the 14th-century Liber Regalis - crowning of a king and queen Photography © Dean and Chapter of Westminster.

MELITA Gold MALTA

This issue is available in four denominations; 1oz-€100, 1/2oz-€50, 1/4oz-€25 and 1/10oz-€10.

Melita coins are legal tender and classed as investment gold, and their price is based primarily on the spot price of gold on the international markets. These bullion coins are exempt from any Value Added Tax.

Each coin is set in an individually numbered sealed card that certifies the coin within.

“The world is full of magic things, patiently waiting for our senses to grow sharper.” W.B. Yeats

A KIND OF MAGIC

AN AESTHETIC CORNUCOPIA OF INTERIOR DESIGN INSPIRATION AND ARTISTIC PASSION FROM LUKE EDWARD HALL, ONE OF TODAY’S MOST COLOURFUL AND WHIMSICAL CREATIVE ICONS THE KALEIDOSCOPIC WORLD OF LUKE EDWARD HALL

Since bursting onto the London design scene in 2015, young English artist and designer Luke Edward Hall has brought a characteristic verve to everything he touches. In this captivating new monograph A Kind of Magic, published by Vendome Press, Hall shares the myriad influences that drive his prolific output, from local mythology and folklore to 1980s pop music and all things Baroque, inviting us to peek inside the London home and Cotswolds cottage that he shares with his husband Duncan Campbell, along with his countryside studio – the creative laboratories that form the backdrop to his interior, product, and fashion design, and painting, drawing, and writing.

“Ispent many months pondering the title of this book. I love giving things names and inventing stories, but, as I usually find, it was hard to sum up a lot of thoughts and feelings in a few short words. After much to-ing and fro-ing with the Vendome team, I settled on ‘A Kind of Magic’ because often, when I’m describing my work, I end up shoehorning the word ‘magic’ in somehow”, writes Luke Edward Hall.

Photography Billal Taright, courtesy Vendome Press.

“Magic is about using powers to make things happen that would normally be impossible. Magic is a special quality that makes something seem different to the ordinary. Magic is elusive, curious, not an everyday thing. Whenever I’m putting a room together, or painting a picture, or designing an object, I’m hoping and praying I create something with that fleeting quality, that sense of enchantment, that sprinkling of wonder. It’s about taking oneself out of the everyday and instead inserting head and body and heart into someplace more fantastical.It’s about atmosphere. Magic is what I’m always aiming for.”

“Aside from all this, ‘A Kind of Magic’ was one of my favourite songs when I was a kid”, he writes. Every August in drives down to the North Devon coast from Hampshire with his entire family, he would ask his aunt to play the song on repeat on the journey. “I can’t say that I was, or am, the biggest Queen fan, but back then this particular song –for me, at least –fizzed with magic and energy.”

AKind of Magic is a true celebration of Hall’s eclectic, colourful universe, offering a window into his singularly bold interior design style – documented here by his close friend and collaborator, Londonbased photographer Billal Taright – and the people, places, and things that inspire him. Peppered with his trademark drawings and paintings together with a selection of his own memorabilia and an assortment of short essays on his passions, from flowers and gardens to cooking and clothes, this treasury of delights invites us to venture into the nostalgic, magical realms of one of the design world’s brightest voices.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS.

Luke Edward Hall is an English artist, designer, and columnist. His philosophy is shaped by his love of storytelling and fantasy, and his colourful work is often inspired by history, filtered through a lens of irreverent romanticism. Since founding his studio in 2015, he has worked on a wide range of commissions, from interior design and fashion projects to murals and illustration, and collaborated with numerous well-known brands and institutions, including Burberry, Lanvin, Ginori, Svenskt Tenn, and the Royal Academy of Arts. His first book, Greco Disco, was published in 2019. In 2020 his first large interior design project was unveiled in Paris – Hotel Les Deux Gares –and in 2022 he launched his own fashion and homewares brand, Chateau Orlando. He exhibits his work internationally with an Athens-based gallery, writes a column for FT Weekend, and is currently working on a variety of new projects.

Billal Taright is a London-based photographer renowned for his striking interiors, fashion, still life, and portraiture. Successfully straddling the interface of art and commercial photography, his work has been featured internationally in publications ranging from Harper’s Bazaar and Vogue to Cabana and AD, with fashion collaborations including Hermès, Diane Von Furstenberg, and many more.

A Kind of Magic - The Kaleidoscopic World of Luke Edward Hall by Luke Edward Hall. Photography by Billal Taright. Foreword by Nicky Haslam. Published by Vendome Press. Hardcover, 256 pages, 250 colour illustrations.

LES BEIGES SUMMER-TO-GO

Back in 1927, Mademoiselle Chanel bet on the on-the-go lifestyle, supporting women as their way of living evolved. Ever the innovator, she decided to make her line of skincare and makeup products available in smaller sizes. Daily essentials that could easily be slipped into a handbag, evening clutch, or small piece of luggage for spur-of-the moment getaways. CHANEL was inspired by these formats, which are as fun as they are practical, for its 2023 LES BEIGES collection. The House has revisited its iconic LES BEIGES products, offering them in limited-edition travel sizes. The LES BEIGES Summer To-Go collection captures the very essence of a radiant complexion and a healthy glow makeup look in miniature formats. As sensorial and intuitive as ever, LES BEIGES essentials are the perfect companions for achieving a fresh, luminous glow, anytime and for any occasion. Photography CHANEL.

A HINT OF FRESHNESS IN A BOTTLE

Dazzlingly sheer, LES BEIGES WATER-FRESH TINT Travel Size (15 ml) is a water-based complexion product infused with microdroplet pigments that leave a nearly imperceptible, luminous veil on the skin. Its 8 shades cater to all skin tones, giving the complexion a beautiful sun-kissed look.

AN ULTRA-RADIANT COMPLEXION

As light as a caress, LES BEIGES HEALTHY GLOW BRONZING CREAM Travel Size (15 g) warms up the skin, creating the illusion of having spent a weekend in the sun. When applied to the cheeks, nose, forehead, and décolleté using the fingers or a brush, this cream-gel bronzer delivers an ultra-natural makeup look. It is available in 3 shades for a customizable sun-kissed glow.

SUMMER ON YOUR SKIN

Atrue light catcher, LES BEIGES ILLUMINATING OIL Travel Size (50 ml) envelops the skin, leaving it with an iridescent shimmer. Enriched with jasmine oil, it gives skin a slightly coppery, golden glow. Apply to the face, shoulders, décolleté, arms, and hair for instant radiance.

HARMONY OF LIGHTS

OMBRE PREMIÈRE LAQUE coats lids with a golden shimmer and is featured in two iconic jewel tones: Rayon, a soft, luminous beige, and Quartz Rose, a radiant pastel pink. ROUGE COCO BAUME delivers a light, fresh lip look with two new shades: Pink Delight, an ultra-natural, soft pink, and Sweet Treat, a semi-matte brownish mauve. To round off this sun-kissed look, CHANEL has designed two new shades of ROUGE COCO FLASH with evocative names. Destination, a rosy beige that enhances lips with its nude shimmer, and Escapade, a slightly warm sienna red.

Left: LES BEIGES ILLUMINATING OIL 50ML –LES BEIGES HEALTHY GLOW BRONZING CREAM –LES BEIGES WATER-FRESH TINT. Centre: LES BEIGES ILLUMINATING OIL 50ML – LES BEIGES HEALTHY GLOW BRONZING CREAM – LES BEIGES WATER-FRESH TINT – OMBRE PREMIERE LAQUE – ROUGE COCO FLASH – ROUGE COCO BAUME. Right: ROUGE COCO FLASH – ROUGE COCO BAUME

Facing page: Marc CHAGALL (1887-1985), Rencontre multicolore avec le peintre pour le concert, 1974, gouache, tempera and pen and India ink on paper with lithographic borders, 76.7 x 51.7 cm. Estimate: €200,000 - 300,000, SOLD FOR €352,800. © Christie’s Images Limited 2023. Right: Marc CHAGALL (1887-1985), L’Ange devant l’Opéra, 1981, tempera, gouache, ink, pastel and pencil on paper, 72.7 x 50.7 cm. Estimate: €180,000 - 200,000, SOLD FOR €327,600. © Christie’s Images Limited 2023.

