FIRST MAY 2021 ISSUE No324 by FIRST Magazine (Malta)

ISSUE 324 MAY 2021

A CAPSULE OF THE WORLD

FIRST VICE PRESIDENT

ROBERTA METSOLA MALTA IS NOT A SMALL COUNTRY

the ENVIRONMENT ISSUE HOW NATURE TEACHES US TO BE HUMAN

Gio. Batta Delia ESTABLISHED 1901

MOB: 9989 6286 FACEBOOK GIO. BATTA DELIA 1901

EDITORIAL “You are comprised of: 84 minerals, 23 elements, and 8 gallons of water, spread across 38 trillion cells. You have been built up from nothing but the spare parts of the Earth you have consumed, according to a set of instructions hidden in a double helix and small enough to be carried by a sperm. You are recycled butterflies, plants, rocks, streams, firewood, wolf fur, and shark teeth, broken down to their smallest parts and rebuilt into our planet’s most complex living thing.” Aubrey Marcus

“We are not living on earth, we are earth”

he average number of colours humans can distinguish is around a million. This can vary with colour blindness or at the other end of the spectrum, tetrachromats, very rare individuals with a genetic mutation that allows them to see colours that most people cannot - up to 100 million, estimates suggest, which is 100 times that of the average human. Most people have three cells, or receptors, in their retinas, but tetrachomats have a fourth receptor, which may be what allows for their heightened

color perception. What humans do have in common is an ability to recognise variations of green better than any other colour. This commonality is linked to evolution and our ancestral past, and a predominantly green habitat where food or prey could be identified. Pablo Picasso said: “They’ll sell you thousands of greens. Veronese green and emerald green and cadmium green and any sort of green you like; but that particular green, never.” Good planets are hard to come by, let's not ruin this one.

PHOTOGRAPHY THIS PAGE: Fabrice Villard - Madeira, Portugal. See Madeira – Cake, Wine and Tropical Island, page 7. ON THE COVER: MEP Roberta Metsola, photography Rene Rossignaud. EDITORIAL CONTENT AND SALES MANAGER SEAN ELLUL SELLUL@INDEPENDENT.COM.MT DESIGNER CONRAD BONDIN CBONDIN@INDEPENDENT.COM.MT PRODUCTION MANAGER ANDRE CAMILLERI ACAMILLERI@INDEPENDENT.COM.MT PUBLISHER STANDARD PUBLICATIONS, STANDARD HOUSE, BIRKIKARA HILL, ST JULIAN’S. TEL: 00356 2134 5888, WEB: WWW.INDEPENDENT.COM.MT FACEBOOK FIRSTMAGAZINE PRINTER PRINT-IT. FIRST IS PUBLISHED AS A COMPLIMENTARY MAGAZINE WITH THE MALTA INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY AND IS NOT TO BE SOLD SEPARATELY. NO PART OF THE PUBLICATION MAY BE REPRODUCED WITHOUT THE PRIOR AGREEMENT OF THE PUBLISHER. FIRST MAGAZINE SINCE 1993. ISSUE NUMBER 324.

CONTENTS

Paradise: Madeira. Cake, Wine and Tropical Island. Photograph Piotr Musiol, 25 Fontes Falls, Madeira.

Majestic Carrara: Unveiling the Divine. Photograph Luca Anasta, Carrara Quarries in the Apuan Alps, Tuscany.

Voyages Extraordinaires. Louis Vuitton’s Journey Through Time and 50 Dream Destinations. Photograph Kenneth Shoesmith, Rio de Janeiro by Royal Mail to South America, c 1930-1935. Private Collection. © Bridgeman Images.

How to reduce your risks of dementia. Photograph Roberto Nickson.

Environment: My Octopus Teacher. The Tale of an Eight-Limbed Creature and her Human Companion. Photograph Tom Foster.

CONTENTS [ISSUE 32 4. MAY 2021]

Creating Authentic Interiors. Sean Scherer’s Kabinett & Kammer. Photograph William Abranowicz, courtesy Vendome Press.

Madeira. Cake, Wine and Tropical Island.

Sean Scherer’s Kabinett & Kammer. Creating Authentic Interiors.

WANDERLUST

COFFEE TABLE

Voyages Extraordinaires. Louis Vuitton’s Journey Through Time and 50 Dream Destinations.

Unveiling the Divine.

TRAVEL

HERITAGE

Honouring Manoel Island’s and Malta’s History.

EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT

“Malta is not a Small Country.” First Vice President Roberta Metsola.

ENVIRONMENT

My Octopus Teacher. The Tale of an Eight-Limbed Creature and her Human Companion.

Albedo. A Key Way the Earth Regulates its Temperature.

Waste Management and Circular Economy. Creating Tomorrow’s Eco-Warriors.

MAJESTIC CARRARA

RESTORATION

Restoring Antonello Gagini’s 1504 Madonna and Child.

AUCTION

66 Degas and his Dancers. 78 Giacometti’s Iconic Homme Qui Chavire.

Restoring Antonello Gagini’s 1504 Madonna and Child. Photograph Ramon Portelli, courtesy Prevarti Ltd.

DANCE

Żfin Malta’s Girls & Boys.

FRESH COOKING

The Culinary Adventures of 3 Calamari and 3 Baked Peaches with Mediterranean Culinary Academy.

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Prioritising Sustainability.

HEALTH & FITNESS

How to reduce your risks of dementia. Diabetes, Dementia and Alzheimer’s.

Heritage: Honouring Manoel Island's and Malta's History. Photograph St George's Chapel, Manoel Island.

Fresh Cooking: 3 Calamari and 3 Baked Peaches. Photograph Jessica Zammit.

LIGHTING UP THE SKY By Alex Muscat MP, Parliamentary Secretary for Citizenship and Communities.

It is always important to remain close to the people, to understand their worries, discover what problems are arising and see where help is needed.

This is just yet another example of the awards resulting from our approach to citizenship. Indirectly, our newest citizens are enhancing Maltese culture. Their financial contributions enable improvements to our quality life, easing the cost to taxpayers. This support for fireworks enthusiasts comes on top of other schemes utilising investment from residency for more and better social housing and modernised health centres, bringing

The organisers of festas have been increasingly concerned

better health care closer to communities and relieving pressure

about escalating costs for the safe transporting of fireworks

on Mater Dei.

and when they made their views known we not only listened, but we also decided to take action. There will be an allocation

The old Individual Investor Programme, now replaced by a

of €100,000 to cover the cost of police escorts. The funds will

residency programme that offers investment routes that may

be derived from the new Community Malta Agency scheme

lead to citizenship, proved its worth when COVID-19 struck.

and they are not just for these difficult times; they will be

We all know about the importance of saving for a rainy day. By

retained beyond the pandemic. All expenses, not just the

going down this road a few years back we placed ourselves in

increases in costs, will be covered by the scheme.

a good position for when our economy took a hit.

Festa enthusiasts put their heart and soul into organising

Questions are often raised about whether our foreign direct

celebrations and we should appreciate what they do. They

investment programmes are the correct means for us to

not only give up a good deal of their own time, but they also

pursue, but when you do the sums the evidence is clear. We

have considerable expenses for permits and insurance policies

only entertain 400 new citizens a year, but we have raised

and enacting health and safety measures. Police who escort

more than €1 billion. The European Union welcomes about

explosives, from factories to places where they are set off, are

two third of a million new citizens a year, so our contribution is

now being paid for their overtime duties. That is where the

minute. Most of those new citizens undergo few checks while

new pressure point arises.

ours are subject to the most stringent due diligence and now aren’t even allowed to apply until after a period of residency.

There are many winners from this new financial support. While it relieves the burden on organisers it actually benefits

All in all, Malta gains a great deal while nobody in Europe

all Maltese, who will continue to enjoy festa time with no

loses. A good policy is worth celebrating, maybe even with

diminution in the scale of the celebrations.

some fireworks!

WANDERLUST

MADEIRA CAKE, WINE AND TROPICAL ISLAND

What brings memories of a cake is actually a wine that accompanies a cake, and better more, comes from a tropical European island about 3 hours flight from Portugal. Madeira is a botanical wonder and paradise. In 1825, H N Coleridge, nephew of the poet, wrote: “I should think the situation of Madeira the most enviable on the whole earth. It ensures every European comfort with almost every tropical luxury.” Photograph Marcel Pirnay.

WANDERLUST

adeira was claimed by the Portuguese in 1419 and the archipelago, made up of the islands of Madeira, Porto Santo and the uninhabited islands of Selvagens and Desertas, is considered to be the first territorial discovery of the exploratory period of the Age of Discovery. When explorers came upon the island, in the Atlantic Ocean, north of the Canary Islands and west of Morocco, they thought its dark cliffs rising dramatically from the sea signaled the gates of hell. Indeed the semitropical island, rising from sea level to 6000 feet, must have been awe inspiring to early 15th century explorers, navigating deep, relatively uncharted, seas.

The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of God endures forever. Isaiah 40:8. Photograph Stephen Lammens, Pico Arieiro, Madeira.

WANDERLUST

PAGES 10 11 adeira sits at the top of a massive shield volcano which rises 6 km from the floor of the Atlantic Ocean. The volcano formed on an east-west rift over 5 million years ago. Following extensive erosion, and then more Volcanic activity which produced scoria cones and lava flows over the older eroded shield, the most recent volcanic eruptions 6,500 years ago created even more cinder cones and lava flows. Its volcanic produced terrain gives Madeira its lush Hawaiianesque look, with mild to warm year-round temperatures thanks to the Gulf Stream and Canary Current. Madeira has many different bioclimates and its steep pitch gives the island six distinct climate zones, each with its own unique flora and fauna. At the highest elevations the Laurissilva Forest is classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

WANDERLUST

Plutarch in his Parallel Lives (Sertorius, 75 AD) referring to the military commander Quintus Sertorius, relates that after his return to Cádiz, he met sailors who spoke of idyllic Atlantic islands: “The islands are said to be two in number separated by a very narrow strait and lie 10,000 furlongs (2,000 km) from Africa. They are called the Isles of the Blessed.” Photograph Bart Zimny. Ribeiro Frio, in the interior of the island.

WANDERLUST

adeira’s winemaking history dates back to the 15th century when it was a port of call for ships enroute to the New World or East Indies. To prevent spoilage, a small amount of distilled alcohol made from cane sugar was added to stabilize the wine by boosting the alcohol content. On the long sea voyages, the wines would be exposed to intense heat and movement which transformed the flavour of the wine. This was discovered when wine producers realised that they preferred the taste of an unsold shipment which returned after a round trip. Madeira labeled as vinho da roda (wines that have made a round trip) became extremely popular, but aging wine on long sea voyages was costly, so producers developed land-based methods to produce the same aged and heated style. Wines were stored on trestles at the winery or in special rooms known as estufas, where heat from the sun would age the wine. At the time, across the Atlantic, Madeira was an important wine in the United States. No wine-quality grapes were grown among the thirteen colonies, so imports were needed, with a great focus on Madeira, that unlike many other fine wines could survive being stored over hot summers without significant damage. Madeira was a favorite of Thomas Jefferson, and was used to toast the Declaration of Independence. Today, Madeira is still noted for its unique winemaking process which involves oxidizing the wine through heat and ageing. The younger three and five years old blends are produced with artificial methods that heat and accelerate the aging process, while the older blends, colheitas and frasqueiras are produced by the canteiro method. This gives wines that are very long lived and those produced by the canteiro method will survive for decades and centuries, even after being opened. Properly sealed in bottles, Madeiras have been known to survive over 200 years in excellent condition.

WANDERLUST Vineyards on the island were once managed by Jesuit priests, and Madeira’s capital city, Funchal, was once the centre of wine culture. On the steep terrain, grapes are grown on tiered terraces and from its earliest days producing wine Madeira has had a system of water channels, levadas, which bring water to the vineyards. Today they also serve as a network of trails that wind past waterfalls and stunning views. Photography facing page: Jonas Vandermeiren, this page: Reiseuhu.

