Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/337883
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 29 JUNE 2014 38 THIS WEEK ARC Research and Consultancy has recently been set up and is led by Davinia Galea as Manag- ing Director. The company has been appointed as the Maltese partner, the hub for a new Eu- ropean platform, a project initi- ated by the European Festivals Association (EFA), which is a network of more than 100 fes- tivals from 44 countries. The project is co-financed by the European Commission and is called Europe for Festivals, Festivals for Europe (EFFE). It aims to reward European cul- tural and arts festivals for their artistic value, their outstand- ing contribution to European cultural life and their sustain- able impact on societal devel- opment. Each of the European Union's 28 Member States has a hub, its own contact point to promote the EFFE platform. Hub ex- perts will select their country's candidates for the quality Fes- tival Label. A Festival Award for excellence will go to a small number or trend-setting fes- tivals selected by an interna- tional jury. The hub essentially promotes the EFFE platform among art- ists, festivals, businesses and policy-makers, encourages fes- tivals to apply and establishes a group of Festival 'hub experts' to evaluate applications. Speaking to MaltaToday, Davinia Galea specified that "Malta is involved as it is one of the 28 EU countries. Festivals apply, they are evaluated, and festivals are accredited or not accordingly, each country will go through the same process." She added that the EFFE Plat- form is a programme for fes- tivals that are recognised by their peers and the European Union for their outstanding quality. "The label recipients and award winners benefit from increased visibility, new net- working opportunities, further involvement of festivals in the artistic community, and rec- ognition for their outstand- ing values. Festivals that have these qualities will receive the label or award." Galea added that the applica- tion criteria for the festival are rather broad, and that all events are eligible as long as they con- form to a particular set of crite- ria. Namely, they would need to focus primarily on the develop- ment, presentation and/or par- ticipation in arts and culture; have a programme conceived, produced, curated, marketed and presented as an integrated package and occur within a de- fined area/region and within a defined period of time. Ultimately, all applicants who see themselves as festivals that meet the criteria are invited to apply, all genres of the arts are applicable including: visual arts, architecture, digital arts, inter/multidisciplinary, music, literature, photography, design, applied arts, dance, opera, the- atre, film, heritage. A meeting and workshop will shortly be announced for those festivals interested in applying for this prestigious label and award. More information may be found from www.effe.eu or contact the Malta Festival Hub by writing to davinia@arcrc.eu Malta enters into European festivals hub Since we're islands, it's no surprise that gulls turn up regularly. But of the dozen or so species so far recorded, only one breeds: the Yellow- legged Gull (M: Gawwija Prima). It's one of the larger species and is in fact our biggest regular breeding bird. Some pairs build their imsy nests on inaccessible ledges along our many vertical seacli s but the gulls' stronghold by far is Fil a. About 250 pairs breed on that little rock 5m south of mainland Malta, and from ongoing studies that BirdLife has conducted for several decades, the colony is clearly thriving. It helps that Fil a is a strict nature reserve, with access limited only to scienti c study, because that way the birds aren't disturbed much there. In the past the gulls bred more commonly in the seacli s of the main islands but hunters gradually killed o the mainland colonies. Gulls hunt sh and other prey at sea but they also go for anything edible they nd oating around. In recent years they have also started making scavenging trips to the Maghtab land lls. Text Victor Falzon Photo Joe Sultana 410. YELLOW-LEGGED GULL Visit Friends of the Earth's website for more information about our work, as well as for information about how to join us www.foemalta.org. You can also support us by sending a blank SMS donation on 50618070 (€4.66) or 50619223 (€11.65). GREEN IDEA OF THE WEEK 312: VEGGIE BBQ AND PICNIC RECIPES - If you fancy some meat-free inspiration for your next BBQ, party or picnic, get some tasty ideas with these vegetarian and vegan recipes - http://www.pinterest.com/wwwfoecouk/vegetarian- bbq-party/ National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans are the principal instruments for implementing the Convention at the national level. In order to fulfill the Strategic Plan by 2020 NBSAPs must be in place by 2015 at the latest as they are the main national mechanism through which the Strategic Plan will be implemented. Further the target for 2015 implies that, not only are NBSAPs developed through a participatory approach, but that they are used as effective tools for mainstreaming biodiversity across government and society. Specifically, this Target requires Parties to develop or update their strategies and once that is done, they are bound to adopt the strategy into government policy. The requirement to integrate consideration of the conservation and sustainable use of biological resources into national decision-making, and mainstream issues across all sectors of the national economy and policy-making framework, are the complex challenges at the heart of the Convention. COP has adopted consolidated guidance for the development, updating and revision of NBSAPs. In line with this decision, NBSAPs should catalyze a number of strategic actions in countries including: Integration of biodiversity in broader national strategies; Communication, Education and Public Awareness; ensuring availability of information and knowledge for action, including through national CHM nodes; ensuring availability of appropriate tools for implementation; providing capacity building and facilitating access to financial resources; and ensuring monitoring, reporting and review, including identification and use of indicators as appropriate. As part of its national obligations Malta is in the process of implementing an effective and participatory national biodiversity strategy and action plan (NBSAP). Text by Martin Galea De Giovanni Aichi Biodiversity Targets – National biodiversity strategies and action plans adopted as policy instrument Cultural calendar for Maltaculture.com THE Arts Council Malta (ACM) is in the process of collecting data on cultural events that are scheduled for October, November and De- cember 2014. Cultural/artistic event organisers are kindly requested to send details of activities scheduled for October, November and December 2014. Organisers are also kindly re- quested to send a three-line de- scription of each respective event (preferably in English). Please clearly indicate date, time and ven- ue of event. The write-up must be in Word format. All information should reach the offices of Arts Council Malta, 16, Casa Scaglia, Mikiel Anton Vassal- li Street, Valletta VLT 1116 (atten- tion Ms Isabelle Gatt) or by e-mail on isabelle.gatt@maltaculture.com by not later than 8 August, 2014. ACM does not guarantee inclusion of any material that it may receive after this date. For more information, contact Ms Isabelle Gatt on 23 397046 Davinia Galea