LYRICAL FANTASTICAL COMPOSITIONS

CHAGALL ET LA MUSIQUE

This 27th March to 6th April Christie’s presented Chagall et la Musique, an online sale with a selection of 50 newto-the-market works by Marc Chagall. These works, all formerly in the artist’s estate, had never been offered for sale before. Chagall et la Musique was part of a Christie’s auction series entitled Marc Chagall, Colour of life: works formerly from the artist’s estate. The series launched with a London sale in June 2022 followed by a Hong Kong sale in December and has totalled over 21M€ to date. The Paris auction, which featured around forty colourful works on paper and a dozen lithographs, offered collectors attractive estimates from €1,000 to €200,000 - a wonderful opportunity to acquire a piece by Marc Chagall, one of the most sought-after impressionist and modern artists on the market. Photography courtesy Christie’s Images Limited 2023.

Most of the works offered in Paris were created in the latter half of the artist’s life, when he returned to France after his Second World War exile to the United States. For some of them, Chagall was nearly 100 years old, but all feature the artist’s “pictorial musicality”. The elements in his compositions dance, sing, and come together across the pictorial space, resonating differently according to colour, light, the contrasts of superimposed or juxtaposed shapes, and the media’s nuances. The selection for sale perfectly epitomised how the artist

wielded his ever-renewing creativity throughout his life, reinventing himself through his ebullient pictorial language and artistic technique. A violinist uncle and a mandolin-playing brother meant Chagall had very personal connections with music from a young age. Musicians and string instruments underpin the language of his entire body of work. With their instruments tucked under their arms, musicians also become harbingers of doom during the most fraught periods in history, as depicted in Rencontre multicolore avec le peintre pour le concert (1974, estimate: €200,000 - €300,000; sold for €352,800) –the auction highlight.

“Colour is all. When colour is right, form is right. Colour is everything, colour is vibration like music; everything is vibration.”

Marc Chagall

ART AUCTION

Above: Marc CHAGALL (1887-1985), L’Arc-en-ciel du peintre, 1978-80, gouache, pen and India ink and pastel on paper, 64.8 x 54.9 cm.

Estimate : €50,000 - 80,000, SOLD FOR €252,000. © Christie’s Images Limited 2023.

Chagall was endlessly inspired by the boundless space created by music, shaping his pictorial world through all media. The artist also carried out numerous substantial commissions the world over, including costume creation and set design for ballets, stage curtains and opera costumes. In 1964, Chagall painted the Opéra Garnier’s ceiling, the zenith of his artistic career. The famous Parisian façade would become a recurring figure in his work, as in L’Ange devant l’Opéra (1981, estimate: €180,000 - €200,000; sold for €327,600).

This October, Christie’s New York will be presenting Part II of Marc Chagall, Colour of Life: Prints and Artist’s Books Formerly from the Artist’s Estate. Celebrating Chagall’s life-long love of printmaking, the sale will feature works from the 1920’s to 70’s and will include several rare, extensively hand-coloured proofs.

Book Idea for Mother's Day

The Role and Symbolism of Flowers in Maltese Art: Exploring National Floral Depictions

BY GLORIAN MICALLEF-GRIMAUD PUBLISHED BY FARAXA PUBLISHING

Glorian Micallef-Grimaud's new book The Role and Symbolism of Flowers in Maltese Art spans centuries of floral depictions in paintings and as decorations on ornamental objects. Drawing upon art displayed in Malta’s main parish churches, filial chapels, collections in Malta’s main museums and others from private collections, Glorian Micallef-Grimaud details the species of floral depictions and thematic interpretations, interspersed with historical anecdotes from various cultures, mythologies, religions and traditions. Roses, lilies and tulips comprise the main floral depictions in the paintings, which are discussed within historical, artistic, symbolic and botanical contexts. Spanning centuries, countries and artists, the book, which appeals to both amateur and professional artists and art connoisseurs, brings the artistic floral details in Maltese art to the fore, inviting deeper observation and understanding.

info@faraxapublishing.com www.faraxabooks.com

The fifteenth chapter in This is wine: its storied place and taste.

SUPER TUSCANS KINGS OF THE HILL

“Fruit of the earth, work of human hands, blessed be God forever”

This page: The Castle of Bolgheri overseeing some of the most prized vineyards in the whole of Tuscany, has only recently come to fame in the last few decades, due to the rise of the fame of French-style Bordeaux-blend Super Tuscans. Bolgheri, Province of Livorno. Photography Christian Dubendorfer.

n a repeat of the 1976 Judgment of Paris where unknown Californian wines beat in blind tastings by top critics the likes of high-end Burgundy and Bordeaux sacrosanct names, a similar blind tasting event in 1978 organised by Decanter Magazine would see an off-the-radar newbie recently commercialized vino da tavola or table wine from a rather swampy backwater coastal wasteland of Bolgheri gain international recognition and shoot to fame as Sassicaia won the hearts of critics in preference to Bordeaux left bank first growths, writes Kris Bonavita.

Sassicaia from Tenuta San Guido was born from the ingenious idea of a lesser-known cousin of the Marchesi Antinori, who around the 1950s wishing to mimic the Bordeaux blend greats, thought that his lands of stony gravels; similar to the left bank Pauillac of Rothschild and Latour fame; was perfect for French varieties with an obvious focus on Cabernet Sauvignon. Breaking all the traditional Chianti rules he kept his wines strictly for personal consumption and it was only under the legendary winemaker Giacomo Tachis that a more refined version was deemed worth commercialising with the vintage of 1968, upon which both the popular term Super Tuscan and the appellation Bolgheri were gradually established with reference to revered wines to be collected, drunk and savoured upon by wine aficionados the world over.

It would take a few more decades for the appellations Bolgheri and Bolgheri Sassicaia in their own right to be established in 1994, making both some of the most cutting edge regions in defying traditional rules and yet compellingly old school in their style of ageworth refined wines. Within that setting both are synonymous with the rise of the Super Tuscan term as not defined by a specific grape variety or locale but rather working on the buccaneer spirit of winemakers choosing, growing and blending grapes for the right soils and climate to create wines inspired by an international wine style far from the more indigenous varietals used in the iconic Chianti or Brunello identikits. So while Chiantis and Brunellos have a familiar spectrum of flavour profiles and soil typologies which can easily be summed up around known parameters; Super Tuscans by their very nature are humbling and steep learning curve wine journeys where inspired vine growers and winemakers have the task of simply creating wines as almost works of art regardless of the rules and regulations.

Probably affectionately coined by American journalists, who refused to call them humble table wines, the Super Tuscan can be a blend or a single varietal cuvée made usually from Sangiovese and/or Bordeaux/international grape varieties; chiefly Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot or even Syrah. In a spirit of rebellion winemakers in the 60s and 70s frustrated by the strict rules governing Chianti wine laws experimented with grape varieties on the vast diversity of Tuscan soils and balmy climatic settings so perfect for the production of great wine. Unlike lighter-styled Chiantis or the purist Brunellos limited to Montalcino, Super Tuscans gain their stripes solely from popular accreditation with the only legal condition of coming from Tuscany’s wine regions. Unable to use the D.O.C. nomination and boldly creating blends with more full-bodied and intense flavours, some require good aging even if surprisingly lovable on the young side. It was only as late as 1992 that the IGT label was finally created to reflect and assure the quality these wines attained allowing them to be labeled as originating in Tuscany regardless of their variety or blend composition.

Podere Il Carnasciale Il Caberlot, demi-magnum ‘SOMMELLERIA’ 2017

Il Caberlot is a grape variety discovered in the 1960s by Remigo Bordini in the Veneto region and is believed to be derived from genetically mutated Cabernet Franc with Merlot characteristics. Together with the Rogosky’s they chose to plant the grape extensively on galestro soils at their hilltop estate of Podere il Carnasciole in the mountains of the Chianti Valdarno region as a bold endeavour into the Super Tuscan world. Indeed, christening the new variety on the estate a Sassicaia bottle of wine was fortuitously buried under the first vine planted in 1986. Organic methods and meticulous handwork are the order of the day in this one to watch and taste estate.

Il Caberlot Sommelleria 2017 (bottle no. 1189) has an intense bouquet of ripe wild berries, wood tones, tobacco, leather, leaves, bell pepper and tomato. The attack holds true with a primary profile of wild cherries and blackberry intertwined with baked spices, citrus orchard blooms and stems, Mediterranean herbs, cassis, liquorice, vanilla and clove in the finish. A familiar Cabernet Franc-powered racy reserve and supreme elegance defy a hot vintage normally associated with sharper and steeper tannins, and yet the structure shows this can age effortlessly for decades and indeed is in the beginning of its marvelous evolution.