TRAVEL

Voyages Extraordinaires

The new book “Extraordinary Voyages” by Louis Vuitton takes us on a journey through time, 50 dream destinations featuring as many means of transport. Since the 19th century, travellers have crossed the world in trains, airships, ocean liners, aeroplanes, half-tracks, motorcycles, skis and spacecraft, often accompanied by luggage made by Louis Vuitton, trunkmaker in Paris since 1854. Globetrotter journalist Francisca Mattéoli tells the story of their adventures in this book, which comes richly illustrated with vintage photographs and travel posters. Photography courtesy Louis Vuitton.

o travel is to be on the move and the new means of transport that appeared in the late 19th and early 20th centuries offered brand-new perspectives to understand the world. On the world map of legends, the travel experience was revolutionized: luxury ocean liners, submarines inspired by Jules Verne’s Nautilus, everfaster long-haul aeroplanes, lightweight airships with unrivalled levels of comfort, steamships that descended the most unpredictable rivers, trains that crossed Eurasia and the prairies of the American West, sleds that slipped across the most extreme ice floes. In the atlas of the imagination, from adventure to escapade, exploits to incredible journey, these methods of transport allowed travellers to experience the world in a completely different fashion.

Facing page: Kenneth Shoesmith, Rio de Janeiro by Royal Mail to South America, c 1930-1935. Private Collection. © Bridgeman Images. Top right: The book “Extraordinary Voyages” by Francisca Mattéoli for Louis Vuitton. Left: Lucien Boucher, Air France, Antilles – Amérique Centrale, 1948. Paris, Musée Air France. © Collection Air France – Musée Air France, Paris. Above: Elegant woman with her Alzer and Cotteville suitcases, a Marin bag, and a Monogram canvas Vanity case, 1960s. Louis Vuitton Archives. © Archives Louis Vuitton Malletier, Paris.

TRAVEL

Above: Advertising poster for a cruise on the Queen Mary, c 1934. © Bridgeman Images. Top right: Cruise in the Norwegian fjords, 1930s. © Bridgeman Images. Colorisation Sébastien de Oliveira. Right: The LZ 129 Hindenburg lands after a first test flight in Friedrichshafen, Germany, in May 1936. © Bridgeman Images / Everett Collection. Colorisation Sébastien de Oliveira.

hrough 50 epics, author Francisca Mattéoli brings to life these amazing journeys. Louis Vuitton, the book’s partner, has opened up its archives and its images tell the different stories. A creator of luggage for a wide variety of uses since its founding, the trunkmaker has always equipped passengers for the long haul – whether they were explorers, eccentrics, aristocrats, artists, hedonists or adventurers - and has been part of the emergence of modern globe-trotting. This illustrated saga tells the story of the most remarkable of these journeys, from Nadar’s balloon to the Apollo 11 mission. Born to a Scottish mother in Chile, Francisca Mattéoli grew up in South America and after having lived in Brazil, she moved to Paris. The author of a number of travel stories, she has written for magazines including Condé Nast Traveller and National Geographic. Writing on Extraordinary Voyages she explains: “This is by no means an encyclopedic work, and requires no particular expertise. It does not offer a host of knowledge, nor is it in any way scientific, geographic, ethnological, meteorological, or what have you. It is merely the pretext for departing, for escaping to a world of dreams that were actually realized before becoming part of history and the collective imagination, transforming eras, lives, and sometimes even destinies.” Founded in Paris in 1854, the Maison Louis Vuitton has been synonymous with the art of travel, and its emblematic trunks, luggage and bags have travelled through time. By founding its own publishing arm, Louis Vuitton became a pioneer in the luxury industry. Its books are all centred on travel, and after its City Guides and Fashion Eye photo books, Louis Vuitton has expanded its library dedicated to travel by partnering with Atelier EXB to publish “Extraordinary Voyages“.

The car for people on foot Volvo XC60 with Pedestrian Detection. For everyone’s safety.

GasanZammit Motors Ltd., Triq il-Merghat, Zone 1, Central Business District, Birkirkara CBD 1020 Tel: 27788225 email: volvo@gasanzammit.com www.volvocars.com.mt

HERITAGE

Top left: The main gate is protected by a lunette known as the Couvre Porte. Top centre: St George's Chapel, Manoel Island. Left: The chapel dedicated to St Anthony of Padua, Manoel Island. Above: Fort Manoel. Top right: Fort Manoel Parade Ground.

HERITAGE

THE LAZZARETTO

HONOURING MANOEL ISLAND’S AND MALTA’S HISTORY Manoel Island’s identity is defined by its heritage, which is why the revised MIDI Masterplan honours the island’s history. Through the careful restoration of its historic buildings, the Masterplan will transform the island into a go-to destination. Photography courtesy MIDI plc.

anoel Island stands as a testament to Malta’s rich and colourful past. From its magnificent Fort Manoel to the iconic Lazzaretto, the buildings and sites that dominate the island are of national significance – so, their restoration and conservation are central to MIDI’s revised Manoel Island Masterplan.

PRIORITISING HERITAGE Before any restoration works began on Manoel Island, extensive research needed to be carried out. Previously undiscovered sites of archaeological importance were subsequently revealed, as well as deeper detail about the history of the island’s heritage buildings. Over the centuries, Manoel Island has served Malta’s needs from the military to the sanitary. This varied past remains visible in each of its heritage buildings, which the revised Manoel Island Masterplan sustains and honours in its vision for their integration into the island’s future.

FORT MANOEL Fort Manoel is an architectural gem constructed by the Knights of the Order of St John in the early 1700s when the newly elected Grand Master, Antonio Manoel de Vilhena offered to finance the new fort out of his own pocket. Charles François de Mondion, the Order’s resident engineer, was entrusted with the design of the new fort. Mondion effectively adopted Tigné’s earlier design but added some new and unique features. The foundation stone was laid on 14th September 1723 and works progressed at a swift pace, such that the main gate was completed by 1726. The fort has a symmetrical square layout broken by four corner bastions. A large gun powder magazine was constructed on each of the sea-facing bastions while two low cavaliers joined by a curtain wall provided an added protection to the land front. In 1761 Bourlemaque described it as a model of a fortification, built with great attention and finished with every detail. During WWII, the fort suffered from some direct hits which resulted in significant damage. A long stretch of the land front casemated barracks, the church dedicated to St. Anthony of Padova, and sections of barrack blocks were razed to the ground. Considerable works have already been carried out on Fort Manoel to restore it to its former glory. The Manoel Island Masterplan proposes adapting the fort’s restored buildings into a new arts and cultural centre which will include activities such as museums, interpretation centre, conference centre and other ancillary uses.

Although commonly referred to as a single edifice, the former hospital on Manoel Island is a complex of separate but interconnected buildings, varying in age. The oldest parts are the ground floor of the Lazzaretto terrace, consisting of an arched elevation rising sheer from the sea – the hospital’s most conspicuous feature. The main building took on its present form under the grand masterships of Nicholas Cotoner, Gregorio Carafa and Manoel de Vilhena, and would serve as Malta’s official quarantine hospital in times of cholera, plague and other epidemics for over 250 years. Among the more notable “guests” to have sojourned at the Lazzaretto during this period was the romantic poet Lord Byron, who lodged there on his way back from cholera-ridden Greece in 1811, as well as the young Cardinal Newman. Although the need for a quarantine and isolation hospital subsided greatly in the 20th century, the Lazzaretto continued to be administered by the Maltese health authorities until 1939, when the building was taken over by the British Admiralty and converted for military use during World War II. Although badly damaged and never fully repaired, the Lazzaretto hospital was nonetheless re-opened shortly after the war, admitting its first patients in 1949. However, the departure of the British Navy in the 1970s spelt an end to the Lazzaretto’s use. In view of the present state of the Lazzaretto, the task facing the restorers is considerably daunting. Parts of the original building which were either destroyed or dismantled are scheduled to be rebuilt in line with the original designs. Through the Masterplan, the building will be completely restored and continue receiving visitors for entertainment and hospitality purposes.

THE CATTLE SHED AND BOVILE WAY While people visiting Malta would quarantine at the Lazzaretto, livestock was taken to the Cattle Shed, Manoel Island’s oldest building. The old cattle shed was constructed by the Order of St. John during the first phase of construction of the Lazzaretto. Several new buildings which included stores, sheds and a small church dedicated to St. Rocco were erected on the south side of the foreshore soon after 1643 with further buildings and accommodation constructed in 1647. Despite its poor state of preservation, the building survived and continued to be used for the quarantine of cattle arriving at the Lazzaretto even after 1800. The animals were accommodated at ground floor level while the apartments at first-floor level were reserved for the fodder and cattle dealers. The building envelope remained largely unchanged but occasional interventions were carried out to the building in order to adapt it for the particular needs of the time. During WWII the building suffered substantial damage and most of the roofs collapsed. Little remains of the Cattle Shed’s original isolation pens and walls, or the dedicated walled route that originally connected the building to the docks. The Manoel Island Masterplan aims to reconstruct both to reinstate their memory. The large internal open space of the Cattle Shed lends itself to be used for commercial activities on the island.

THE PAY OFFICE AND GUARD HOUSE Research into Manoel Island’s heritage identified additional cultural assets such as the World War II-era Pay Office and the Guard House. Although these buildings were not previously being considered for retention, the revised Masterplan has safeguarded them and plans to restore them.

A MANOEL ISLAND FOR MALTA By focusing on the heritage assets on Manoel Island, the revised Masterplan represents a new way of preserving Malta’s history for the benefit of its residents and visitors. Using private rather than public funds, Manoel Island’s historical assets will be fully renovated and curated. The revised Masterplan for Manoel Island will blend history with the contemporary world to become a new destination for locals while keeping Malta firmly placed on the world map. For more information about the new MIDI Manoel Island Masterplan, visit www.manoelisland.com.mt 19

EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT

“Our country, our national identity, needs to be characterised by excellence in every single thing we do.”

First Vice President Roberta Metsola

“MALTA IS NOT A SMALL COUNTRY” A few months ago Roberta Metsola smashed through the glass ceiling to become the European Parliament’s First Vice-President and become the highest-ranking Maltese official in the Institution in the process. “The one important message I want to get across is simple but profound: Malta is not a small country. We are as big as our ideas are and we can never allow our geographic realities to limit our potential. We need to support our people to defy geography – because we have the drive, we have the talent – we just need the right opportunities”. Roberta Metsola discusses her role over the past few months, issues facing Malta, the importance of expecting excellence, and the European Parliament. Main photography Rene Rossignaud.

Above: A few months ago Roberta Metsola became the European Parliament’s First VicePresident and in doing so became the highestranking Maltese official in the Institution. Roberta says that the experience was been daunting. "I am grateful to the European People’s Party Group in the Parliament who nominated me for the role and to all the Political Groups, including the Socialists, who backed me for the position unanimously. It is a big moment every day. I think it is a reflection of me as a Maltese woman – that the experience in my country has prepared me for this role." Left: EP Plenary session on Administrative cooperation in the field of taxation.

EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT

hat was that experience like? It was daunting, I am grateful to the European People’s Party Group in the Parliament who nominated me for the role and to all the Political Groups, including the Socialists, who backed me for the position unanimously. It is a big moment every day. I think it is a reflection of me as a Maltese woman – that the experience in my country has prepared me for this role. The role itself is on a different level to what I have experienced before – whether it is replacing the President to chair the plenary session or fill in to chair inter-governmental cross-continent conferences. Suddenly, you find yourself with more opportunities to push forward change. In some respects, there is a generational shift. The President has asked me to be responsible for relations with national parliaments, so a lot of my day is spent with Speakers of different Houses of States’ Parliaments trying to bridge the gap between EU law-making and that on a national level. Other responsibilities include leading the EU’s dialogue with Churches, religious associations or communities, philosophical and non-

confessional organisations. That means I meet with representatives from different religions and non-religious entities alike to get their take on European legislation and to understand their view of the EU’s role as it develops in the future. It is extremely interesting in a continent like Europe to look at how we have evolved and the crucial role played by these entities in Europe’s development. The President has also tasked me with leading our relations with the United States and the transatlantic relationship. With the change of administration in the US, we have seen a more global America reemerge and with it the potential for new trade deals and better cooperation. It is a very exciting time to be involved. The issues facing Malta over the last years have not escaped international attention – how has Roberta dealt with that? My position has always been and will always be, to show the world that the vast majority of Maltese and Gozitans are better than the crooks and to show that people should not judge a country on the actions of criminals – even if some of them pose as politicians. As more and more scandals are exposed, it is ever more important to do that. Malta is not them, Malta is better than them. Most of our businesses do things properly, most of our politicians want to do the right thing, most of the families in the country work hard and play by the rules. So when the privileged few try to bend or break those rules to benefit themselves, of course, we have to stand up. 21

EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT

Above: In November 2020, Roberta Metsola presided over the European Parliament's plenary session, here in a debate on the protection of journalists.

