€2.16 Miljun F’fondi Ewropej għad-Djoċesi ta’ Għawdex

Nhar it-Tlieta 8 ta’ Mejju 2018, waqt Konferenza Stampa mmexxija minn Dr Aaron Farrugia, Segretarju Parlamentari għall-Fondi Ewropej u d-Djalogu Soċjali, id-Djoċesi ta’ Għawdex ingħatat is-somma ta’ €2.16 miljun f’Fondi Ewropej biex tinvestihom f’diversi parroċċi u komunitajiet Għawdxin.

Konxja li t-turiżmu kulturali hu prijorità nazzjonali fil-qasam tat-turiżmu, id-Djoċesi ta’ Għawdex, permezz tal-Assoċjazzjoni Kura, qed twettaq pjan biex ittejjeb il-portafoll kulturali tagħha, u tikkontribwixxi għat-tisħiħ tal-prodott kulturali Għawdxi.

Dan jinkludi:

• ir-restawr ta’ seba’ ġawhriet arkitettoniċi li jmorru lura mijiet ta’ snin, fil-qalba ta’ għadd ta’ rħula rurali Għawdxin li jinsabu qrib ta’ xulxin u li huma ffrekwentati ħafna minn eluf ta’ turisti fis-sena;

• ir-restawr ta’ opri tal-arti ta’ valur imprezzabbli f’diversi knejjes imxerrda ma’ Għawdex: il-Katidral fiċ-Ċittadella, il-Bażilika ta’ San Ġorġ fil-Belt Victoria, il-Knejjes parrokkjali ta’ Ta’ Kerċem, l-Għarb, ix-Xagħra, l-Għasri, il-Fontana, il-Qala, u Ta’ Sannat, u l-komunitajiet ta’ Santa Luċija, Marsalforn u n-Nazzarenu, li huma apprezzati ferm mit-tursiti kulturali;

• il-valorizzazzjoni tal-Mużew tal-Katidral fiċ-Ċittadella, li fih bosta opri artistiċi prestiġjużi, fosthom oġġetti tal-papiet li jiġbdu l-ammirazzjoni ta’ dawk li jħobbu l-kultura reliġjuża;

• it-tisħiħ taċ-ċentru kulturali u artistiku tal-Oratorju Don Bosco, li kull sena qed iżid il-popolarità mat-turisti li jattendu għall-wirjiet artistiċi li jinżammu fih.

Il-proġett ta’ €2.16 miljun, li għadu kemm ġie approvat minn fondi tal-EU taħt il-Fond Ewropew għall-Iżvilupp Reġjonali taħt il-Programm Operazzjonali 1 (2014-2020), jinkludi wkoll itinerarju kulturali ta’ dawn it-teżori artistiċi u inizjattivi ta’ reklamar. Stqarrija għall-Istampa [ST/03/2018] EN

THE DIOCESE OF GOZO GRANTED €2.16M IN EU FUNDS

On Tuesday 8 May 2018, during a press conference headed by the Dr Aaron Farrugia, Parliamentary Sectretary for EU Funds and Social Dialogue, the Diocese of Gozo was granted the sum of €2.16m in EU Funds to be invested in various parishes and communities round Gozo.

Conscious that cultural tourism is a national tourism priority, the Gozo Diocese, through it Kura Association, is undertaking a cohesive plan to enhance its diverse cultural portfolio which will contribute towards the strengthening of the Gozitan cultural product by:

• restoring seven architectural gems dating back hundreds of years, located within the centre of Gozitan rural villages close to one another and which are highly frequented by thousands tourists per annum;

• restoring invaluable diverse artefacts within various churches spread across Gozo, namely the Cathedral in the Citadel, Saint George’s Basilica in Victoria, the parishes of Ta’ Kerċem, Għarb, Xagħra, Għasri, Fontana, Qala, and Ta’ Sannat, and the communities of Santa Luċija, Marsalforn and In-Nazzarenu, which are highly appreciated by cultural tourists;

• valorisation of the Cathedral Museum within the Citadel, which houses invaluable objets d’art, including papal artefacts which are the envy of cultural enthusiasts; and

• the strengthening of the Don Bosco cultural arts centre which gains increasing popularity with tourists annually through its artistic performances.

A heritage trail on these cultural gems and marketing initiatives are included in the €2.16m project which has just been approved for EU funding through the European Regional Development Fund under Operational Programme 1 (2014-2020).