A few hours breathing led to a nicely fleshedout mid palate with a longer more soothing

finish wrapped up in sun-dried end-of-summer dark stoned fruit with a vivid concentration, finesse and Figeac hill gravel-like complexity. Endive, bitter herbs, cocoa nibs, dry mint, olive stones, boysenberry all make their mark as does an elegant and bespoke schist and dusty stone finish. Overall beautifully intense aromas which can be enjoyed on the young side if you prefer the ethereal energy or allowed to breathe or cellar to get a more palatized feel to the initial bounty holding your grasp. The soaring aromatics and shape remind me of Hubert de Bouard's wine style of Angelus fame. Its’ crowning achievement, a nod to my equal affection to Burgundy as much as to Bordeaux, is that this is all from one stunning grape variety rather than a blend.

Above: Podere il Carnasciole in the mountains of the Chianti Valdarno region. Photography courtesy Podere Il Carnasciale.

Frescobaldi Luce della Vite 2018

€109.34, exclusively represented by Charles Grech Ltd

Tenuta Luce lies southwest of Montalcino in the Val D’Orcia natural park region. The southwest exposure of its holding with cool nights and good elevation are perfect for the gentler full aromatic ripening of the Sangiovese vines on galestro or clay schists with the Merlot grown on lower-lying cool clay soils. An equal blend of both grapes marries the Brunello-esque aging potential and reserve with the soft palette filigree so loved of Merlot. 2018 is an impressive vintage in Tuscany as it is in France with hot days and cool night temperatures ensuring the right amount of ripening even if

the slightly wetter weather in Montalcino called for a more classical take than the rest of the region.

Luce della Vite 2018 is all walnut, fig, mulberry and forest fruit-dense aromas matched by lush flavours on the entry of warm ripe red and dark berries to spice-laced purple flowers, stems, leaves and branches; ending in seething saffron clay-driven layers of undergrowth. The primary feel of this is the corpulence of Merlot, but the aromatic grace and prowess of Sangiovese soon holds its mark, with a candid complexity ranging from bright florals to brooding secondaries and a touch of dusty schist minerality in the finish.

Upon breathing, animal scents, Mediterranean herbs, warm cooking spices, milk chocolate, espresso, hazelnut gianduja, pipe tobacco all work towards an epic operatic finish.

This is lush, immediate, generous and yet complex and precise enough for serious aging. The bold blend caters for both lovers of the Brunello kind as much as for the more adventurous Bordeaux style symphonic complexity thrill seekers; making this a worthy addition to the Super Tuscan universe. From the panoply of beautiful wines Tenuta Luce has to offer, this is my favourite and 2018 does a splendid job of combining racy lift elements with nostalgic summer dolce vita quaffability.

Above: The vast estate and gardens of Tenuta Luce, south of Montalcino is in the Val D’Orcia Natural Park Region. Photography courtesy Frescobaldi –Tenuta Luce.

Antinori Guado al Tasso Bolgheri Superiore DOC 2017

Guado is a Bordeaux-style blend of mainly Cabernet Sauvignon, with Cabernet Franc and Merlot in good measure. It is affectionately known as a Super Tuscan due to its bold use of non-indigenous grapes as a blend grown in the amphitheatreshaped vineyards facing the Tyhrreanean sea in the DOC of Bolgheri, on the coast southwest of Florence. Nocturnal sea breezes and sea light reflection are indulgently a strong element in the making of Bolgheri. Soils are alluvial clayey sands and silts with fine gravel stones known as scheletro or agglomerate. Bolgheri got its shot to fame when a relatively unknown Sassicaia won the hearts of critics in a 1978 Decanter contest featuring Bordeaux heavyweights.

Antinori’s Guado al Tasso 2017 starts all rich aromas of meringue, fresh cream, forest fruit medley; crushed, fresh, ripe and juicy. The colour a brooding dark purple with a touch of crimson. The bouquet is complex, intertwined, dynamic, warm and inviting. Spices abound with well-integrated fruit layers astonishing for a young wine and pithy tertiary notes of wet undergrowth, floral fragrant oils, peppery geranium and cinnamon; all speak of layers of clay and ancient alluvium before even tasting. The attack follows through with racy ripe fruit, Mediterranean spices, juniper, aniseed and mint, with a medium plus bodied blend of plum, wild cherries, forest berry pulp skin and stems ending in a seething blueberry roast and raw hazelnut Sambuca finish.

This is a gently sleeping giant beginning to stir astonishingly palatable for a young vintage, generous for a 17 with soft silky but weighty tannins very different from the normally steep fare from the hot vintage where I suspect the gentle littoral sea breeze did wonders to Bolgheri in contrast to the Tuscan hinterland. With a one-day decant, intimate velvety textures, medium dryness, plusher body weight filled in with a volatile yet astringent, powerful yet docile concentrated syrup of dense fruit, dark cherry and grenadine, molasses and chocolate. This is exquisitely delicious, multifaceted, high-octane stuff yet has an Italian dolcezza all of its own and will only get better. The best 2017 I’ve had so far.

Above: Tenuta Guado al Tasso is in the amphitheatre-shaped vineyards facing the Tyhrreanean sea in the DOC of Bolgheri, on the coast southwest of Florence. Photography courtesy Antinori.

Gaja Ca’Marcanda Magari Bolgheri 2020

€85, exclusively represented by Mirachem

For the tech curious: Magari is largely Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon with a touch of Petit Verdot grown on silt, limestone, clay and stony terrain. Ca'Marcanda is Gaja’s estate in Bolgheri, chosen for its claylimestone terroir at the foot of the iron rich hills. 2020 was a hot ripe vintage in Tuscany topped off by late harvest rains to jump-start the final ripening stage. Wines can be characterised as rich, concentrated yet aromatically delicate and if harvested early having enough acidity for moderate aging.

Gaja's Ca'Marcanda Magari 2020 is ripe red cherries, smoked cedar, cinnamon, and red flowers (rose and geranium) with a beautiful entry of sweet fruit having a lush mid-palate of elegant primaries paired with a stone and gravel minerality that sees you off to a lasting finish. This is young, vibrant and elegant, more on the lines of a pop and pour quick rich phenolics stance but also precise in its traditionally Gaja style with its Burgundian focus on pure terroir as its raison d’etre. At first glance hard to believe this is a Bordeaux-blend of varieties such is its seamless initial feel.

Upon breathing a more texturised lengthy experience that holds you through from the ripe lush primaries to the serene secondary profile finesse, giving you a good picture of the soils involved here, limestone, clay and gravel are my guess. With time, more intimate aromas translate into flavours; a wide floral and spice spectrum; slight incense and Mediterranean herbs; are all well represented with tart plums and blackberries bringing the complexity of the primaries to the fore and middle, all wrapped in an underlying structure belying its elegance and immediacy. This can age as much as it can be drunk now.

Supplier details: Mirachem has a vast selection of Italian and French wines. Mirachem, Mira Building, Triq Kan K Pirotta, B’Kara. Tel 00356 2148 8590. Web wine.mt

Above: Ca'Marcanda is Gaja's estate in Bolgheri, chosen for its clay-limestone terroir at the foot of the iron rich hills. Photograhy Davide Greco, courtesy Ca'Marcanda.

“Sunday brunch is an easy, pleasant way to entertain a largish group, especially in the country. Americans who overslept invented the word brunch, but the ingredients and the casual atmosphere bear a strong resemblance to breakfast in an English country house or to a French midnight supper. The choice of menu can be as wide as the imagination. Practically anything goes - from hearty breakfast dishes such as filled omelettes, kidneys, chicken livers and bacon, sausages, and eggs Benedict. Something pretty in aspic, or a salmon mousse in a fish-shaped mold, makes a lovely centerpiece. Best of all, most of the meal can be prepared way ahead of time and it can be managed without outside help - if, that is, the hostess puts in a lot of work the day before and early that morning. People can wander in when they feel like it, so there’s no need to tint this one. Drinks are no problem. A big punch bowl with chunks of fresh fruit makes a nice starter, and mixings for bloody Marys, screwdrivers, or bullshots can be left on a table for guests to serve themselves. Of course there should be a big pot of very good coffee.”