S Above: Roberta highlights that the Conference on the Future of Europe has just been launched. "This is an opportunity for everyone and anyone to let EU policymakers what they want from their European Union." Left: Visting Koperattiva ta' min irabbi l-Majjal, and explaining that I will keep pushing for increased European support and recognition for local industry and businesses. Below: Pictured here taking part in a clean up the world campaign.

tanding up means making yourself more of a target. That comes with the job. It has never bothered me – even in the hyper-partisan world of Maltese politics. I understand that political adversaries will attack when they’ve run out of arguments. But I do think most people, particularly the new generation are turned off by what they see as petty. They see through the partisan bickering. They want real debate, a real battle of ideas rather than a clash of personality or a screaming match. And we need to do better to deliver that. Where does Malta go from here? Our country, our national identity, needs to be characterised by excellence in every single thing we do. Murky mediocrity is not an acceptable standard. I think Malta has potential that is yet unfulfilled. It needs to address the issues that are holding us back. I want to see a Malta where you don’t have to phone up a minister to get what is rightfully yours. Where confidence is given by truly independent institutions, where we make the same demands for open green spaces as some do for blocks of flats. The ambition of private sector investment must be matched by a commitment from the government across the board, where your hands are not tied by red tape. Where we invest in our people, our companies, our police, our teachers, our doctors, our nurses, to fulfill the promise of this country.

Above: Speaking with William D’Amato at the iconic D’Amato Record Shop in Valletta.

EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT

I’m preaching now, but I feel passionate about these issues. How does she deal with criticism that the European Parliament is far away from the people it represents? The European Parliament is the only directly elected European institution. It is where the majority of EU legislation is negotiated and passed together with the Commission and the Council. To give you an idea, most of the laws passed in Malta are first discussed in the EP, so the responsibility on our shoulders as MEPs from Malta is heavy. We have just launched the Conference on the Future of Europe. This is an opportunity for everyone and anyone to let EU policymakers know what they want from their European Union. The EU is an evolving project that has to keep changing if it is to remain relevant to the people it represents. The EU has done and does a lot very well, but I also share many of the concerns that people express about how the EU works in practice – about the red-tape and the bureaucracy – about the focus of the issues that it deals with, and more – so to me this is the way to address those concerns and one that I have high hopes for. This is our opportunity for our businesses, our NGOs, all our people to express themselves and how they want the EU to work for them. It is an opportunity not to be missed. We should not miss this opportunity to put a Maltese and Gozitan stamp on the future of Europe. Are people losing faith in the European project? The statistics show the opposite. I think it is because we need to stop thinking that Europe is some mythical, far-away entity. Malta is Europe and Europe is Malta. And yes we absolutely need to make sure that we drag this EU project closer to the people.

Above: Roberta Metsola with Manfred Weber, Leader of the European People's Party in the European Parliament since 2014. Right: Often, with back to back meetings, a quick break is a welcome pause in a hectic day and a genuine Maltese ftira does the trick. Below: In an interview with Radio 103. Bottom: Roberta at home with her husband Ukko Metsola and their 4 children.

Published in collaboration with the European People’s Party Group in the European Parliament.

ENVIRONMENT

“We have to recognise that every breath of air we take, every mouthful of food we take, comes from the natural world. And if we damage the natural world, we damage ourselves. We are one coherent ecosystem. It's not just a question of beauty, or interest, or wonder - the essential ingredient of human life is a healthy planet.” Sir David Attenborough

This page: In a secret South African reef, filmmaker Craig Foster snorkels to meet a small octopus. Photograph Tom Foster. 24

ENVIRONMENT World Environment Day was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1972 to mark the opening of the Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment and is held each year on June 5. It is one of the principal vehicles through which the United Nations (UN) stimulates worldwide awareness of the environment and enhances political attention and action. The world's oceans play a key role for life on Earth. According to the UN, they are “the lungs of our planet, providing most of the oxygen we breathe, (as well as) a major source of food and medicines and a critical part of the biosphere.” World Oceans Day was first introduced in 1992 to raise awareness of the crucial role the sea plays, and was officially recognized by the UN in 2008. It is observed on June 8. To mark World Environment Day and World Oceans Day First Magazine is very happy to present this feature on the film My Octopus Teacher, available on Netflix and awarded best documentary at the Oscars.

MY OCTOPUS TEACHER My Octopus Teacher, the tale of an eightlimbed creature and her human companion, was ten years in the making. The documentary began as a personal video project by South African filmmaker Craig Foster to rekindle his connection with nature by observing an inquisitive female mollusk while free-diving near Cape Town. Photography Tom Foster, Faine Loubser, Ross Frylinck and Craig Foster, courtesy Sea Change Project.

ENVIRONMENT

an a human form a relationship with an octopus? My Octopus Teacher is a feature documentary following the story of Craig Foster who, suffering from a loss of purpose, begins a daily diving regimen in the freezing kelp forests at the tip of South Africa in order to re-energize himself. What he discovers below the water’s surface is a deep connection to the natural world in the form of an unusually curious octopus who becomes a healer and grounding force in Foster’s life. This beautiful record of the octopus’s entire life - something seldom achieved in the wild, let alone underwater - was shot over a full year and explores the habits and personality of a strange, undulating creature. He filmed their interactions and became increasingly dazzled by how she could fashion tools from shells, furl herself in ribbons of kelp to avoid detection, outwit a pajama shark and adjust her hunting techniques to envelop crabs, lobsters and fish. Viewers even see her play. The lifespan of a female octopus of the kind Foster met extends to only about 18 months. But that was enough time for him and his fellow directors Pippa Ehrlich and James Reed to be profoundly impacted by her. Beyond intelligent, dextrous and resilient, the cephalopod shares her secret world with Foster as they develop a touching bond. The underwater encounters are literally breathtaking as Foster holds his breath while interacting with the octopus. The octopus shows him things that have never been recorded by science or on film and ultimately redefines Craig’s understanding of the creatures we share our world with. Co-director Pippa Ehrlich thinks that “what’s powerful about the film is the fact that there’s this big South African guy who is telling a deeply intimate story about an animal that is essentially a modified snail. He takes us into this fragile creature’s world and she transforms from an underwater alien into a protagonist that we can really relate to and care about. At a minimum, I think that viewers will make an emotional connection with her, but I really hope that the bigger message that comes through will be an exploration of our own identity and fragility as part of the living planet. We chose - and it was an agonizing decision - not to have any overt conservation narratives in the film, but that message seems to be coming through subliminally. Judges have described the film as ‘political,’ ‘feminist,’ and showing ‘respect for motherhood.’ That really excited me.”

This page: Pippa Ehrlich filming in the Kelp Forest. Photograph Faine Loubser. 26

ENVIRONMENT

“What she taught me is to feel that you are part of this place. Not a visitor. And that’s a huge difference.” Craig Foster

ENVIRONMENT

y Octopus Teacher was filmed in the Great African Seaforest, a giant underwater forest that fringes the shores of Cape Town and stretches north for more than 1000km into Namibia. My Octopus Teacher’s home is a fragile, everchanging wonderland, that provides food and shelter for thousands of species. Some of these animals are found nowhere else on Earth and others are not yet known to science. Kelp forests are found along 25% of our world’s coastlines and are the second most vulnerable marine ecosystem to climate change. The Great African Seaforest is a global treasure, but unlike famous wild places like the Amazon or the Serengeti, hardly anyone even knows that it exists. Foster has said his relationship with the octopus taught him about life’s fragility and our connection with nature, and even helped him become a better father. Rather than letting wildlife interact in front of the camera as is often the case in animal documentaries, for this film Foster becomes one of the cast, and without interfering in the daily life of the octopus, he establishes a relationship of trust with her, allowing her to show him his universe on her own terms. This page: Craig Foster with the octopus. Photograph Ross Frylinck. 28

ENVIRONMENT

“Unknowingly I had met the greatest teacher of my life, a young female common octopus, Octopus vulgaris. I visited her den every day for weeks. After a few months she gradually realized that I posed no threat and she began to trust me. I was allowed into her wild inner world and felt as though an ancient door to nature had been opened to me.” Craig Foster

This page: The Kelp Forest, a giant underwater forest that fringes the shores of Cape Town. Photograph Craig Foster. 29

ENVIRONMENT

“She made me realise just how precious wild places are.” Craig Foster

e are part of a living planet. Nature is our life support system and biodiversity is the immune system of the Earth. Seeing our intrinsic interrelatedness to everything around us is a critical first step to protecting the last wild spaces on earth. If we don’t come together and find ways of regenerating the natural world and protecting the wild places we have left, our species, along with millions of others, will become extinct. If an octopus can give up its life for its children, what can we do as humans to ensure a liveable planet for all the generations that will come after us? Change is the biggest solution. True change in the way we are living right now. Not cosmetic changes but life changes. Especially those of us who can afford the choices and make the change. Connect to nature, let the wild enter your heart. If we care about our common future and the common future of our descendants, we should all in part be naturalists. “It’s hard to know why audiences have responded so strongly, but I think that they are resonating with parts of the story that are universal to almost every person on Earth; love and friendship and connection and hope”, says Pippa Ehrlich. “This is deeply encouraging for me as a filmmaker, it demonstrates that despite all the environmental challenges we face, human beings continue to resonate with the awe and wonder of nature.” My Octopus Teacher, available on Netflix. This page: Biodiversity thrives in the Kelp Forest. Photograph Faine Loubser. 30

ENVIRONMENT

albedo

/alˈbiːdəʊ/ noun ASTRONOMY the proportion of the light or radiation that is reflected by a surface; a key way the Earth regulates its temperature

ave you ever worn a dark T-shirt on a sunny day and felt the fabric warm in the Sun’s rays? Most of us know dark colours absorb sunlight and light colours reflect it – but did you know this doesn’t work the same way in the Sun’s non-visible wavelengths? Visible light reflects off light-coloured surfaces like snow and ice, while darker surfaces like forests or oceans absorb it. This reflectivity, called albedo, is one key way Earth regulates its temperature - if Earth absorbs more energy than it reflects, it gets warmer, and if it reflects more than it absorbs, it gets cooler. But this is not always the case for all solar energy wavelengths. In the near-infrared part of the spectrum, surfaces like ice and snow are not reflective – in fact, they absorb near-infrared light in much the same way a dark T-shirt absorbs visible light.

“People think snow is reflective. It’s so shiny,” says Gavin Schmidt, director of NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies and acting NASA senior climate adviser. “But it turns out in the near-infrared part of the spectrum, it’s almost black.” Clearly, for climate scientists to get the whole picture of how solar energy enters and exits the Earth system, they need to include other wavelengths besides visible light. That’s where NASA’s Total and Spectral Solar Irradiance Sensor (TSIS-1) comes in. From its vantage point aboard the International Space Station, TSIS-1 measures not only the total solar irradiance (energy) that reaches Earth’s atmosphere, but also how much energy comes in at each wavelength. Learning more about how solar energy interact with Earth’s surface and systems – at all wavelengths – will give scientists more and better information to model the present and future climate.

This page: In this photo taken from the International Space Station, the rising Sun casts long shadows across the Philippine Sea. Photography NASA. 32

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

PRIORITISING SUSTAINABILITY

Achieving a better quality of life is about finding a balance between just economic growth, a fairer society and envrionmental protection. This can only be achieved through a strong synergy between the three. The main message is clear: what was perceived as a challenge should be viewed as an opportunity that provides growth and a space for innovative ideas to thrive, writes the team at the Sustainable Development Directorate. Photography Kurt Mizzi.

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

alta has been working hard to deliver the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals. So much so that it is drafting the strategy for its Vision 2050, accompanied by the 2030 Action Plan. Malta has been committed towards the implementation of sustainable development and is one of the few countries that has specific legislation, the Sustainable Development Act (Chapter 521). This Act provides the necessary legal framework for the implementation of sustainable development. Subsidiary legislation to further reinforce sustainable development is not excluded. The three pillars of the Sustainable Development are economic, social and environment. These three pillars guide the work that is being done by the Ministry for Energy, Enterprise and Sustainable Development. Under the leadership of Minister Miriam Dalli, the Sustainable Development Directorate believes that achieving the targets and goals on their own, is not enough and therefore it is working to maximise the economic, social and environmental goals in all actions undertaken by Government and the public administration. This is also being done to ensure coherence. By adopting a sustainable development mindset in the workings of government, we can ensure that all entities are working accordingly and towards the same goal. This ensures consistency in decision making and in the implementation where Ministry policies, plans, programmes, and projects, would therefore be formulated in a more holistic manner.

