Having arrived in Malta from the Training event in Rome, I learned that I was brought here to now also meet members of my extended family. 

Indeed, aside from my nearest kin that are being funded under ENI CBC Med Programme, I was to meet up with relatives that receive funding from the Interreg Europe as well as the Interreg Italia-Malta Programme.

The event was organized in celebration of projects that involve Maltese entities under these respective EU funding programmes.

In his introductory address, the Hon Dr Aaron Farrugia, Parliamentary Secretary for European Funds, stated that:

I could not agree more with this aspiration. As you can see from this poster, I am firmly rooted to bring along much needed eco-innovation, driven by a process a participatory water governance, and which are jointly destined to deliver sustainable development and economic growth to the Mediterranean Region.

Then the time arrived for the presentation of the award certificates to each of us.  There must be something about my name starting with an ‘A’, as my name was called out first, just like my name appears first among my relatives on this ENI CBC Med website.

​Hon. Dr. Aaron Farrugia presenting AQUACYCLE Award Certificate to IRMCo, Malta

During the coffee break I sneaked out for a rest by the poolside of the resort where the event was held, and left my Maltese representative to follow the training event that followed. The topics of ‘First Level Control system in Malta’ and ‘Quality checks held by the Financial Control Unit’ sounded too daunting a challenge, not least after my several back-to-back journeys criss-crossing the Region.

I much enjoyed watching the presentation of the award certificates again as part of the day’s news broadcast on TVM, Malta’s main national television station.  Keen to hear how the Maltese language sounds? Here is the link to the write-up in English and short video clip of the event, brought by TVM’s wesbsite!