Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1414163
maltatoday | SUNDAY • 26 SEPTEMBER 2021 8 CULTURE Heritage Malta celebrates European Heritage Days with an exciting programme of events Heritage Malta is marking this year's European Heritage Days – which take place in the 50 countries party to the Eu- ropean Cultural Convention – with a programme of exciting events between the 1st and the 3rd of October. There will be guided tours and discussions, special open- ings of closed sites, workshops at UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and an open day at Her- itage Malta's conservation labs – all at a minimal fee or free of charge. This year's shared theme is the celebration and promotion of inclusivity, which fits perfectly with Heritage Malta's own mission of acces- sibility. On Friday 1st October, Her- itage Malta with the collabora- tion of the Mġarr Local Council is organising an event for sen- ior citizens at Ta' Ħaġrat, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Participants will be given a guided tour of the site, with a choice either at 08:30 or at 09:00, followed by a discussion with the site's curator at the Local Council premises. The talk will focus on daily life in the Neolithic period, and the community's involvement in the excavation of the site. Par- ticipation is free but pre-book- ing at the Mġarr Local Council is required. On Saturday 2nd October, Heritage Malta is inviting the public to visit two unique sites which are normally closed for conservation purposes – St Augustine's Catacombs and Abbatija tad-Dejr, both in Ra- bat. Abounding in exquisite ex- amples of rock-cut tombs, both these sites offer a mine of in- formation on the Punic-Roman period and some of the earliest Christian communities on our islands. Tickets at a reduced price of €3, giving joint access to both sites, will be available at the sites' entrance on the day. Heritage Malta members enter for free. Opening hours are from 10:00 to 16:30. On the same day, but on a different island, another in- teresting event will be taking place. Children and teenagers between the ages of 8 and 14 years are invited to visit the Ġgantija Megalithic Temples for the workshop entitled 'Pig- ment and Patterns: Artistic Creativity in Prehistory', to ex- plore the site with a difference. Participants will first be guided through this world-renowned UNESCO World Heritage Site, then led to the Children's Ar- ea in the site's Interpretation Centre, where local artist Vic- tor Agius will explain further on prehistoric art and also of- fer a hands-on art session. Par- ticipants can choose whether to take part in the first session, focusing on canvas painting, or the second session, focusing on 3D art using clay. Admission is free, but reservation at any Heritage Malta museum or site is required. On Sunday 3rd October, Her- itage Malta will be opening the doors of its conservation lab- oratories in Bighi, Kalkara, to the general public. The open day will provide a perfect out- ing where families can spend quality time together while gaining understanding of the importance of restoration and conservation. Visitors will have the opportunity to come up close to prestigious national artefacts and learn about the measures being taken to keep them conserved for future gen- erations. Opening hours are from 10:00 to 15:00. Admission is free. All attendees must wear a face mask and respect social dis- tancing measures. The European Heritage Days in Malta are coordinated by the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage (SCH).