Joan Crawford, My Way of Life.

Let’s do Brunch

A delicious brunch is perfect at the weekend. Plan ahead and get inspired with these ideas. PHOTOGRAPHY MICHEILE HENDERSON.

CHERRY TOPPED PANCAKES

Perfect for brunch or tea-time. The pancakes can be made ahead and reheated to serve.

175g self-raising flour, sifted

1tsp baking powder

40g caster sugar

finely grated zest of 1 small orange

1 egg

200ml milk

sunflower oil, for frying

cherries

good quality cherry compote or jam squeeze of lemon juice

1. Mix dry ingredients and zest to a large bowl. Make a well in centre, add egg and half milk. Using a whisk, beat well to a smooth thick batter. Beat in more of remaining milk to reach a thick consistency (like thick pouring cream). Leave to stand, about 30 minutes.

2. Heat a little oil over high heat in a large non-stick pan. Drop in batter in dessertsponfuls, spacing each pancake well. Cook untl bubbles appear on the surface, roughly 2 minutes. Turn and cook until golden brown, roughly 30-60 seconds.

3. Stack cooked pancakes and cook remaining batter, add oil as needed.

4. Serve topped with cherry compote or jam warmed with a good squeeze of lemon juice, topped with cherries, or any berry or fruit combination of choice.

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BLOOD ORANGE MIMOSA

What distinguishes brunch for a late breakfast? A good cocktail. This Blood Orange Mimosa, which works equally well with pink grapefruit juice, is an elegant twist on the classic Mimosa, a pitcher can be prepared ahead of time to top with sparkling wine when guests arrive. For added flair, sugar rim your cocktail glasses –rub a wedge of blood orange or lemon along the outer edge of the glass, then place the glass upside down into a dish of sugar and twist, lift the glass and shake off any excess. Allow the glass to dry before pouring.

FOR A GLASS

1-2 ounces freshly squeezed blood orange juice, strained dry sparkling wine or Prosecco or Champagne, well chilled blood orange segments for garnish

1. Depending on taste, add one to two ounces of freshly squeezed juice topped with well chilled sparkling wine, Prosecco or Champagne. Garnish with blood orange segments.

FOR A PITCHER

10 to 12 blood oranges, juiced and strained bottle dry sparkling wine or Prosecco or Champagne blood orange segments for garnish orange liquer optional

Prepare juice ahead and keep well chilled in a pitcher. Wait for guests to arrive before pouring in a bottle of well chilled dry sparkling wine or Prosecco or Champagne. OPTIONAL Add-in 80ml orange liquer to the pitcher for a bit more flavour and punch.

BRUNCH COCKTAIL CLASSICS

APEROL SPRITZ

Aperol, Prosecco, soda, an orange slice, plenty of ice

Fill a large wine glass with plenty of ice. Add 3 parts Prosecco, then 2 parts Aperol. Add a dash of soda and stir lightly. Garnish with an orange slice (not lemon) and enjoy.

BLOODY MARY

1 1/2 oz vodka, 3oz tomato juice, 1/2oz freshly squeezed lemon juice, dash Worcestershire sauce, dash hot sauce (or to taste), pinch celery salt, pinch freshly ground black pepper, 1/4tsp prepared horseradish (to taste –optional), lemon wedge and celery stalk for garnish Pour vodka, tomato juice, lemon juice, and Worcestershire sauce into a highball glass filled with ice. Add hot sauce, celery salt, black pepper, and horseradish (optional). Stir well and adjust seasoning to taste. Garnish with lemon wedge and celery stalk.

CLASSIC SANDWICHES

Sandwiches for brunch can be light and easy, from a simple wholegrain roll spread with Philadephia Cream Cheese, good sliced cheese, cucumber and baby leaf salad, to something more tangy like Brie and Chutney or Coronation Chicken. Remember, sandwiches are only as good as the bread you use, so use good quality fresh bread from a good baker, such as L-Aħwa bakery on St Trophimus Street, Sliema.

BRIE AND MANGO CHUTNEY CIABATTA OR FTIRA

2tsp mango chutney, to taste

2 handfuls of rucola

FOR A CLASSIC MALTESE FTIRA

4tsp mango chutney, to taste

rucola

1. Slice the ciabatta or Maltese ftira in half, spread both sides with mango chutney.

2. Add sliced Brie and top with rocket. The Maltese ftira option is ideal for brunch, you can make one big ftira, and cut in segments on a serving dish.

CORONATION CHICKEN

6tbsp mayonnaise

2tsp mild curry powder, to taste

1/2tsp ground cinnamon

2tbsp mango chutney

500g shredded cooked chicken

1-2tbsp sultanas –to taste

a good loaf of sandwich bread or baguette baby leaf salad

1. Mix mayonnaise, curry, cinnamon, chutney, season with black pepper.

Add sultanas to taste or leave out if you prefer.

Add shredded chicken and mix well.

2. Butter fresh sandwich bread or baguette, fill with mixture, and baby leaf salad.

BERRY YOGHURT GRANOLA POTS

Eye catching pots that are perfect for mingling at brunch. Top with fresh berries or any colourful fresh fruit pieces.

berries or fruit

Greek Yoghurt or Skyr granola seeds and nuts to taste a good quality berry or fruit compote –optional honey to drizzle –optional

In a set of pretty glasses assemble the ingredients in layers as desired. As shown –starting with granola and nuts and/or seeds, fruit or berries and some compote (optional), a layer of yoghurt, more granola, more compote if desired, and finish off with a nice layer of berries or fruit and seeds and nuts. Drizzle lightly with honey if desired. Serve immediately.

Pensions and Retirement

Financial capability is much broader than having the adequate education and information to make good financial decisions, but rather a mixture of financial knowledge, attitudes, skills and experiences that will help you to make useful money management decisions that fit your own set of needs. In simple words, financial capability is the ability to manage money well. Managing money can be a very simple task, yet most of us struggle to do it well. It involves budgeting, saving for the future and tracking your spending habits. This is where ĠEMMA comes into place. Ġemma–Know, Plan, Act is your trusted independent financial capability portal. Our main aim is to be a source of education on retirement income and financial capability writes

Mark Bezzina –B.Com (Hons) (Melit), Pension and Private Pension Expert, ĠEMMA.

At Ġemma we have organised several projects to help people manage their money well. We organise webinars on different topics, courses and training for different age groups and needs, and have also developed applications to help people budget and spend within their means. Our budget planner app for example, is a financial capability education tool that allows users to list their expenses against their income to achieve financial goals. Transactions can be sorted on a daily, monthly or weekly basis, and intuitive visualisations help show whether one’s spending lifestyle is sustainable or not.

For children, we have also developed Karus - an app that allows children to learn money management skills by scheduling tasks with a different number of points. Parents or guardians need to approve the completed tasks to grant the points which can be then assigned to goals or taken as pocket money. For younger people, there is also an interactive, educational game called Money Monsters for children in primary school.

All of this is being done to help people prepare for their future and work for having a good standard of living, especially after retirement, when the state pension might not be enough to sustain the life that we are accustomed to.

COMFORTABLE LIVING AND PENSION AWARENESS

Your pension in Malta will be calculated on two-thirds of your salary, subject to a capping. First and foremost, to arrive at an individual’s final state pension, the income formula for someone born after the 1st January 1962 is based on the best 10 years of the last 40 years. The maximum pensionable income as of 2023 is €26,831, which means, that you will not get more than 2/3 of this salary as a state pension. Do you think that you can live comfortably with this amount, especially when you consider the rising cost of living?

There is no perfect time to start retirement planning. At different stages in life, your financial profile may look different. However, it is advisable to begin retirement planning in the early years of life. It helps spread the investments over an extended period, thereby reducing the burden on your regular income.

PRIVATE PENSION SCHEMES FOR ADDITIONAL INCOME

The main scope to save in a private pension scheme is to have an additional source of income after retirement, and hence, to not solely depend on the pension provided by the state. There are various schemes offered by different companies, where the amount invested per day can be less than the price of a coffee. Some private pension schemes in Malta are offered as capital guaranteed, where the capital invested cannot go down, but only go up through the interest provided. Other schemes may be unit-linked, which means that the value of your pension might go up or down, depending on the fund chosen. In other words, the private plan chosen can cater to various levels of risk appetite.