Facing page: The Ministry for Energy and Sustainable Development has launched schemes encouraging households and private investors to invest in renewable energy. Right: Marsascala Family Park – Safe and open spaces are part of sustainable living.

ustainable development is not confined only to the workings of government, but has to be adopted and put into practice also by the private sector and individuals. The ultimate beneficiary of sustainable development is society itself and future generations. It therefore stands to reason that the responsibility of adopting a sustainable development approach is bestowed upon each and every one of us. Thus, the participation of all stakeholders in the development and implementation of sustainable development is essential. The government intends to lead by example by shouldering its responsibilities for increased corporate social responsibility. Policy coherence ensures effective sustainability governance to better incorporate sustainable development into policy and finance, and in that respect capitalise on synergies and benefits across economic, social and environmental policy areas as well as between domestic and internationallyrecognised Sustainable Development Goals. Since the adoption of the 2030 Agenda, the Government has been working on aligning its approaches to policy coherence with the principles and nature of the 2030 Agenda and also develop tools and guidance for implementation in collaboration with the European Union, the United Nations (UN) specialised organisations and agencies, and other stakeholders. An example of this is the proofing being done in the Budget process to see that sustainable development measures are included.

In line with this, the Maltese Government in 2019 embarked on a process to ensure that the budget measures are aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and that a genuine effort is made to quantify their contribution to the 169 targets established as part of the 2030 Agenda. Such a tool provides better transparency, and accountability of Government’s decision-making processes in addressing the maximisation of the three pillars of sustainable development. On the international level, Malta’s achievements are continuously being reported through two major means: the UN SDG Index and Dashboards Report, and the EU SDG monitoring report. Data published in the 2020 SDG Index and Dashboards Report, tracking progress in achieving the SDGs across the Member States of the UN, placed Malta 32nd out of 166 countries. Although it is hard to quantify the work that is being done to support sustainable development, this Ministry’s commitment remains that of increasing its promotion and encouraging others to follow suit. Both the public and private sector have implemented, and continue to implement measures, that prioritise and deliver sustainability. We invite you to follow our work and join us in this journey.

PROMOTION can be very easily done through internet banking, mobile banking, and contactless payments. One of the greatest things about going digital, apart from its super convenience, is the reduction in paper usage. Imagine, when with just one simple initiative of switching BOV Internet Banking subscribers to e-statements, we saved over 1 million sheets of paper and 500,000 envelopes every year. Translate this to the number of trees required to produce paper statements, and all the carbon emissions required to produce, print and deliver paper statements! And then think about how easy it is to reduce environmental degradation by a simple shift from traditional to digital banking!

As the earth breathed a sigh of relief, people realised how much they needed the earth and scrambled to make a difference.

BANKING ON GREEN

At Bank of Valletta we understand the importance of our role in calling for a greener and more sustainable earth. More than that, we know the urgency to act. Through a multi-pronged approach, we’re constantly developing low-cost green financing products, digitising our internal and customer processes, reducing our carbon footprint and encouraging our people, customers, and partners to take up a green stance in their daily routine, be it at the office, at their homes or outside. HELPING CUSTOMERS MAKE GREEN CHOICES

urning our homes into environment-friendly hubs may well turn out to be an expensive investment, calling for a considerable financial outlay that could discourage people from opting for a green and sustainable lifestyle. Our low-cost and affordable energy loans support consumers in their transition from carbon dependence to greener alternatives by providing financing with zero processing fees, low variable interest rates and interest rate subsidy for the first years. These loans can cover costs of installation 36

and external connectivity of equipment and fixtures that generate renewable energy and promote energy efficiency such as PV panels, solar water collectors, space heating and cooling, as well as numerous measures including insulation and EV charging stations.

MAKING BANKING GREEN

sing physical cash can be harmful - think of the processing required, the long paper trails, the handling and transportation. Today most of our financial and banking requirements

RUNNING ON GREEN

unning a company requires massive amounts of energy literally and physically! So, internally we focus on clever energy and water usage, waste management, recycling, and emission reduction. We ramped up our use of renewable energy to reduce our energy consumption, installed hundreds of photovoltaic panels on our buildings and energy-efficient lighting systems that eliminate electricity wastage. We are now gradually replacing our car fleet with hybrid vehicles. Rainwater is collected in a reservoir at our Head Office to be recycled and reused. Our policies embrace green procurement commitment that integrates environmental considerations into all stages of the purchasing process, from avoiding unnecessary purchases to identifying greener products, green specifications in contracts, electronic billing, and whole life costing. We ensure as much as possible that our ethos is acted upon along the value chain because together with our partners we will achieve so much more green wins.

ACTING ON GREEN

ur people engage on regular green challenges to take a stand for the planet. Recently we launched the Go-Green initiative where we encouraged our staff to analyse their unit’s operations and identify areas

where they can reduce the negative impact on the environment. The results were substantial. One unit switched physical product information guides to electronic, and in the process saved over 1,500 printed sheets of paper every month. Another department transformed itself into a completely paperless office and now has self-appointed sustainability champions to ensure that the day-to-day office processes remain paperless. Our ‘Go Beyond the Hour’ campaign saw great enthusiasm by BOV staff who took up the challenge and completed various environment-friendly tasks, involving family members in the process. From balcony gardens to growing food from vegetable scraps and games and decorations from recycled material, the concept of reduce, reuse, recycle and upcycle featured very high on their agenda. Moreover, the challenge winners donated their prize fund to their favourite green causes. Every little action helps in this fight for protecting our planet. Our ESG vision drives us, our employees, suppliers, customers, and key stakeholders to work hard towards meeting the UN Sustainable Development Goals for climate action, cleaner oceans, and a sustainable life on land. We have one chance and together we can do so much to ensure a greener and more sustainable world. All loans are subject to normal bank lending criteria and final approval from the Bank. The term of the loan must not go beyond retirement age. Terms and conditions are available on www.bov.com. Issued by Bank of Valletta p.l.c., 58, Triq San Zakkarija, Il-Belt Valletta VLT 1130. Bank of Valletta p.l.c. is a public limited company regulated by the MFSA and is licensed to carry out the business of banking in terms of the Banking Act (Cap.371 of the Laws of Malta).

#HomeEnergy AFFORDABLE SUSTAINABLE ENERGY BOV HomeEnergy Loan

Be part of a sustainable future. Invest in energy solutions for your home with BOV’s affordable HomeEnergy Loan.

Talk to us | 2131 2020 | bov.com All loans are subject to normal bank lending criteria and final approval from the Bank. The term of the loan must not go beyond retirement age. Issued by Bank of Valletta p.l.c., 58, Triq San Żakkarija, Il-Belt Valletta VLT 1130. Bank of Valletta p.l.c. is a public limited company regulated by the MFSA and is licensed to carry out the business of banking in terms of the Banking Act (Cap. 371 of the Laws of Malta). | COM 2411

EERE Malta is co-financed by the Republic of Malta, the European Union under the European Regional Development Fund.

ENVIRONMENT

Waste Management and Circular Economy

Creating Tomorrow’s Eco-Warriors

If it's true that you reap what you sow, then investing in learning experiences that spark students’ engagement is key to arming them with the knowledge and skills needed so that they can deliver and manage a better environment, writes the team at WasteServ.

ne such challenge that needs immediate action is environment sustainability, in particular, sustainability within the waste management sphere. Teaching the young generation about complex environmental issues such as climate change, natural resource depletion, energy consumption, pollution, deforestation and loss of biodiversity, to name but a few, is important to instill awareness and a pro-environment behaviour that will inspire them to act. This is what WasteServ aims to do with the recently announced project that will enhance its present Visitor’s Centre in Marsascala with an interactive

learning experience for children of different ages and accompanying adults. The announcement made earlier this month will see the Centre transformed into an ECOHIVE Academy, where children can learn about waste management and circular economy in a fun and engaging way. This new educational centre will be divided into different zones that will mirror the four new waste management plants that will form part of the ECOHIVE project. Each of these zones will help students understand what happens to the items that have so far been considered as ‘rubbish’ to be thrown away, and how they will now start being processed at the new WasteServ’s facilities and turned into resources.

play on words, this Academy will be a source of inspiration for students willing to champion environmental stewardship. Walking through the different zones, children and adolescents will be presented with different problems that need to be solved before they can move on to the next zone. This problemsolution approach is meant to teach children to think critically about waste management with a focus on real-life applications. Students will be collecting points from the various activities throughout the experience. By the end of it, they would leave the Academy as ecowarriors ready to start their mission to reduce, reuse and recycle, and contribute to a better future. Having a memorable experience whilst at the Academy is important

An 'Eco-Bubble' will act as a 'teaser' and 'motivator' for students entering the ECOHIVE Academy.

for a positive learning outcome. That is why this interactive educational centre, will be complemented by the use of interactive technology such as virtual reality and assistive technology, and augmented reality games to create a long-lasting user experience. By requiring their active participation and sparking their engagement, students will be more likely to gain knowledge about the issues surrounding waste management and circular economy. In turn, such knowledge will shape their behaviour, help them make more informed choices and ultimately motivate them to shift their personal habits for the benefit of the environment. However, this new educational centre will go beyond teaching students about waste management. It will also impart other skills

The second half of the 'Eco-Bubble' will show the proper balance of rural and urban when waste is managed properly. A presentation on the ultimate objective of a circular economy will set an achievable goal.

ENVIRONMENT

Being close to an arterial road linking Marsascala to Zabbar, the ECOHIVE Academy's location will give visibility to the EcoHive concept.

essential for succeeding in tomorrow’s world where students will also learn to investigate and define problems, as well as, analyse, reason, and develop their own conclusions, and solve problems. This will give our teachers, and parents alike, the confidence to take children to experience this dynamic, interactive learning centre. Although work on this centre is still to start once the tendering process wraps up, WasteServ has already embarked on a proactive approach to engage future generations from a very young age. Besides the talks it offers in schools for all age groups, WasteServ has launched a new website dedicated to kids - ecohive.com.mt/kids. Here, it introduces its two superheroes - General Buzz and Commander Yellow - whose

mission is to protect the environment from the Garbage Monster. These three characters will also form an integral part of the ECOHIVE Academy with the two superheroes working tirelessly to save the environment by stopping the Garbage Monster from generating waste. On this website, children can also follow the online monthly comic with stories revolving around these three fictional characters that take children on many great adventures while teaching them about the environment and waste separation. We plan to have children imaginatively involved within this experience that would see them leave the Academy as superheroes, like General Buzz and Commander Yellow, as they spread the word for proper waste management to their friends and family.

As the visitors enter the Academy, each individual goes through a 'Cadet Enrollment' which involves the creation of an 'Avatar' which collects points from the various activities.

WasteServ has launched a new website dedicated to kids – ecohive.com.mt/kids. Here, it introduces its two superheroes – General Buzz (right) and Commander Yellow (left) – whose mission is to protect the environment from the Garbage Monster (centre).

There are more initiatives in the pipeline with the sole aim of developing a sense of respect and caring for the natural environment in children from such a young age and empower them to make positive choices.

We invite you all to follow in the footsteps of General Buzz and Commander Yellow and make it your mission to keep our natural world healthy, our economies productive, and our communities vibrant.

Although ECOHIVE Energy's purpose is to extract a useful resource out of garbage, one must still be careful not to convey the message that it is right to generate trash since it will be converted to energy. This station has been designed to escalate the importance of being mindful about waste generation and disposal as a primary source off which the 'Garbage Monster' will draw its power.

HEALTH & FITNESS

H RE OW YO D RI U U T DE S R C O K E M S EN O F TI A

We all know that exercise is good for our physical health, and engaging in moderate to vigorous physical activity in midlife can also reduce dementia risk. Aerobic activity not only helps us to maintain a healthy weight and keep our blood pressure down, it also promotes the growth of new neurons, particularly in the hippocampus, the area of the brain most responsible for forming new memories. although these factors may not stop Alzheimer’s disease, they can allow us to live longer in good cognitive health. In my mind, that alone is worth a resolution to lead a healthier, more engaged lifestyle.

