Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1470553
maltatoday | SUNDAY • 12 JUNE 2022 12 COMMERCIAL Il-każini – bringing people back together WITH the village festa season about to kick off after a lapse of two years, there is a renewed buzzing feeling of excitement and enthusiasm in the air when you walk into any Każin tal-Ban- da. Religiously, in every locality you will find one if not two or three of these clubs. Spanning over a 150 year period, these Każini, which originally started out as purely local social clubs are today an important part of the community life and cultural fabric of any Maltese village. Il-Każin tal-Banda are not the only clubs we find in our locali- ties. In fact, every town or village is home to an array of other clubs related to a sport, profession, religious organisation, cultural centre or a philanthropic cause. Każini and local clubs are clearly rooted in our community – they know what's needed, how to reach people and how to respond quickly. They provide groups of like-minded people with a place where to develop, network, gar- ner a skill, share their passion or simply serve as a means of com- panionship. The pandemic's effect on Kazini In December 2019, like a thief in the night, covid started ef- fecting the lives and livelihood of many around the globe. Until covid hit our shores, the virus was an inconvenience. But when in the beginning of March 2020, locals started to show symp- toms of the virus things started to change rapidly and robust so- cial distancing measures and the closure of public places by the Public Health Authorities was inevitable. The social and economic costs of the pandemic have been many and varied. While the robust measures had to be introduced to prevent the spread of the dis- ease, these same measures have not spared their consequences. The temporary closure of all so- cial clubs across the Island not only left these voluntary organi- sations without their regular in- come but left local communities experiencing an acute, severe sense of social isolation and dis- engagement. Irrestawra l-Kazin Scheme Over the past months, the Plan- ning Authority (PA) has been at the forefront aiding all local clubs and każini, to ensure they survive the financial difficulties incurred during the pandemic