In addition to the return offered by the scheme, individuals may be eligible to receive a tax credit of 25%, up to a maximum set by the

Government. Under current legislation, the tax credit for 2023 can apply to a maximum contribution of €3,000 (resulting in a maximum tax credit of €750 per person).

As per current legislation, a pension scheme cannot be withdrawn before you reach 61 years of age or after you reach 70 years of age. Once you are in this age bracket (between 61 and 70 years old), up to 30% can be taken as lump sum, and the rest must be taken as a pension. For people worrying about what will happen in case of death, the company will generally pay the investment value to your estate, or designated beneficiary in case of death before the plan term expires.

VOLUNTARY OCCUPATIONAL RETIREMENT PENSION SCHEMES

Nowadays, there are also Voluntary Occupational Retirement Pension Schemes (VORPS). As part of the national strategy to increase the number of persons who prepare for their retirement by saving in incentivised tailored pension products, the VORPS framework was introduced in 2017. For an employer to introduce this scheme, there is no financial obligation – in terms of a mandatory pension contribution that an employer must pay. The employer may enter into an agreement with a VORPS provider in which staff employed may also contribute into the scheme. Numerous tax incentives for both the employer and the employee that contribute into the scheme are in place and by carrying out this type of scheme, the employer is enhancing its reputation and becomes an “employer of choice”.

The trick to a private pension scheme is to start saving as early as possible. By starting early and by making adequate and regular contributions, a private pension scheme will help to provide an additional source of income for people and hence, individuals who opt for a private pension scheme can continue to enjoy life as they were doing before retirement. People can continue to enjoy their favourite restaurants and continue to travel as they were accustomed to. The best time to start saving for your retirement is when you receive your firstever paycheck. The second best time? This month.

Any statement about taxation is based on our understanding of current law and tax practice. Future changes in law and taxation, or your own financial circumstances, could affect the treatment of the private pension plan and the amount of tax payable. In order to ascertain your exact tax status, you should seek specific and professional tax advice in relation to your tax obligations under the Personal Pension Plan.

This article is not designed to offer financial advice and should not be used in isolation when making a decision about your financial planning. You may wish to seek financial advice before starting a long-term savings contract.

THE MOST EFFICIENT WAY TO GAIN WEALTH GRADUALLY

Why Compound Interest Matters

Once dubbed by Albert Einstein as the 8th wonder of the world, compound interest is undoubtedly the most powerful tool that can get you to financial wealth. However, very few people know of its benefits, or they don’t believe in it enough to make the necessary effort and make it part of their financial plans. Luca Caruana, a Certified Money Coach, and the creator of the Money Coaching Hub discusses the benefits of compound interest and shares tips to help you start implementing it.

WHAT IS COMPOUNDING?

Compound interest is when you begin earning interest on the interest you receive – this makes it possible for your money to multiply at an accelerated rate. Let’s say you managed to save 1,000 euro this year, and invest the sum in a fund that earns you approximately 10% interest per year. You would have 1,100 euro after one year. If the fund earns another 10% the next year on that 1,100 euro, you end up with 1,210 euro by the end of year two. The process continues, until eventually the original lump sum, i.e. the 1,000 euro will be eclipsed by the amount of interest you gained.

GETTING THE MOST OUT OF COMPOUNDING

Your money can compound more effectively when you give it more time to compound. That is why many financial professionals advise that the earlier you start saving and investing, the better, since your money will have more time to grow, and even weather any financial downturns, recessions and a period of inflation, which may all erode the returns that you hope to achieve over time.

There are several compound interest calculators available for free on the internet that can help you calculate how much your money can grow over a period of time. Patience is the ultimate ingredient to building your wealth nest when it comes to compounding.

For example, imagine a person - let's call them Jake or Stephanie - is 30 years old and wishes to save 1 million euro by the age of 65 (the year they plan to retire). They can afford to save 500 euro per month to

achieve this target, but they already calculated that if he or she saves this amount regularly and puts it in a normal bank account, they would have 210,000 euro by their 65th year. Quite a way off the 1 million target.

But what if either one decides to invest the 500 euro instead? What if they start putting it in a balanced investment portfolio and let it grow there over time, giving the money time and space, and letting it flourish? With a 10% annual return, both Jake and Stephanie would have their 1 million each by the age of 60 (5 years before their target retirement age).

Baulking at the 500 euro regular monthly savings? I get it, it is not always easy to save such a sum regularly. Let’s take it a notch lower and go with 300 euro a month instead. You will still end up with approximately 600,000 euro by age 60, or even the sum both Jake and Stephanie wanted, a whopping 1 million if you’re willing to wait another 5 years (i.e. till the age of 65) to cash in your money.

TIME IS THE MAGIC

What gives compound interest its superpower?

Time! Patience is key if you want to reap the rewards of this financial tool - quitting early won’t get you far. With a bit of self-control, your hardearned money will work wonders with just enough time and effort on your part. Now that’s something worth waiting for!

A Money Coach is not a financial adviser or a financial planner. A Money Coach focuses on your relationship with money, how your current behaviour with money has developed, and what you can do to make it better. For more information and other informative articles visit moneycoachinghub.com

STAYING ACTIVE THROUGHOUT ADULTHOOD IS LINKED TO LOWER HEALTHCARE COSTS IN LATER LIFE – NEW RESEARCH. NOT ONLY DOES EXERCISE LOWER HEALTHCARE COSTS, IT ALSO LOWERS RISK OF DISEASE. IT’S NEVER TOO LATE TO START EXERCISING.

ACTIVE AGEING

Exercise is good for your health at every age –and you can reap the benefits no matter how late in life you start. But our latest research has shown another benefit of being physically active throughout life. We found that in the US, people who were more physically active as teenagers and throughout adulthood had lower healthcare costs, writes Diarmuid Coughlan, Research Associate in Health Economics, Newcastle University.

These findings are especially relevant to people who live in countries without universal healthcare, such as the US. However, our findings apply indirectly to countries with universal healthcare, such as the UK, as a healthier population could result in lower costs for the healthcare system as a whole.

For our study, we drew on data from the National Cancer Institute’s study on diet and health, which looked at over half a million adults. As part of this study, adults in 1996 who were aged 50-71 were asked how physically active they were during this time in their life. They were also asked to estimate how much exercise they got in late adolescence and early and middle adulthood.

We followed up with participants between 2004-06. During this time, some consented for their study responses to be linked with their Medicare data.

Medicare is the major health insurance programme for American adults aged 65 years and older.

To ensure results were accurate, we only looked at respondents who were 65 years of age, as this is the age a person first qualifies for Medicare. We also adjusted our results to take into account other things that could influence the outcome, such as ethnicity, education, marital status, and whether a person smoked. This way we could be fairly certain that we were only looking at the effect of physical activity on healthcare costs.

Based on our data, people were clustered into groups according to their exercise habits throughout adulthood. We identified nine groups, which fell into four main categories: maintainers (36% of the group who maintained moderate to high activity throughout adulthood), decreasers (30.5% of the group who were active in early adulthood but became less active as they aged), and increasers (14.5% of the group who weren’t active in early adulthood but became more active throughout their lives). Around 18.5% of the group were consistently inactive throughout their lifetime.

A LIFETIME OF ACTIVITY

We found that adults who maintained or increased their physical activity from adolescence throughout adulthood had lower average annual healthcare costs than adults who were consistently inactive over timearound 10% to 22% lower than those who were less active or inactive.

In contrast, adults who were active earlier in life but less active in middle-age (decreasers), did not benefit from lower healthcare costs after age 65, despite being active earlier in life. In fact, their Medicare costs were akin to those who had been consistently inactive all their life.

Although the study’s respondents came from different parts of the US, it’s hard to say whether these results would be true for people in other parts of the world. And, as our study was based on selfreported information obtained from a survey, we can’t say whether activity

levels caused lower healthcare costs. Also, we weren’t able to control for all factors that may have affected the results, such as whether a person developed an injury that limited their activity levels.

However, similar findings to ours have also been seen in other research, such as an Australian study which found that middle-aged women who were active throughout their life had 40% lower healthcare costs over the three years that the study took place.

Given that one in four adults worldwide don’t get enough exercise, large-scale efforts to improve physical activity –especially among adolescents and young adults - could help reduce healthcare costs and improve health later in life. Strategies such as working with people one on one, in small groups, or on a community level, to change their physical activity levels are all proven to work.

This article first appeared on The Conversation.