Many people do not want to think about dementia, especially if their lives have not yet been touched by it. But a total of 9.9 million people worldwide are diagnosed with dementia each year. That is one person every 3.2 seconds. This number is growing: around 50 million people live with dementia today, and this number will rise to over 130 million worldwide by 2030. You do not have to wait until you are 65 to take action. In the absence of treatment, we must think of ways to protect our brain health earlier. What better time – than now – to learn how to reduce your risk of dementia, whatever your age, asks Nicole Anderson Associate Professor of Geriatric Psychiatry, University of Toronto. Photography Roberto Nickson. 41

HEALTH & FITNESS We all know that exercise is good for our physical health, and engaging in moderate to vigorous physical activity in midlife can also reduce dementia risk. Aerobic activity not only helps us to maintain a healthy weight and keep our blood pressure down, it also promotes the growth of new neurons, particularly in the hippocampus, the area of the brain most responsible for forming new memories.

STAY SOCIAL AND EAT WELL IN LATER YEARS While the influences of socioeconomic position and engagement in cognitive and physical activity remain important dementia risk factors in late life, loneliness and a lack of social support emerge as late life dementia risk factors. Seniors who are at genetic risk for developing Alzheimer’s disease are less likely to experience cognitive decline if they live with others, are less lonely and feel that they have social support. You have heard that you are what you eat, right? It turns out that what we eat is important as a dementia risk factor too. Eating unrefined grains, fruit, vegetables, legumes, olive oil and fish, with low meat consumption - that is, a Mediterranean-style diet - has been linked to lower dementia rates.

Leading an engaged, healthy lifestyle is thought to increase “cognitive reserve” leading to greater brain resiliency such that people can maintain cognitive functioning in later life, despite the potential accumulation of Alzheimer’s pathology.

my work at Baycrest’s Rotman Research Institute, I address cognitive, health and lifestyle factors in aging. I investigate how we can maintain our brain health, while reducing the risk of dementia as we age. Currently, I’m recruiting for two clinical trials that explore the benefits of different types of cognitive training and lifestyle interventions to prevent dementia. There are three dementia risk factors that you can’t do anything about: age, sex and genetics. But a growing body of evidence is discovering early-life, mid-life and late-life contributors to dementia risk that we can do something about - either for our own or our children’s future brain health. Before going any further, let’s clear up some common confusion between Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. Dementia is a term to describe the declines in cognitive abilities like memory, attention, language and problem-solving that are severe enough to affect a person’s everyday functioning. Dementia can be caused by a large range of diseases, but the most common is Alzheimer’s.

RISK FACTORS IN EARLY LIFE Children born at a low birth weight for their gestational age are roughly twice as likely to experience cognitive dysfunction in later life. Many studies have also identified a link between childhood socioeconomic position or educational attainment and dementia risk. For example, low socioeconomic status in early childhood is related to late life memory decline, and one meta-analysis identified a seven per cent reduction in dementia risk for every additional year of education. Poorer nutritional opportunities that often accompany low socioeconomic position can result in cardiovascular and metabolic conditions such as hypertension, high cholesterol and diabetes that are additional risk factors for dementia. And low education reduces the opportunities to engage in a lifetime of intellectually stimulating occupations and leisure activities throughout life that build richer, more resilient neural networks.

WORK AND PLAY HARD IN MIDDLE AGE There is substantial evidence that people who engage in paid work that is more socially or cognitively complex have better cognitive functioning in late life and lower dementia risk. Likewise, engagement in cognitively stimulating activities in midlife, such as reading and playing games, can reduce dementia risk by about 26 per cent.

henever I present this type of information, someone invariably says: “But my mother did all of these things and she still got dementia”. My father earned a bachelor’s degree, was the global creative director of a major advertising firm, had a rich social network throughout adulthood and enjoyed 60 years of marriage. He passed away with Alzheimer’s disease. My experience with my dad further motivates my research. Leading an engaged, healthy lifestyle is thought to increase “cognitive reserve” leading to greater brain resiliency such that people can maintain cognitive functioning in later life, despite the potential accumulation of Alzheimer’s pathology. Thus, although all of these factors may not stop Alzheimer’s disease, they can allow people to live longer in good cognitive health. In my mind, that alone is worth a resolution to lead a healthier, more engaged lifestyle. Originally published on The Conversation.

DIABETES, DEMENTIA AND ALZHEIMER'S Besides being debilitating in itself, Type 2 diabetes has been consistently associated with an increased risk of dementia, including Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia. "Although there’s still no cure, researchers are continuing to develop a better understanding of what increases a person’s risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. A recent study (published in the British Medical Journal) that looked at 396 studies has even been able to identify ten risk factors that are shown to increase the likelihood of developing the disease," writes Mark Dallas, an Associate Professor in Cellular Neuroscience at the University of Reading. One of the risk factors is diabetes. "The study found diabetes was associated with higher incidence of Alzheimer’s. As diabetes makes our body unable to properly regulate insulin, this changes both the way our brain cells communicate and our memory function - both of which are disrupted in Alzheimer’s disease. Insulin is essential, as it regulates the metabolism of carbohydrates, fats and protein by helping blood glucose absorb into the liver, fat and muscles. Alzheimer’s disease appears to disrupts the brain’s ability to react to insulin." The World Health Organisation recommends limiting 'free sugars' to less than 10% of our total energy intake, an amount which equates to around 12 teaspoons a day for an average adult. Kieron Rooney, a Senior Lecturer in Biochemistry and Exercise Physiology at the University of Sydney writes that "research does not show that sugar causes dementia. But there is emerging research that suggests high-sugar diets may increase the risk of developing the disease. What we can say is that there is a link between high-sugar diets and dementia, but we don’t have evidence to show that one causes the other." He continues to write that: "A 2016 New Zealand study of post mortems on human brains assessed seven different regions of the brain. The researchers found that the areas of greatest damage had significantly elevated levels of glucose (sugar). Healthy cells don’t usually have elevated levels of glucose.... This was also found in a separate analysis of post-mortem brain and blood samples from Baltimore in 2017. Using blood samples collected from the patients over a 19-year period before they died, the brain glucose concentration at death was found to be highest in those with Alzheimer’s disease. What’s more, this glucose level had been slowly increasing for years. The levels of blood glucose were not indicative of diabetes. So otherwise healthy people could have rising levels of glucose in the brain well before any obvious signs of disease prompt any action. Together, these studies tell us that the brains of people with Alzheimer’s disease struggle to metabolise sugar for energy. The changes in the brain seem to be linked to persistent increases in blood glucose over a long period of time. And the damage to brain cells is occurring well before overt symptoms of Alzheimer’s appear. We don’t know if simply consuming high amounts of sugar results in the build-up of glucose in the brain. But other research also supports this theory."

Diabetes Care Malta has one of the highest rates of diabetes in the EU - this makes it a very National Priority.

What is Diabetes? Diabetes is a medical condition that aﬀects the body’s ability to produce and use insulin, resulting in high blood sugar levels. Uncontrolled diabetes can result in organ damages. Routine monitoring of blood sugar levels and HbA1c levels are a key part of understanding the risk of developing diabetes or diabetic complications. HbA1c is a measure of glycated haemoglobin, it identiﬁes the average blood glucose concentration over a period of around two to three months and serves as an overall marker of diabetes control. People with poorly managed diabetes are at an increased risk of blindness, heart attacks, amputation, strokes, kidney failure, Alzheimer’s disease and impotence. Controlled HbA1c levels is correlated with a lower risk of diabetes complications.

how can i know if i’m at risk? The HbA1c test is also used to diagnose pre-diabetes. Pre-diabetes is a condition where blood sugar levels are high but not high enough to be considered as diabetes. Early detection of pre-diabetes and healthy lifestyle choices allows for the slowdown of disease progression and improve the quality of life. Good diabetes care and management is an essential part of keeping healthy. Keeping track of blood glucose can help in the management and prevention of diabetes. Brown’s has packaged a number of diagnostic tests to assess your health and diabetic status. The diagnostic tests measure:

Fasting Blood Glucose HbA1c Blood Cholesterol

Blood Triglycerides Blood Pressure Body Composition Analysis

A simple ﬁnger prick test gives immediate results which allows the pharmacist to provide professional advice. Routine blood tests are important to keep track of the overall wellbeing. Monitoring and controlling blood pressure and cholesterol essential for diabetes care. Uncontrolled blood pressure and cholesterol levels increase the health complications related to diabetes. The pharmacist can play an important role in diabetes care by screening patients at high risk for diabetes, assessing the patient’s health status and adherence to standards of care, providing advice on lifestyle changes, educating patients to empower them, referring patients to other health care professionals as appropriate, and monitoring treatment outcomes.

WE ARE HERE TO HELP! Available at all Brown’s Pharmacies by appointment. BrownsPharma www.browns.pharmacy customercare@brownspharmacy.eu

PROMOTION

s a general term, dementia refers to the decline of mental abilities, often caused by a brain disorder. The most common cause of it is Alzheimer’s disease, which is a progressive brain disorder resulting in memory loss, foggy thinking and communication issues. Changes in personality and behaviour, as well as mood swings, are common for people who suffer from dementia. At Casa Antonia and The Imperial care homes, we are conscious that we cannot change a person affected by dementia. Instead, we offer understanding, patience and compassion to our residents. We support our residents with creativity and flexibility to help them navigate their environment in their changed circumstances. Our approach is based on two decades of experience and family values. Our commitment is to help our residents engage with their environment in our care homes. We chaperone them for walks in the garden where they can enjoy fresh air and the wonderfully landscaped greenery. Our outdoor areas are also suitable for games and social activities. Keeping in mind that music is considered to be the universal language of humanity, we believe in the power of enjoying amicable tunes, and on a regular basis, we play our residents’ favourite music to help evoke their most precious memories. Understanding the importance of fine motor movements, our activity coordinator has designed craft classes to engage our residents both physically and mentally while they create crafts and memorabilia in a socially pleasing environment. At Casa Antonia and The Imperial, group activities are especially important. We organise exercise and dance sessions several times a week to help our residents – dance being an excellent mixture of music enthusiasm and physical exercise. Beyond providing room for them to socialise, we also organise social games to ensure that our residents can enjoy the time they spend at our care homes.

ST GEORGE’S CARE

EXCEPTIONAL SUPPORT FOR RESIDENTS WITH DEMENTIA Caring for people whose abilities are undermined by dementia, caused by Alzheimer’s or other diseases, is challenging for their families and caregivers alike. As dementia interferes with daily life, St George’s Care makes exceptional efforts to support its residents and their families through these difficult times by ensuring the best possible care in the Casa Antonia and The Imperial care homes, writes Kulsoom Mushtaq, SRN, Dip. Ger, Nursing Manager at The Imperial. Photography Jonathan Wrigley. 44

elebrating joyous moments in life is our special focus. We come together to celebrate birthdays, wedding anniversaries, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day and additional religious and social events. We also regularly organise entertaining events with live music, as well as cinema nights. Family, relatives and friends can visit our residents in our care homes at any time that is suitable for them. Lastly, but most importantly, we offer continuous, ongoing training and education to our caregivers and nurses, with a special emphasis on sundowning; a state of confusion occurring in the late afternoon and spanning into the night. As sundowning is often triggered by a shift, as staff are leaving and arriving, we ensure that such activities occur in a sensitive manner. In these periods, we pay attention to engaging our residents with activities. The Imperial and its sister home Casa Antonia offer excellent, encompassing care and service options to suit one’s particular needs. To arrange a visit or for more information phone on +356 2149 6277. We look forward to welcoming you and your treasured family.

A UNIQUE LUXURIOUS CARE HOME IN THE HEART OF SLIEMA The Imperial is an exclusive and professionally managed nursing and residential home located at the heart of Sliema where we adopt the Casa Antonia values and principles established over the past 20 years. We provide personalized care to residents, encouraging independence, dignity and respect, and enabling residents to lead a full and active lifestyle. Tastefully decorated in a traditional style, the home houses single rooms, double rooms and suites with 6,000 square meters of facilities including: • a state-of-the-art wellness centre; • a heated indoor hydrotherapy swimming pool; • a three-storey underground car park; • a coffee shop; • a hair and beauty salon; and • an onsite convenience shop.

