Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1174220
COMMERCIAL 16 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 6 OCTOBER 2019 FUNDACIÓN MAPFRE has made a new call for applica- tions for grants for a total of 315,000 Euros, open to aca- demic and professional re- searchers and research teams that wish to develop research programmes independently or within the scope of univer- sities, hospitals, companies or research centres that they belong to. The Foundation offers its Ig- nacio H. Larramendi research grants, awarded individually for a maximum amount of 30,000 euros to promote pro- jects related to health, such as, among others, obesity pre- vention, encouraging physical activity, evaluating personal injury, health care manage- ment and clinical safety. These grants are also open to researchers interested in promoting projects related to the challenges of insurance and social protection in the 21st century, who will receive a maximum of 15,000 euros per grant. The scope of this call is worldwide and projects may be presented in Spanish, Eng- lish or Portuguese before Oc- tober 14, 2019. Fundación Mapfre research project grant approaches THE Zero Waste Future, a pro- gramme fully-funded by The Coca- Cola Foundation, is an ambitious programme that aims to accelerate the behavioural change required to make the circular economy and recycling part of people's hearts, minds and everyday routines. Marine litter is an increasing cross-sectoral global challenge with no geographic/political boundaries. To this extent, the Zero Waste Future stall at Science in the City, held in Valletta on 27th September, focused on raising more awareness of the impact that marine litter has on the aquatic environment. Representatives from AKTI Pro- ject and Research Centre, an NGO tasked with the implementation of the Zero Waste Future Programme, together with representatives of GSD Marketing Ltd, interacted with visitors through a number of activities such as 'Fishing for Lit- ter'. The activity was very popular amongst children visiting the stall as it entailed fishing litter out of a pool, followed by an educational conversation about the litter item's origin, its degradation time and its effects on marine wildlife. To further demonstrate the effect of plastic litter on marine wildlife, rubber bands were twisted around the fingers of visitors, who then had to try to untangle themselves with- out the use of their other hand. This creates notable levels of em- pathy for marine wildlife that often end up trapped and tangled in lit- ter. Children also had the opportu- nity to create their own bookmark using recycled popsicle sticks and 3D-printed marine animals, made from recycled plastic bottles. The Zero Waste Future Is fur- ther addressing the serious issue of land and marine litter through an ongoing waste characterization study in Birgu, on-the-go recycling initiatives, educational campaigns in schools and the setup of a mo- bile zero waste stall that engages citizens through information cam- paigns about the importance of disposing and recycling waste in a responsible manner for our benefit and the benefit of all future genera- tions. Zero Waste Future programme tackling marine litter at Science in the City FOR a very long time, business has been oper- ating on the assumption that the integration of global markets would promote political co- operation and the harmonisation of the rules of the world. But we are now living through an unpredict- ed paradigm shift, one in which geopolitics are impacting the global economy and business outlook. The international economy remains strong. But this is the case despite negative geopo- litical developments, not because of positive ones. Once the global economy enters a new cycle, and geopolitical tensions continue to in- crease, this resilience will be stretched to the limit. What does the changing global trade land- scape mean for Maltese companies? In just a few days, EY will convene some of the best local and global thinkers and practi- tioners on the matter to ignite the conversation in a workshop on the Future of Making and Trading. It will help business leaders and policy makers plan for the present and the future. The 15th edition of EY's Malta Attractive- ness Event will take place on 25 October. This year's theme is NextWave and will explore the limitless opportunities for those ready to un- derstand how their business could be doing things differently in Malta and on the global stage. The workshop will also explore whether and to what extent Brexit will impact Maltese companies and our economy. With just weeks to go until the 31 October Brexit deadline, the fate and nature of what will happen is still largely uncertain. Yet with the current indecision surrounding the final deal or no deal, Maltese companies, like those in the EU and UK, cannot make informed decisions. The workshop will bring together a dynamic mix of seasoned public and private sector lead- ers and promises to generate an interesting and engaging debate. Speakers will discuss the latest Malta Attractiveness Survey results on Brexit, the most recent developments in negotiations and what implications these will have for the Maltese economy and its different sectors. The fear and risk attached to Brexit stems from the as yet unknown outcomes. No coun- try has ever left the EU and so the move from the idea to the practice of Brexit remains neb- ulous even at this late hour. Consequently, it is being taken to mean different things to differ- ent stakeholders. Moreover, this is happening while disruption of traditional models of doing business is gurgling away at all levels. Clearly, there are a lot of urgent matters to discuss and come to grips with. For more information and to register, visit ey.com/mt/attractiveness. For queries e-mail events@mt.ey.com. This event will be accred- ited by the Malta Institute of Accountants in accordance with the AB accreditation rules. NextWave: The future of making and trading