REFURBISHMENT OF DAR IL-MISTRIEĦ, FLORIANA

An ageing population requires the provision of holistic quality services in order for older persons to continue living independently within the community. Whilst the Ministry for Active Ageing strives to strengthen the provision of community services to older persons, longer life expectancies have led to an increased demand for residential care for older persons experiencing difficulties in performing their activities of daily living. In this regard, strengthening residential care services is a priority that the Ministry intends to pursue.

Photography DOI –Jason Borg.

Dar il-Mistrieħ, better known as Floriana Home, opened its doors to the first residents in 1987. This is the smallest care home amongst the four governmental care homes, as it accommodates 46 residents, and it is very sought after by old people from Valletta and Floriana.

Since Active Ageing and Community Care strives for a service of excellence, a radical refurbishment is currently being carried out to provide a secure environment for its elderly residents.

REFURBISHMENT WORKS

In 2021 a total refurbishment of the basement was carried out by means of a €190,000 investment. The works carried out have resulted in adequate changing rooms and a spacious pantry for the employees, as well as a new laundry facility area for the residents of the home. Other works that amounted to over €100,000 included roof works, the installation of an electricity generator and a new fire alarm, outdoor umbrellas for the backyard, and the installation of air conditioning units in the chapel.

In the coming months, other major works

will be carried out throughout the entire home. These will include new common bathrooms and ensuites; a new air conditioning system for the entire home; brand new furniture for the rooms, main kitchen and common areas; new soffits and light fittings; waterproofing; a new vinyl flooring for the common areas; new soft furnishings for the entire home; new kitchen equipment; as well as the reconstruction of the front ramp of the main entrance to make the home more accessible to wheelchairs and stretchers. The hairdressing salon is also being restructured, and a new multi-disciplinary clinic is being set up. This clinic will have specialized medical

equipment so that residents are given holistic treatment within the home itself.

It is envisaged that the entire refurbishment will be completed by the end of 2023 with an estimated total cost of around €800,000 when one also considers the expenses of the first phase of refurbishment. The Welfare Committee will be providing €300,000 to cover part of the costs of this refurbishment.

Through this major refurbishment of Floriana Home, Active Ageing and Community Care will be drastically improving the quality of life of its residents by providing a safer and better caring and living environment.

Aging in a Better Environment

We live in a fast-paced world, yet one aspect affects us all –the environment we live in. We are but one species of a myriad of organisms that inhabit this planet. Yet man has made a large impact on the surroundings of his habitation says Michael Zerafa, Maintenance Manager, CareMalta Group.

When I was younger, I looked at the world as a vast place with infinite resources, or so it seemed. Growing up I began to have a more vivid interest in the living world around me. I became interested in the vast biodiversity of this planet and the intricate relationships that living creatures and organisms have with each other. Often the public understands very little of these connections, but as science and natural research have shown in the past 60 years or so, many organisms depend on each other’s well-being either directly or indirectly. There are vast networks of interdependent collaborations mostly evident in rainforests and coral reefs. Yet even in a small country like ours, we have these networks in the, unfortunately, dwindling countryside. Man is a social creature, and he has also developed a network where people depend on each other and care for each other, especially in the health and care sector. We have advanced in technology so that we can use the natural resources around us and study the natural world to understand how it works and apply these techniques to help our fellow man.

Man has also studied the building blocks of life - the genome. We are developing tailor-made genetic treatments, a vast advancement in the last couple of decades. We have also understood the importance not just of the scientific medical aspect of care but more importantly the mental. The latter is very much affected, whether we accept it or not, by the surroundings we live in. So, the environment we live in will make a big difference to our health.

INCREASED AWARENESS

The care industry is now catering to all ages of life from infancy with childcare centres to old age, retirement facilities, and nursing homes.

All these organized institutions are becoming more aware that the environment they offer will make a big difference to the well-being of patrons and residents. Looking at the elderly care sector locally awareness has grown, even the Maltese government has put forth initiatives to better the lives of our elderly, who worked to provide for us.

CareMalta has endeavoured to improve the environment of its facilities to be more sustainable and greener from its onset. This does not necessarily mean luxury items but using the resources at their disposal sustainably. Open spaces with a serene and naturally pleasing environment are one of the values that it is pushing for. Creating a space with natural biodiversity even in a comparatively small area can have a very calming and uplifting effect on the elderly who can spend quiet time observing and taking in the atmosphere.

Another aspect is raising awareness of the environment around us, even inside the facility, to make better use of the country's resources, such as not wasting by switching off unused lighting and power, changing operational methods to be more energy efficient, and reducing the overall carbon footprint.

OUR FUTURE

The 22nd of April –Earth Day is celebrated around the world to increase awareness of the effect that our daily activities are having on our environment. This year it is highlighting the importance of investing in our planet.

This year CareMalta Group is celebrating 30 years in the elderly care sector and today, more than before, it is striving to become ever more sustainable, creating a positive green environment where the residents and staff can increase awareness to better care for the environment and by extension each other.

The currently projected outcome for the earth is not very bright! Biodiversity overall is decreasing and natural disasters increasing. It is quite evident that what we are doing is negatively affecting this planet, and to date, there is no planet B.

Just as we care for the elderly who might be living their final years, we need to care for this planet that we are all part of. You might ask what can I do? Every change begins with a choice and if we are environmentally conscious, we can make the right one. The choice is yours!

WORLD EARTH DAY

Earth Day is an annual event on 22nd April to demonstrate support for environmental protection. First held on 22nd April 1970, it now includes a wide range of events coordinated globally by Earthday.org including 1 billion people in more than 193 countries. The official theme for 2023 is Invest In Our Planet.

PARADISICAL DESTINATIONS IMPACTED BY CLIMATE CHANGE For Small Island Developing States (SIDS) like Chuuk State within the Federated States of Micronesia (this page) or Vanuatu (overleaf), climate change remains the most significant single threat to sustainable development. The Vanuatu Mission to the United Nations is a strong advocate for a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions that limits the rise in global temperatures to well below 1.5° Celsius. Although already a carbonnegative country, absorbing more emissions than it produces, it further engages in ensuring the effective implementation of the Paris Agreement and is committed to 100% renewable energy in electricity generation by 2030.

“Men argue. Nature acts.” Voltaire

This page: Chuuk Lagoon, part of Chuuk State within the Federated States of Micronesia, in the Pacific. Photogaphy Marek Okon.

According to Earthday.org, "in the decades leading up to the first Earth Day, Americans were consuming vast amounts of leaded gas through massive and inefficient automobiles. Industry belched out smoke and sludge with little fear of the consequences from either the law or bad press. Air pollution was commonly accepted as the smell of prosperity. Until this point, mainstream America remained largely oblivious to environmental concerns and how a polluted environment threatens human health. However, the stage was set for change with the publication of Rachel Carson’s New York Times bestseller Silent Spring in 1962. The book represented a watershed moment, selling more than 500,000 copies in 24 countries as it raised

public awareness and concern for living organisms, the environment and the inextricable links between pollution and public health."

In 1969 at a UNESCO Conference in San Francisco, peace activist John McConnell proposed a day to honour the Earth - 21st March, 1970, the first day of spring in the northern hemisphere. A month later, US Senator Gaylord Nelson proposed the idea of holding an environmental teach-in on April 22, 1970 across the US. He hired a young activist, Denis Hayes, to be the National Coordinator. Nelson and Hayes renamed the event "Earth Day". Denis and his staff grew the event beyond the original idea for a teachin to include the entire United States. More than 20 million people poured out on the streets, and the first Earth Day remains the largest single-day protest in human history.

at the Workplace

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Opt for a reusable mug for your hot drink at work and avoid using any single-use cups.

If you want your lunch to stay fresh whilst also taking care of the environment, prepare your food in a sealed reusable container or lunch box and try to avoid using plastic wraps or bags.

2

3

Opt for local and seasonal food for your lunch to avoid extra plastic packaging when possible.

Re-use stationary items as much as possible and try to minimise paper usage were possible.

4

While the first Earth Day was focused on the United States, in 1990 Hayes took it to an international level and organized events in 141 countries. Sixteen years later, on Earth Day 2016, the landmark Paris Agreement was signed by the United States, the United Kingdom, China, and 120 other countries. This signing satisfied a key requirement for the entry into force of the historic draft climate protection treaty adopted by consensus of the 195 nations present at the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Paris. Numerous communities engaged in Earth Day Week actions, an entire week of activities focused on the environmental issues that the world faces. For Earth Day 2020 the theme was 'Climate Action. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many of the planned activities were moved online and over 100 million people around the world observed the 50th anniversary - the largest online mass mobilization in history.