At the Imperial we will support you and advise you in making the best decision for you or your loved one. Whether you are completely independent or require round the clock care, we will tailor your stay with us to your specific needs. Ultimately, what we want is for our residents to live happy, healthy and independent lives with us. Our dedicated team is waiting to meet you so why not contact us today to make an appointment to come and view our beautiful home.

GETTING THE CARE YOU DESERVE

SPECIAL INTRODUCTORY OFFER AVAILABLE UNTIL 30TH JUNE

For more information: info@theimperial.com.mt The Imperial, Rudolph Street, Sliema, SLM 1279 | 2145 6440 | www.theimperialmalta.com.mt A member of St George’s Care Limited – LIVE LIFE WITH US

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SEAN SCHERER’S

KABINETT & KAMMER CREATING AUTHENTIC INTERIORS

As a child, Sean Scherer never lived in the same house for more than a few years. His parents were into DIY ahead of their time and spent most of their weekends visiting open houses. With his mother’s interest in interior design and his father’s hobby of home renovation, Scherer’s family was always on to the next home-renovation project. “Because it was the only way of life I knew, it seemed perfectly reasonable, and besides, it was exciting and fun. I was able to see firsthand and at a very young age the potential for physical transformation and the power of creating transformative spaces.” “In this book, Sean Scherer shows us all how to create unique sanctuaries for ourselves... Imaginative spaces that are authentic and honest, designed to be lived in and loved”, writes Anderson Cooper, in the foreword. Each photograph is a lesson on colour and texture, focal points, and room size. Though styles fluctuate and tastes are unique, the principles of design are immutable, and good design is good design. Photography William Abranowicz, courtesy of Vendome Press. 46

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“The artist is a collector of things imaginary or real. He accumulates things with the same enthusiasm that a little boy stuffs his pockets. The scrap heap and the museum are embraced with equal curiosity. He takes snapshots, makes notes and records impressions on tablecloths or newspapers, on backs of envelopes or matchbooks. Why one thing and not another is part of the mystery, but he is omnivorous.” Paul Rand, Art Director (1914-1996)

Left: Custom wallpaper, created from enlargements of photographs of the early blue transferware in the cabinet, covers an entire wall in this living room. The blue is picked up in the denim sofa and the two toile-patterned throw pillows. Right: A grand Victorian-era museum sofa mimics the circular cast-iron staircase.

ean Scherer’s Kabinett & Kammer is equally a celebration and a guide to both collecting and showing how lively design can integrate disparate objects into beautifully layered ensembles. Scherer’s interiors feature vintage display cabinets housing discarded collections of whittled songbirds, stunning 19th-century maps and school teaching aids, ferns in cast-iron planters, and photomurals. The effect is a supercharged nod to American Gothic, heightened by Scherer’s sophisticated palette and sense of proportion. His interior language speaks with a calm authority coupled with a zest for life, offering invaluable lessons for composing signature, comfortable interiors.

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Above: A comfy blue living room is the perfect spot for reading and entertaining. When filled with family and friends, it comes to life. Below: In a converted firehouse, the ground floor has been transformed into a kitchen. A few large pieces, including an antique store counter that serves as an island and a tall file cabinet, add scale and counterbalance the ornate spiral staircase.

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Above left: A collection of steamship prints hung gallery-style keeps this seaside guest bedroom on theme. Above right: Flags make historical and incredibly colourful backdrops. Below: Sean’s mother was a collector, and by watching her reorganize and repurpose, he fell in love with the process. Add pictures, mirrors, and three-dimensional objects like taxidermy to add more depth and interest to the storyline - texture over texture, pattern over pattern.

hink graphically, writes Sean. “Tell a story with texture. Walls are waiting for a creative application. Papering is one of the most accessible - from store-bought wallpaper to newspaper and pages of books. Virtually any kind of ephemera can be appropriated. They all create a great sense of visual texture and elicit many emotions. Once applied to the wall, their graphics create a surface too.

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Above left: Aquamarine walls enliven the entryway of this 19th-century house. Above right: A display in Sean Scherer's shop, Kabinett & Kammer, that combines a cheerful pink cabinet with an Italian tole rose branch, a porcelain chicken, and a bicycle poster. Left: Even sparse accent colours, like the yellow pillows, green candles and green-painted chairs, can have a significant effect in an otherwise crisp white dining room.

ayering is key. Start with the wall as a ground and build out. Add pictures, mirrors, and three-dimensional objects like taxidermy to add more depth and interest to the storyline texture over texture, pattern over pattern. Quilts, carpets, and any other type of weaving can be layered over decorative wall surfaces to striking effect. Any item with a timeworn patina, even a tiny tabletop tin box, can give a room a jolt of tactile warmth. For floors, think worn rugs over worn rugs. I often start with a room-size natural rug such as sisal or seagrass, and then layer vintage carpets over it. You can cover a whole floor in a patchwork of smaller rugs for an incredible and soft textured explosion. When you incorporate patterned furnishings on top, you further expand the narrative of the room.”

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Above: A stately library designed by Scherer combines soothing green tones with a taxidermy bear.

ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTORS Sean Scherer studied at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and the Independent Study Program of the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York. His paintings have been shown extensively in North America and Europe. In 2002 he moved to the Catskills, where he opened his shop, Kabinett & Kammer, a contemporary curiosity shop of antiques, natural wonders, and art that serves as a visual medical, botanical, and zoological design resource. His art and design work has been featured in the New York Times and elsewhere. William Abranowicz’s photographs are in collections worldwide and have appeared in nearly every major publication. His books include American Originals: Creative Interiors (Vendome). Anderson Cooper is the anchor of the CNN news show Anderson Cooper 360° and a correspondent for the CBS news show 60 Minutes. He is the author of Dispatches from the Edge: A Memoir of War, Disasters, and Survival and The Rainbow Comes and Goes: A Mother and Son on Life, Love, and Loss. Sean Scherer’s Kabinett & Kammer: Creating Authentic Interiors. Foreword by Anderson Cooper, photography by William Abranowicz. Published by Vendome Press. Hardcover, 208 pages, over 200 colour illustrations, 23.5 x 30.48 cm.

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MAJESTIC CARRARA “I found Rome a city of bricks and left it a city of marble.” Augustus, 63 BC - 14 AD

MAJESTIC

CARRARA UNVEILING THE DIVINE There are approximately 300 marble quarries of the Apuan Alps in northern Tuscany. The chain formed out of sea sediments in the middle Triassic period, earlier than the rest of the Apennines, and on a different geological structure. These sediments hardened into limestone, dolomite, sandstone, and shale, and approximately 25 million years ago harsh pressure transformed much of the limestone into the Carrara marble for which the range is renowned. The quarries are beautiful universes of white, at once looking like both snowcapped peaks and lunar landscapes.

This page: Fog rising over the Apuan Alps. Photograph Stefano Zocca. 55

MAJESTIC CARRARA

arrara marble has been used since Ancient Rome and was called “Luni marble”. Pliny, in his Naturalis Historia, writes that the first who “advertised” the beauty of Apuan marble was Mamurra, Prefect of Engineers at the service of Julius Caesar. It was used by the Romans for some of their most spectacular buildings including The Pantheon. It is quarried in the city of Carrara in the province of Massa and Carrara in the Lunigiana, the northernmost tip of modern-day Tuscany. It was also used in many sculptures of the Renaissance including Michelangelo’s Pietà and David. Standing at just over 5 metres, the biblical figure, David, is a masterpiece of Renaissance sculpture, created by Michelangelo between 1501 and 1504. Michelangelo created David from a piece of marble that had been discarded by two other sculptors, Agostino di Duccio - who had planned to make a giant figure of a prophet for one of the buttresses of Florence cathedral, and Antonio Rossellino who abandoned it as being too difficult to work with. When Michelangelo finally got his hands on it, the marble had been waiting for 40 years for him to release David. Sixteenth-century Italian painter and architect Giorgio Vasari wrote of David, “Whoever has seen this work need not trouble to see any other work executed in sculpture, either in our own or in other times.”

Facing page: Photograph Luca Anasta. This page: Michelangelo, David. Galleria dell'Accademia, Florence. Photograph Alex Ghizila. 57

MAJESTIC CARRARA “I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free.” Michelangelo, 1475-1564

n 1497, a young Michelangelo was commissioned by French Cardinal Jean de Bilhères de Lagraulas, who lived in Rome as the ambassador to the Holy See for the French monarchy. There were political motives behind the commission. Following the Italian War of 1494-1498, the climate between France and Italy was severely tense the war had pitted Charles VIII of France, who had initial Milanese aid, against the Holy Roman Empire, Spain, and an alliance of Italian powers led by Pope Alexander VI, known as the League of Venice. However, 1498 brought a new king to France: Louis XII, who intended to amend relations with the Holy See. Cardinal de Bilhères sought to aid this political reconnection with a sculpture, commissioned by a French cardinal, to an Italian artist, for French space, within an Italian basilica. It was also meant to act as his funerary monument. The Cardinal commissioned the work when he was 70, on August 27th 1498 and died the following year on August 6th, just before the work was complete. The contract states “that Mestro Michelangelo, statuary of Florence... shall at his own proper costs make a Pietà of marble; that is to say, a draped figure of the Virgin Mary with the dead Christ in her arms, the

figures being life-size, for the sum of four hundred and fifty gold ducats in papal gold (in or papali)” and that the said work “shall be more beautiful than any work in marble to be seen in Rome today, and such that no master of our own time shall be able to produce better.” When Michelangelo completed the Pietà in 1499 he was 24 years old. He sculpted his masterpiece from a single block of Carrara marble, which he claimed was the most perfect block of marble he had ever worked with. He also claimed that he could “see” the sculpture within the marble itself and that it was his job to merely remove the excess in order to free the image inside. Being extremely hands-on, Michelangelo became involved at ground level at the marble quarries in Carrara and Pietrasanta, as he planned his sculptures. He spent long stretches of time on-site personally selecting marbles, giving precise orders on the sizes and shapes of the quarried blocks which gave life to his masterpieces. His first stay dates back to autumn 1497 when the then twenty-two years old Michelangelo reached Carrara on horseback to procure the marbles necessary to sculpt the Pietà. This would be the start of a close relationship with Carrara, and he maintained contracts with numerous marble excavators and quarry cutters for years.

MAJESTIC CARRARA Facing page: Night work at the Carrara quarries. Photograph Luca. This page: Michelangelo, Pietà. St. Peter’s Basilica the Vatican. Photograph Stanislav Traykov, Wikipedia Commons.

MAJESTIC CARRARA

ntil the 19th century the process of extracting marble remained little changed since Michelangelo’s time when a series of ‘modern’ techniques, including explosives, were experimented with. Today oxen and chisels have given way to tractors and diamond-toothed saws, but although mechanical means are used, the work is still very physical. Marble is a carbonate rock and Carrara marble contains, on average, about 98% of calcium carbonate, together with small percentage of silica, magnesia, dolomite and residue. Colouring in marble is a result of the intermixture with other minerals present in the limestone as it is converted to marble by heat or intense pressure. The

veins, stains and colours of the marble are due to the presence of impurities (such as iron oxide, sand or clay) which alter the natural white colour of the pure marble. The word marble (marmor in Latin) derives from the Greek marmáirein, which means to shine or to sparkle, and through the ages it has been appreciated for whiteness, purity and shine. The prize yield from Carrara quarries through millennia has been Statuario, a pure white marble. Bianco Carrara as well as Bianco Venatino and Statuarietto are by far the most common types with more expensive exotic variations such as Calacatta Gold, Calacatta Borghini, Calacatta Macchia Vecchia, Arabescato Cervaiole and Arabescato Vagli quarried throughout the Carrara area.

MAJESTIC CARRARA

This page: Dramatic view across the Carrara marble quarries in Tuscany. Photograph Megan Andrews. 61

RESTORATION Antonello Gagini (1478–1536) was an Italian sculptor of the Renaissance, mainly active in Sicily and Calabria. Antonello was a member of a family of sculptors and artisans, originally from Northern Italy, but active throughout Italy, including Genoa, Florence, and Rome. The family includes his father Domenico (1449–1492) who was also a sculptor. Antonello had five sons who were sculptors: Antonio (or Antonino), Fazio, Giacomo, Giandomenico, and Vicenzo. Antonello was born in 1478 in Palermo, where the Gagini family had settled in 1463. Antonello is said to have aided Michelangelo when, in the course of a visit to Rome in 1505-6, he worked under his direction on the decorative sculpture of the tomb of Pope Julius II in San Pietro in Vincoli, a project now known for the statue of Moses. One of Antonio Gagini's most notable works is the decorated arch in the Capella della Madonna in the Santuario dell'Annunziata in Trapani which he completed in 1537. Antonello also completed decorative ecclesiastical sculpture in the area of Messina. A large collection of his works including an Annunciation, Madonna with Child, Madonna of the Snow and the Appearance of the Cross to Constantine are now in the Palazzo Abatellis in Palermo. He worked also at the Cathedral of Palermo.