Earth Day is a reminder to dedicate time, resources, and energy to solving climate change and other environmental issues. April 22, 2023, marks the 53rd anniversary of the birth to the modern environmental movement. The celebration of ecoconsciousness takes place in more than 190 countries around the globe and is the most widely observed nonreligious holiday in history.

BUILD A HEALTHY ECONOMY Sustainability is the path to prosperity for humanity and businesses alike. Companies who’ve developed strong Environment Social Governance (ESG) standards are seeing better profitability, stronger financial performance, and happier employees. There is no longer a choice between going green and growing long term profits. It is crucial for businesses of all sizes to act now, otherwise, climate change will cause even more catastrophic damage to our economies and negatively impact everyone.

(Source www.earthday.org)

This page: Vanuatu, in the Pacific, has been named by the UN as the country most at risk from natural disasters. Photography Seiji Seiji.

“We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children.”

Native American Proverb

SUSTAINABLE SPACES

URBAN GREENING

Ġnien Victor Calvagna, ‘a green oasis in Mosta’s dense urban environment’, is how the jury of the Malta Architecture and Spatial Planning (MASP) Awards described this project before crowning it as the winner of the Public Open Spaces Award. This new garden project which opened its gates last July was managed by GreenServ, a branch of WasteServ. It was the very first project to be inaugurated amongst a number of other greening projects planned in urban areas to act as green lungs, writes the projects team at GreenServ.

With its functional and stunning design, Ġnien Victor Calvagna embodies a fresh perspective with sustainability, creativity, and innovation at the forefront. Whilst ensuring that the design carefully preserved the existing olive trees, the garden has become a strong community space owing to the addition of a playground, gym equipment, a gardening plot, and a canopy area. The materials used in this project were also chosen with sustainability in mind. Recycled rubber chips and decking, and sustainably sourced timber feature in this garden with an area of around 4,000m2. The result was that over 40% of the materials used prioritised sustainability, circular economy, and waste

reduction. Solar panels and underground water tanks were also installed.

ROMEO ROMANO GARDENS

Another project that got the MASP jury praise was the restoration of Romeo Romano Gardens. This project received a special commendation for its high-quality design and workmanship. It was touted as a blueprint for other historical gardens in need of a more contemporary edge. Here, GreenServ has successfully married the old with the new while also combining recreation, education, and conservation. In the first phase of this project, which was inaugurated last December, the original pathways, fountains, and boundary walls were restored to a high

standard, while still respecting the garden’s historical value. Features such as the ‘sienja’, an old water reservoir, and stone irrigation channels were also restored and made functional again. A new playground was included with wood as the main material used in order to respect the historical context of this garden while bark chippings were used instead of rubber flooring. With the installation of wooden decking equipped with sensory equipment, the garden now has a multipurpose area that could accommodate different activities, including hands-on activities for children. In the second phase of this project, an old groundsman’s house within this garden is being transformed into an environmental educational centre giving students a hands-on opportunity to learn about nature protection and sustainability.

GreenServ's approach to sustainability and creativity sets an excellent example for other urban greening projects. In another project in Ħamrun, a car park was reinvented for dual use, a shaded parking area at ground level, and a recreational area in the form of a roof garden on top of a 40-tonne steel structure. More than 1,800 trees, shrubs, and plants were planted in an otherwise grey area.

ŻABBAR, QORMI AND VITTORIOSA

Recently GreenServ completed three projects at Żabbar where green pockets were introduced at three different sites that were previously used as parking areas. The inclusion of green roofs, water walls, and vertical landscaping will also allow residents to enjoy lovely views from their homes. Work is still ongoing in another project, this time in Qormi where part of the stormwater culvert is being transformed into a garden with a 200-metre running track. Works will soon start in Vittoriosa which will see the transformation of a green belt on the outskirts of this city to include a picnic area, a recreation area, an informal children’s play area, and a dog park.

By combining thoughtful design and sustainability, GreenServ, supported by dedicated contractors, is delivering spaces that people want to come to and where the building blocks of such projects are innovation, sustainability, green landscaping, and meaningful community spaces. These are the projects that are shaping the future of public open spaces and making Malta greener.

Romeo Romano Gardens

Romeo Romano Gardens

Green roofs in Żabbar

Ġnien Victor Calvagna

Ġnien Victor Calvagna

MALTA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT’S JOURNEY TO NET ZERO

New regulations and pressure from customers are leading more and more businesses to pledge to operate more responsibly. But what does this mean in practice? Malta International Airport’s recently appointed Head of Sustainability and Analytics, Justine Baldacchino, discusses how the island’s only airport is setting its environmental targets and ensuring that it is on the right path to achieve them, particularly its net zero ambition.

Malta International Airport’s sustainability department came into being fairly recently, in 2020, when the scope of the existing data and analytics department was widened to include the company’s environmental sustainability function. While the relationship between sustainability and analytics might not be immediately evident for everyone, Justine believes that to set realistic environmental targets and, eventually, measure your success in reaching them, your decisions must be rooted in solid data and sound analyses.

One such target, which the company has been setting for the past few years, is related to the reduction of the kilos of carbon dioxide released per passenger travelling through the airport. While this stood at 2.3 kilos back in 2014, the company reported an emission intensity of under one kilo of carbon dioxide for 2022, with this drop stemming from several energy-related investments undertaken along the way. A large volume of disparate data goes into calculating this emission intensity metric: from electricity meter readings taken from practically across the airport campus, whose sprawling size adds to the challenge of keeping records updated, to the litres of fuel consumed by the company’s vehicle fleet and generators, and a few other figures in between.

This is not managed by the sustainability department single-handedly but is the result of real team effort and collaboration. In 2021, Justine set up the company’s Environmental Working Group with the aim of providing the key persons within eight different departments the opportunity to discuss targets, which are incorporated into a wider two-year Environmental Plan once approved, and report on the progress made towards achieving them. Annual results are ultimately presented to and approved by the Corporate Responsibility Committee, which is chaired by the company’s Chief Executive Officer.

RESPONSIBLE WASTE-MANAGEMENT PRACTICES

While the company has been tracking its performance in relation to energy and water management for almost a decade, more responsible waste-management practices and corresponding targets have been a more recent addition. Following a drive towards better waste separation and the introduction of organic waste collection, the target of landfill waste per passenger was established for the first time in 2022 and tied to the payment of a company-wide bonus, in addition to an existing bonus pegged to emission intensity.

“The introduction of such incentives, paid alongside other bonuses that are attached to our financial performance, shows that safeguarding our environment is truly part of our core mission, and we want all our people to feel motivated to join us on this mission,” says Justine, with evident satisfaction at how far Malta International Airport has come in relation to environmental matters.

SCOPE 3 EMISSIONS

Yet, even more work needs to be put in if the company is to achieve its net zero target by 2050. In 2022, the sustainability team started working on the mammoth task of collecting data to be able to start calculating scope 3 emissions. Put very simply, these are emissions that are not directly produced by the company’s activities or controlled assets but result from stakeholder activities along the value chain. This exercise was kickstarted with a survey to gather information on Malta International Airport’s employees’ work commute patterns, including the type of vehicle used to travel to and from the office and the point of origin of the trip.

Why are scope 3 emissions important? “We had a very encouraging response rate of 82 percent from our employees, and we are now looking into conducting similar exercises with the stakeholders that operate from Malta International Airport but are not directly employed by the company. The mapping of our scope 3 emissions, in addition to scope 1 and 2, will allow us to have a much more complete picture of our carbon footprint and identify emission hot-spots that can be addressed. The collection of this data is a requirement for Malta International Airport to be able to advance to Level 3 of the Airport Carbon Accreditation Programme, which was launched in 2009 to help airports across the globe better manage their carbon emissions.”

Above: While Malta International Airport already generates electricity from several photovoltaic systems, their team is currently laying the groundwork for the airport’s fifth, and largest, photovoltaic installation on the airfield, which is quite a feat given its size. Once the farm is commissioned, the airport would be generating the equivalent of 60 percent of its energy consumption from clean sources.