RESTORING ANTONELLO GAGINI’S 1504 MADONNA AND CHILD Situated behind the main altar of the Observant Franciscan Ta’ Giezu Church Rabat for several decades, Antonello Gagini’s 1504 Carrara marble Madonna and Child has recently undergone a restoration intervention. This May it was returned to the church and placed on the second altar on the north aisle where it was originally intended to be viewed when the church was rebuilt in the mid-18th century writes Dr Charlene Vella. Photography Ramon Portelli, courtesy Prevarti Ltd.

ntonello Gagini's 1504 Madonna and Child is an Italian Renaissance white Carrara marble statue that was purposely ordered for the newly built church of Ta’ Ġieżu in Rabat dedicated to the Nativity of the Virgin, which was constructed in the late 1490s in the Gothic style. It was commissioned on the 23rd of February 1504 in Messina directly from the Palermitan sculptor Antonello Gagini, 26 years before the Knights of the Order of St John came to Malta in 1530. The artist, an exact contemporary of Michelangelo, was only 26 years old when he executed this sculpture. The work is an important artifact not only for being the oldest in the possession of the Order of Friars Minor in Malta, but also because it is the much-venerated object that gave the church its name, Santa Maria di Gesù and which Grand Master Fra Philippe Villiers de L’Isle Adam worshipped before during his many stays with the Franciscans.

Right: While traces of several pigments have been noted on the side and back of the sculpture, upon cleaning these same areas, more pigment was discovered hidden beneath a layer of plaster. Gilding was also discovered on the Madonna and Child’s hair.

RESTORATION

he 1504 order lists all the details related to this commission. The Franciscans had specifically requested for the sculpture to have the Madonna holding the Christ Child in her left arm, with a flower in her right hand. It was also to have blue and gold wherever necessary. The statue was commissioned together with a marble pedestal that today survives in the national collection, at MUZA in Valletta. The pedestal has carved reliefs showing the stigmatization of St Francis on the front, and flanking it are two threequarter length figures of St Francis and the patron saint of the Maltese islands, St Paul. It was to cost 20 uncie, and to be completed by June of that same year. While traces of several pigments have been noted on the side and back of the sculpture, upon cleaning these same areas, more pigment was discovered hidden beneath a layer of plaster. The cleaning also revealed blue stylised floral motifs on the Madonna’s mantle, which must have been gilded, as well as an ornamented hemline on the Virgin’s mantle. Gilding was also discovered on the Madonna and Child’s hair. This reveals the elaborateness of the sculpture and that no expense was spared in its commission. The Madonna survives with three missing fingers. More damage has been sustained to the sculpture at an unknown point in its 500 year history, such as chips to the folds on the Madonna’s mantle, the Child’s fingers on the blessing right hand being broken off, and the Madonna’s head – which was completely detached from the rest of the sculpture and repaired with two metal rods. This project was studied intensely by Dr Charlene Vella and final year Art History student Jamie Farrugia. The sculpture was subjected to cleaning tests, intense photographic documentation, tests under UV and Gamma rays, as well as 3D scans which are available on sketchfab.com. The project was made possible by the collaboration with Dr Charlene Vella from the Department of Art and Art History at the University of Malta and thanks to funds obtained from the Majjistral Action Group Foundation under the LEADER Programme 2014-2020. The funding was made available through the Majjistral Action Group Foundation Measure 1: Restoration of Assets and Sites of Artistic and Cultural Value. All documentation, scientific analysis, cleaning, conservation and restoration have been entrusted to Prevarti Ltd. Professor Timmy Gambin from the University of Malta Department of Classics & Archaeology will be carrying out the 3D scan of the marble sculpture.

Left: Antonello Gagini’s 1504 Carrara marble Madonna and Child from the Observant Franciscan Ta’ Giezu Church.

A MAN OF ACTION Listed by Politico Europe as one of the 20 MEPs to watch in 2020, Member of European Parliament, Alex Agius Saliba was also described as a key player in the EU Digital Arena. Although this past year has been challenging for everyone, the work to push forward initiatives that improve the lives of the Maltese has been ongoing by MEP Alex Agius Saliba. Indeed, he was also recognised as a finalist for the MEP of the year award, in just the first year of him representing our country in the European Parliament. As part of the Socialists and Democrats Group in the European Parliament, the political group which Malta’s Labour Party is part of, Alex has been working on multiple areas including the digital and disability sector. Photography Gabriel Cassar. Applauded in his capacity as an IMCO rapporteur on the Digital Services Act, Agius Saliba was also recognised for his efforts at improving the functioning of the Single Market. In continuation of the work done in the digital sector in his first year as MEP, Agius Saliba is at the forefront of ensuring that this sector is fairer and more considerate to all European citizens as we move towards a postCovid 19 Europe. As the newly appointed Chair of the European Policy Committee for Digital Platforms, he is leading the way in drafting new policy ideas which target platforms such as Facebook and Twitter to make sure that users of such sites are secure and not being targeted for their own personal data. In late 2020, following the initiative and work done in his first year as an MEP on this issue, the European Parliament overwhelmingly approved a report penned by Alex Agius Saliba calling for the right to digitally disconnect. The right to disconnect will allow workers to disconnect from work and refrain from engaging in work-related communication, such as emails or other messages, during non-work hours. Being actively involved in the digital sector also means embracing and tackling new

technologies that are still new and becoming more important as the years progress. As a Member of the Special Committee responsible for digital and artificial intelligence, Alex is one of the key voices in making sure that artificial intelligence is a tool that respects fundamental human rights and also making sure that the digital transition is a smooth and effortless one. Through the vast subjects that MEPs delve into, Agius Saliba has been vociferous in the sector of disability and ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to live their life to the fullest. As the appointed Rapporteur on the protection of persons with disabilities, he pushed forward a report which shows that discrimination because of disability, both direct and indirect is still a negative experience that many still experience to this day. It is essential that people with disabilities should be protected against all forms of discrimination and should be able to enjoy the same rights as all of us. Alongside this work, Agius Saliba was also appointed as President of Hearing Health Forum EU, a forum that raises awareness at an EU-level of the importance of hearing health as well as the cost of non-treatment for severe

hearing loss. While hearing loss is a common disability, more awareness should be given on the challenges that exist, especially during Covid-19, which has proven to be a very difficult time for these individuals. In the European Parliament, Alex has been the voice of many. He has spoken freely on how unjust it was for Maltese patients who were unable to access legal medicinal cannabis for a month. Indeed, this prompted him to launch the European Medicinal Cannabis Alliance, an alliance of MEPs which seek to introduce a set of harmonised standards for medicinal cannabis across all EU Member States. While more people are opening up to the idea of using medical cannabis to treat and aid in various conditions, this progress is clearly being slowed down by the different regulations and conditions regarding medical cannabis found in each of the 27 Member States. These stark differences make it much harder to cooperate and move forward together for the benefit of our citizens, issues which this alliance seeks to address. His recent appointments include him being appointed as the S&D Coordinator in a reform process of the European Parliament plenary, a very crucial role which will push forward ideas on how the EU plenary will work after Covid19, in an effort to ensure that Parliament is more resilient and effective and better prepared to deal with future crises. Alex is committed to continue working on various initiatives along with other ideas to ensure a more equal and just EU for Maltese citizens, and to be your voice in the European Parliament. www.alexagiussaliba.com

AUCTION

“People call me the painter of dancing girls. It has never occurred to them that my chief interest in dancers lies in rendering movement and painting pretty clothes.” Edgar Degas

Degas and His Dancers

Writing in his diary in 1874, the French writer, book publisher, and literary and art critic Edmond de Goncourt wrote: “Yesterday I spent the whole day in the studio of a strange painter called Degas. Out of all the subjects in modern life he has chosen washerwomen and ballet dancers... it is a world of pink and white... the most delightful of pretexts for using pale, soft tints.” This June Christie's London will offer two of Degas' work – Danseuse Rose and Femme Sortant du Bain. The works explore two of Degas’ most enduring themes – the dancer at rest and the woman bathing. Photography courtesy Christie’s.

dgar Degas’ Danseuse Rose and Femme Sortant du Bain will feature in Christie’s 20th and 21st Century June Evening Sale. Together, they represent Degas’ exploration of two of the themes he found most enduring – that of the dancer at rest and the intimate gestures of a woman bathing. Through the second half of his career, pastel had become Degas’ favoured medium, its materiality allowing him to build up complex layered colour schemes in his compositions. These two works on paper illustrate not only the evolution of Degas’ technique over the course of a decade, reflecting his mastery of the medium, but also the growing importance of working in series within his practice at this time. These two exquisite works on paper offer insight into key themes that Degas returned to again and again in his practice. His fascination for capturing the female form in private moments led him to repeatedly explore the subjects of dancers as they paused or women as they bathed. He presents the viewer with an intimate encounter with the sitters, deftly experimenting with the medium of pastel to create layered surfaces, dense in texture and dappled with light. The theme of the female dancer occupied

Degas intensely during the final two decades of his career, with the artist devoting more than three-quarters of his production in all media to the subject. In compositions such as Danseuse Rose, Degas offered an informal glimpse of life behind the curtain, into a world of incredible athleticism, movement and action, as well as the rare moments of repose and respite between rehearsals or performances. The soft pink tones of the dancer’s costume fill the composition, her voluminous skirt spreading around her in a cloud of colour, capturing the subtle play of light and shadow through the material. Using an array of different strokes to render the contrasting textures of her costume, her skin, and the surrounding environment, Danseuse Rose demonstrates the increasingly bold and experimental nature of Degas’ work in pastel at this time. The pose adopted by the young woman appears repeatedly in sketches and pastels of this period, both on her own and in multi-figure works such as Les Grandes Danseuses Vertes (circa 1898) at the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek, Copenhagen, and Danseuses (Danseuses au Repos) (circa 1898) at the Fondation de l’Hermitage, Lausanne. The large number of works Degas devoted to exploring this pose attests to his persistent interest in the shapes conjured by what seems to be a casual movement.

Left: Edgar Degas, Danseuse Rose, circa 1896, pastel on paper (estimate: £2,500,000-3,500,000). Photograph © Christie’s Images Limited 2021. 67

AUCTION “Beauty is a mystery, but no one knows it anymore. The recipes, the secrets are forgotten.” Edgar Degas

Above: Edgar Degas, Femme Sortant du Bain, circa 1886-88, pastel on paper (estimate: £1,300,000-1,800,000). Photograph © Christie’s Images Limited 2021.

n contrast to his depictions of dancers who are most often engaged in or seen preparing for a public spectacle, Degas’ scenes of bathers present women engaged in an intensely personal ritual. He was fascinated, first and foremost, by their movements, their gestures, the sudden and unexpected sensuality of an open shoulder or a slowly moving arm. In Femme Sortant du Bain the woman’s body is filled with a palpable inner tension, her muscles held taut as she reaches over the edge of the tub and prepares to step out of the water. Bright sunlight falls through the window on the left, creating a delicate play of light and shade along the length of her body, and highlighting the golden tones of her

hair, gathered in a loose knot atop her head. While the female bather is a subject rich with a multitude of art historical precedents, Degas places his women firmly in his own time, creating a thoroughly modern conception of this traditional subject. Edgar Degas’ Danseuse Rose (circa 1896, estimate: £2,500,0003,500,000) and Femme Sortant du Bain (circa 1886-88, estimate: £1,300,0001,800,000) will feature in Christie’s 20th and 21st Century Evening Sale in London on 30 June 2021. The auction will feature masterworks from some of the leading artistic figures of the past century and a half.

DANCE

STEP INTO SUMMER WITH ŻFINMALTA IN VALLETTA’S ICONIC OUTDOOR THEATRE, PJAZ Z A TEATRU RJAL. GIRLS & BOY S, BY AWARD-WINNING CHOREOGRAPHER ROY ASSAF, TURNS GENDER DY NAMICS AND ROLES ON THEIR HEAD IN A PERFORMANCE THAT IS AT ONCE PLAY FUL AND PROVOCATIVE. PHOTOGRAPHY ASCAF, COURTESY OF ŻFINMALTA.