Left: One target Malta International Airport has been setting for the past few years, is related to the reduction of the kilos of carbon dioxide released per passenger travelling through the airport. While this stood at 2.3 kilos in 2014, the company reported an emission intensity of under one kilo of carbon dioxide for 2022, with this drop stemming from several energy-related investments undertaken along the way.

INVESTING IN SUSTAINABILITYRELATED PROJECTS

With Malta International Airport having recently announced a €175 million investment plan in the airport campus, has any of this expenditure been earmarked for sustainability-related projects? The answer is a resounding yes. “The company is currently laying the groundwork for the airport’s fifth, and largest, photovoltaic installation on the airfield, which is quite a feat given its size. If all goes according to plan, once the farm is commissioned, Malta International Airport would be generating the equivalent of 60 percent of its energy consumption from clean sources.”

“Other investments include a major upgrade of the HVAC system to allow for the more energy-efficient heating and cooling of the terminal building, as well as the continued replacement of old lighting units with LED alternatives. Together, these projects will push Malta International Airport closer to its net zero target”, explains Justine. “The team is currently drafting a carbon plan, with the aim of outlining the strategy and long-term action plan to become net zero by 2050.”

Between data-gathering, long-term planning and keeping up with new requirements and legislation, proper environmental management within a large organisation is certainly no easy task. However, Justine feels privileged to be working alongside some very dedicated people who have truly understood the importance of this journey, both for the planet and for the company itself to remain credible over the long term. Apart from the more technical side of environmental sustainability, Malta International Airport also strives to organise fun initiatives to get all the team more engaged, with the next two employee-driven events being a plant-based lunch and a cleanup to mark Earth Day.

EARTH DAY 2023

Citadel Insurance Promotes Sustainability at Every Turn

It’s been 23 years since the first Earth Day was held in the United States, and the need for bold, creative and innovative solutions at all levels to tackle the environmental crisis, is stronger than ever. Citadel Insurance plc has always been at the forefront of driving green initiatives and eco-related insurance products which incentivise customers to shift to cleaner and greener energy solutions, says Angela Tabone, Managing Director of Citadel Insurance.

“Having been at the forefront in introducing specific insurance products for Eco-Car and Eco-Home in recognition of both the need to support the environment and the growing awareness of the need to change, Citadel Insurance plc’s reputation as a market-leading, environmentally-friendly organisation is second to none. The suite of green insurance products also includes insurances covering Photovoltaic Panels, which save on energy bills while harnessing the year-round long hours of sunshine Malta and Gozo are blessed with.

In 2008, we first introduced insurance products specifically rewarding customers who support sustainable environmental services and lifestyles. By manufacturing and promoting insurance-based eco-friendly initiatives we

believe that our long-term strategy to integrate underwriting criteria for environmental products launched over the past decade, adds value to customers who opted to use friendly client-targeted technologies. We were then, and clearly still are today, totally committed to developing new business opportunities and coverage concepts that we then translate into sustainable solutions for our customers.

In recognition of one of the 6 pillars of Earth Day 2023, “The Canopy Project”, as well as to support the local Tree 4 U campaign, Citadel Insurance plc will be planting a number of trees during the next round of tree planting later on this year. The Company introduced a fashionable corporate attire which has been selected in line with Citadel’s philosophy to bring environmentally sustainable design and longevity to its work environment.

With the Covid-19 pandemic and the

restrictions at an end, our own internal Corporate Social Responsibility activity is gathering momentum. With activities themed around healthy living, cultural awareness, and support to those in need already organised, the focus of our enthusiastic CSR team will turn to the environmental aspect of our programme.”

Citadel Insurance offers a full range of quality insurance solutions for life, health, commercial and other individual solutions. For further information, one can visit any one of Citadel’s branches across Malta and Gozo, Citadel’s Head Office in Floriana, by calling Freephone 8007 2322 or by visiting www.citadelplc.com.

Citadel Insurance plc is a company authorised under the Insurance Business Act, Cap. 403, to carry on general and long-term business of insurance and is regulated by the MFSA.

Held each year on 22nd April Earth Day aims to mobilise individuals, businesses and countries to change human behavior and create global, national and local policies that limit the negative impact of climate change across the globe.

FINANCIAL INCENTIVES

Transport Malta has launched nine schemes which together amount to €26 million to promote cleaner, smarter and sustainable transport in our country. A total of around €26 million in grants will be available to the public. This is the largest package of financial incentives for transport in the form of grants for the promotion of cleaner and more sustainable transport, says the team at Transport Malta.

Through these schemes, we are continuing to promote the use of cleaner and more environmentally sustainable means of transport. This is a direct investment in people, as we are not only offering them financial help to replace their vehicle, but also a direct investment in better air quality. “These grants are a demonstration of the Government’s environmental credentials and a commitment to continue making a difference in order to achieve our main goal of working diligently on the subject of alternative transport,” Minister for Transport, Aaron Farrugia said.

The first scheme that was launched consists of an investment of €15 million for the purchase of new electric vehicles. This scheme may include the purchase of new motorbikes for private individuals, nongovernmental organisations, businesses and private companies is funded by the recovery and resilience plan (RRP).

This grant scheme will help with the purchase of new electric vehicles in EU Categories L, M and N, consisting of passenger cars, vans, cargo vehicles, minibuses, coaches, quadricycles, motorcycles, and pedelecs, with the aim of reducing the number of old conventional motor vehicles from the road.

INCENTIVES FOR CLEANER, SMARTER TRANSPORT

Other incentives were also launched this March to promote cleaner and smarter means of transport. These schemes encourage vehicle owners to buy new, low-emission and environmentally friendly vehicles, or convert their current

vehicle to a cleaner vehicle. The incentives include:

•Purchase of New and Used Plug-in Electric Vehicles and Used Electric Vehicles.

•Purchase of New Category L Vehicles running on Petrol including Bicycles New Petrol Motorcycles

•Retrofitting of Dual Fuel Systems on Heavy-Duty vehicles with Diesel engines and a scheme to incentivise more Auto Gas Powered Vehicles.

•Purchase of Wheelchair accessible Vehicles to be Used for the Transport of Passengers for Hire or Reward.

•Installation of Approved Photo-Voltaic Panels on Passenger Transport Vehicles.

•Retro Fitting of Vehicles with the DPF and SCR Technology

•Repowering of Vehicles and Motorcycles with an Electric Drive Train

Transport Malta’s Chief Officer for Land Transport Pierre Montebello said that as a transport regulator in our country, Transport Malta is committed to offer more opportunities to promote better and more environmentally sustainable transport. “We launched this scheme precisely for this reason, and together with other initiatives such as free public transport, Transport Malta is ensuring that we have cleaner, more efficient and sustainable transport in our country,” he added.

The grants will apply retroactively from 1st January 2023; accessible on www.transport.gov.mt until 31st December 2023.

Saint Francis of Assisi

The first major exhibition in the UK to explore the life and legacy of Saint Francis of Assisi (1181/82–1226), one of history’s most inspirational and revered figures, will open at London’s National Gallery this spring, from 6th May to 30th July 2023. Saint Francis of Assisi brings together paintings from across the National Gallery’s collectionby Sassetta, Botticelli, and Zurbarán -with international loans by Caravaggio, Murillo, and El Greco as well as works by Stanley Spencer, Antony Gormley, Andrea Büttner, Arte Povera artist Giuseppe Penone, and a new commission from Richard Long. The exhibition will display over 40 works of art from European and American public and private collections, spanning more than seven centuries. They will range from medieval painted panels to manuscripts and even a Marvel comic. The exhibition will shed light on how Saint Francis captured the imagination of artists, and how his universal appeal has transcended time, continents, and differing religious traditions. Francis believed that nature itself was the mirror of God, and even preached to the birds and supposedly persuaded a wolf in the Italian town of Gubbio to stop attacking the locals if they agreed to feed the animal. Many of the stories that surround the life of Francis relate that he had a great love for animals and the environment, and these stories provided tremendous sources of artistic inspiration.

This page: Stanley Spencer, 1571 - 1610, St Francis and the Birds, 1935. Oil on canvas, 71.3 x 61.2 cm. Tate, London © Estate of Stanley Spencer. All rights reserved 2023 / Bridgeman Images / photo: Tate.

NATIONAL GALLERY LONDON

Saint Francis of Assisi at the National Gallery, London. 6th May - 30th July 2023. Free admission.