DANCE

“A white, straight, male choreographer. This is how some people define me. This human tendency to overgeneralise lies at the core of Girls & Boys.” Roy Assaf, Choreographer

ollowing weeks of intensive rehearsals with Assaf and his team, and a long break from performing on stage, ŻfinMalta’s company dancers will remind us of what it means to experience dance as a live audience. And to make the transition back into shared public cultural venues easier for audiences, Girls & Boys premieres as a collaboration with Pjazza Teatru Rjal, with strict socially distanced seating in the open air. Through the potent language of

choreography, Assaf highlights some of the attributes that make us human and how they are imposed upon the gender binary roles of masculine and feminine. As Assaf describes the work "Five girls in black, on a narrow white floor, dancing a dance, exposing themselves to stubborn cliches of femininity, which appear at every turn. Voices go up to please, to protest, to pacify. Gestures are minimal, flirtatious, as if taken from the catalogue of male fantasy. Kisses are thrown into the air, legs are spread, tushes rock from side to side – like men love. Five boys in black, on a narrow white floor, dancing a dance. Exposing themselves, too. Voices go up to plead, to berate, to pacify. Gestures are temperamental, familiar, as if taken from the cards of human history. Punches are thrown into the air, chests are puffed, legs drilled in a left-right-left march – like men love. Boys can be boys can be girls can be boys, Girls can be girls can be boys can be girls, can be both can be neither and should be respected, regardless. More than a comment on gender stereotypes, or the current fluidity of gender roles, Girls and Boys targets the ‘brainwashing’ of males and females about how they should think, speak, dress and act." Five women and five men are gathered here in a complicated dialogue, with the expectations of society sitting invisibly, mightily, inescapably upon their shoulders." For anyone who was in the mindset of traveling to large cities like Berlin or London for the best of contemporary dance, this production of Girls & Boys is a reminder of the high calibre of work being created right here in Malta through its National Dance Company. “As a repertory company and the National Dance Company, it is critical for ŻfinMalta to expand its repertoire with works by choreographers of Roy Assaf ’s ilk, who are either established or fast making a name for themselves on the international dance stage," says ŻfinMalta's artistic director Paolo Mangiola. "This exposes the company dancers to a range of techniques and influences vital to their own professional development, and brings world-class dance to Maltese audiences.” Roy Assaf has worked independently as a choreographer since 2010, and his impressive CV includes venues and festivals such as Théâtre National de Chaillot, Jacob’s Pillow, Bolzano Danza, Pavillon Noir, Biennale di Venezia, and the 17th Biennale de la Danse in Lyon. He has created new work for the Los Angeles Dance Project (LADP), The Royal Swedish Ballet, Batsheva Dance Company, GöteborgsOperans Dans Kompani, The Juilliard School, Ballet de Capitole, and Staatstheater Mainz. Don’t let this rare opportunity to see Assaf ’s work performed in Malta pass you by. Girls & Boys. Dates: 18/19/20 June 2021. Time: 21:30. Venue: Pjazza Teatru Rjal, Valletta. Tickets: kultura.mt

FRESH COOKING

THE CULINARY ADVENTURES OF 3 CALAMARI AND 3 BAKED PEACHES

At this time of year Mediterranean squid or calamari can be found locally. Although you can find over 300 different species of squid, the Mediterranean squid is considered one of the most appreciated species thanks to its unique and delicate flesh, say the team of chefs at The Mediterranean Culinary Academy. It can be prepared and served in various ways such as in pasta sauces, seafood risotto, fried, oven baked or stewed in tomato sauce. These are 3 favourite squid dishes, perfect for summer, and a fresh recipe for baked peaches to round off a summer meal. Photography and styling Robert Pace and Jessica Zammit.

CALAMARI STEW This dish is slow cooked, allowing the calamari to tenderize as the collagen breaks down, leaving you with a melt in your mouth result infused with flavour. SERVES 1-2 squid 1 each, cleaned 100g onions, chopped finely 100g carrots, chopped finely 3 cloves garlic, chopped finely 50ml olive oil 400g tomato polpa 50ml white wine 2 sprigs thyme 2 sprigs mint, roughly chopped 2 sprigs parsley, roughly chopped 5g fennel seeds 15g currents 10g pine nuts 1tsp lemon zest olives, 5 each

1. Heat a sauté pan over medium heat. Add onions, carrots and olive oil, season with salt. Cook on a medium to low heat until tender, around 5 minutes. 2. Add garlic, fennel seeds, thyme and lemon zest. Season with salt and cook until all the aromatics are fragrant but have not taken on any colour, around 1 minute. 3. Cut crown of the tentacles into 4 equal pieces. Open the mantle and lay flat. Using a knife create cross hatch pattern on inner side of mantle. 4. Cut calamari into bite size pieces. Add calamari to pan 72

and cook off for around 2 minutes on a low heat. 5. Add white wine and olives, reduce by half, then add currents and tomato polpa. Add water to cover calamari fully, bring to a gentle simmer. Cook for around 1 hour topping up water when needed. 6. Season pine nuts with a little salt and a dash of olive oil. Bake at 160°C until golden brown, around 10 minutes. 7. When stew has reduced and calamari are tender add chopped herbs and juice of half a lemon. Mix in well. 8. Serve garnished with toasted pine nuts and lemon zest.

FRESH COOKING

CALAMARI FRITTI Crispy golden rings of tender squid that we eagerly squeeze lemon wedges over and enjoy while they're still hot. Calamari served battered and fried are a classic and favourite Mediterranean summer seafood dish.

SERVES 1 squid 1 each, cleaned 5g salt 1g bicarbonate of soda FOR THE SOAK 100g corn flour 50g white wine vinegar 20ml vodka 30ml water

FLOUR MIXTURE 70g corn flour 30g all-purpose flour 5g baking powder 1ltr oil for frying lemon, 1/2 each

1. Place mantle under two pieces of cling film and pound down using a rolling pin. 2. Cut into rings and place into a container with salt and bicarbonate of soda, mix well. Leave to marinate for 15 - 30 minutes. 3. For the soak, whisk together all ingredients and add calamari. 4. One by one remove calamari from soak, removing any excess. 5. Add directly to flour mix and mix well to ensure even coating. Leave in flour for a few minutes. 6. Preheat a pan full of oil and bring up to 180°C. Add three rings of calamari and fry until golden brown. Remove and place onto an absorbent cloth. Repeat until all calamari have been fried. 7. Serve with lemon wedges and ramekin of mayonnaise for dipping. 73

FRESH COOKING

PROVENÇALE STUFFED CALAMARI Provence, in Southern France, borders the Mediterranean and Italy. This recipe is a take on Provençale sauce, prepared in the style typical of Provence with garlic and olive oil, capturing favourite Mediterranean flavours that we all know and love. SERVES 1 1 large squid, cleaned and skinned 1 garlic clove 2 sprigs thyme 1 sprig rosemary 40g chorizo 3 sundried tomatoes 6 black olives large handful chard/silver beet handful stale bread, torn lemon zest half lemon chili to taste salt to taste olive oil as needed lemon juice half lemon

1. Preheat oven to 160C. 2. Finely chop herbs, garlic, chorizo, sundried tomatoes and olives. 3. Heat oil in a sauté pan on medium heat. Cook chorizo and allow fat to render out until it crisps. Add in bread, stirring occasionally until it dries out and begins to colour. 4. Add garlic, herbs and chili. Cook for two minutes and transfer to a bowl. 5. Cook chard until moisture has evaporated, turn off heat and add to bowl.

6. Trim off wings from squid and if they are large, two inches off the body, finely chop. Heat oil in a sauté pan on high heat. Fry squid for about 30 seconds. 7. Add sundried tomatoes, olives, lemon zest, juice and chopped squid to the rest of the ingredients. Stir to combine and check for seasoning. 8. Using a teaspoon fill squid cavity with filling mixture until two thirds full. Wrap in cling film and foil and place in a roasting pan. 9. Roast for 1 hour until tender.

Serving suggestion: Serve with a variety of summer vegetables. For this dish we paired the squid with Artichoke Barigoule and vegetables brought together by a Pistou. Barigoule is a traditional Provençale dish of braised artichokes in a warm and slightly tangy white-wine broth. Pistou is a Provençale cold sauce made from cloves of garlic, fresh basil, and olive oil. 74

FRESH COOKING

BAKED PEACHES The month of May marks the beginning of the peach season which will peak in July. This simple recipe of baked peaches promises to satisfy your sweet cravings.

SERVES 3 3 peaches, halved brown sugar to taste 200g Biskuttini tal-lewz 2tbsp Maltese honey 1tbsp butter 12 leaves mint, roughly chopped vanilla ice cream, 1-2 scoops per person

1. Preheat oven to 180C. 2. Sprinkle peach halves with brown sugar on both sides. Place baking paper on an oven tray, and bake peaches skin side up for about 10 minutes. 3. Blitz Biskuttini with honey and butter. Stop the blender once you have a consistent but rough mixture. 4. Remove peaches from oven and flip. 5. Place crumble on skinless top of peaches and return to oven until peaches are soft and crumble has browned, about 10 minutes. 6. Once out of the oven sprinkle with mint leaves, and serve warm with ice cream.

These recipes are taken from The Mediterranean Culinary Academy's collection developed by their chef instructors from their workshops and courses available throughout the year. The Calamari Stew and Calamari Fritti are taken from a workshop which is coming up on the 12th of June. For more recipes, or to book a cooking class visit www.mcamalta.com or email contact@mcamalta.com 76

AUCTION “In every work of art the subject is primordial, whether the artist knows it or not. The measure of the formal qualities is only a sign of the measure of the artist's obsession with his subject; the form is always in proportion to the obsession.” Alberto Giacometti

GIACOMETTI’S ICONIC HOMME QUI CHAVIRE Conceived in 1950, and cast a year later, Giacometti’s Homme Qui Chavire pictures a man in the moment before he either falls to the ground, or conversely, rises from the earth to ascend upwards. It is one of the greatest of Giacometti’s now iconic elongated, attenuated figures that emerged after the end of the Second World War, and will highlight Christie's 20th and 21st Century Evening Sale in London this June. Photography courtesy Christie’s.

iacometti’s poetic sculpture Homme Qui Chavire exquisitely demonstrates the artist’s experimentation with form that has become synonymous with his oeuvre. Elongated and caught between the pull of gravity and ascension, the figure embodies the fragility of existence. Giacometti returned to Paris from Geneva in the autumn of 1945, carrying with him just six matchboxes that contained the sum of his wartime work: a group of tiny plaster heads and figures. Back in Paris, he vowed not to let his sculptures diminish in size any further, turning to the practice of drawing continuously in an attempt to model taller figures. Soon after his return to Paris, Giacometti made a revelatory discovery in a Montparnasse cinema. While watching the film he became suddenly and acutely aware of the difference between figures portrayed in fictional images and those experienced in real life. This experience irrevocably altered Giacometti’s sculptural practice. He no longer sought to model an image that corresponded to a memory or to any prior knowledge of what it should or should not look like, but instead became fixated upon the reproduction of the

reality that he could observe in front of him. As a result, when modelling his figures, Giacometti attempted to tackle representation as though for the first time, relying uniquely on his sense of perception, rather than on traditional convention or academic techniques. From 1947 onwards, Giacometti’s figures soared vertically; enlarged and drastically elongated, the clay stretched, modelled and manipulated to its farthest limit as he reduced the human form to its barest components. The poet and art historian Yves Bonnefoy has suggested that Homme Qui Chavire may have been inspired by an accident the artist experienced in 1938, when a car ran over his right foot, crushing it, and knocking him down. Yet, rendering this action with a calligraphic, near-balletic elegance Giacometti has transcended any exact event to create a figure which, with its head thrown back and arms rounding in an expansive arc, inhabits a universal form of human experience and shows how we are all victims of chance. Giacometti's Homme Qui Chavire will highlight Christie’s 20th and 21st Century Evening Sale on 30 June and will be offered with a pre-sale estimate of £12-18 million.

Alberto Giacometti, Homme Qui Chavire (conceived in 1950, cast in 1951, estimate: £12-18 million). Photograph © Christie’s Images Limited 2021.