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6 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 28 JUNE 2023 NEWS NEWS MALTA Enterprise (ME) and the Malta Film Commission have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), formal- izing their collaboration with the purpose of advancing the Maltese film industry. Signed on Monday by Mal- ta Enterprise Chief Executive Officer, Kurt Farrugia, and the Malta Film Commissioner, Jo- hann Grech, this agreement provides for enhanced cooper- ation and strategic alignment between the two bodies. The primary objective of this MoU is to establish a robust and ef- fective collaborative frame- work, aimed at supporting the initiatives and projects under- taken by the Malta Film Com- mission. ME, being Malta's preeminent economic development agency, is vested with the responsibility of elucidating how film indus- try participants, including film- makers and entrepreneurs, can avail themselves of the busi- ness incentives administered by ME. This joint endeavor will facilitate an updated and com- prehensive database pertaining to these incentives, thereby en- hancing the transparency and accessibility for film industry professionals. As part of the envisaged coop- eration, ME pledges to leverage its vast network to introduce local stakeholders and support the projects undertaken by the Film Commission. Reciprocal- ly, the Commission will furnish ME with marketing materials and offer visibility opportuni- ties at premier events such as the Malta Film Week and the Mediterranean Film Festival. This strategic partnership un- derscores Malta's commitment to enhancing its stature as a leading film and production destination on a global scale. Kurt Farrugia, CEO of Malta Enterprise, said: "This MoU signifies a synergistic union be- tween Malta Enterprise and the Film Commission. We are com- mitted to fostering the growth of Malta's film industry, aiding the expansion of existing oper- ations, and attracting new For- eign Direct Investment." Malta Film Commissioner Johann Grech said "This part- nership with Malta Enterprise constitutes a strategic leap for- ward in our collective mission to champion both local and in- ternational filmmakers in Mal- ta. We are geared to elevate Malta's position the place of opportunities." MoU between Malta Enterprise and Malta Film Commission formalizes collaboration to bolster Maltese film industry Malta Film Commissioner Johann Grech (left) and Malta Enterprise CEO Kurt Farrugia THE National Museum of Nat- ural History, this year celebrat- ing the 50th anniversary since it opened its doors at Palazzo Vil- hena in Mdina, will benefit from an investment of about €300,000 in 2024. In the aftermath of the Second World War and the loss of the National Museum in Valletta, the natural history collections that survived the bombings were not curated at all and many speci- mens were lost to the onslaught of dermestid beetles and other in- sect pests. During the war and the following two decades, the collec- tions were stored at Casa Leoni in Santa Venera. In 1966 the Government decid- ed to house the Natural History Museum inside Palazzo Vilhe- na in Mdina. The site had been closed for ten years, having pre- viously served as a hospital for tuberculosis patients. The resto- ration process to open the muse- um started in 1966. The curato- rial team at the time was headed by Prof. Harry Micallef, a marine biologist, and included Dr Car- melo De Lucca and Dr George Zammit Maempel, respectively in charge of the birds and insects section and the geology and pal- aeontology section. Sadly, both Prof. Micallef and Dr De Lucca had passed away by the time the museum opened to the public in June 1973. Joseph Vella Gaffiero was appointed as Museum Of- ficer to finalise the displays, while Dr George Zammit Maempel re- tained his post as assistant cura- tor in charge of the geology and palaeontology sections, including the Għar Dalam cave and muse- um. Once the 2002 Cultural Herit- age Act came into fruition and the museum changed the direction it was heading towards, the general public's appreciation of its collec- tions increased, as did the collec- tions themselves through several donations. The collections are still growing constantly, which is very encouraging but at the same time exacerbates the problem of lack of storage space. The bird collection alone, which amount- ed to 1700 specimens in the early 2000s, nowadays comprises more than 10,000 exemplars. Today the National Museum of Natural History is the most popular her- itage attraction for families with young children. It also serves as the repository of the national bio- logical collections, aiding both lo- cal as well as foreign researchers. On the occasion of the muse- um's 50th anniversary, Herit- age Malta has launched a book entitled The National Museum of Natural History: 50 Years in Mdina, A Photographic Journey, compiled by John J. Borg, the museum's Senior Curator. The 50 photos shown in the book may also be viewed at the museum, where they will be exhibited until December. Speaking at the launch of the book and the exhibition, Joyce Dimech, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry for National Her- itage, the Arts and Local Gov- ernment, said that while appre- ciating the biodiversity of the Maltese Islands, we should also acknowledge nature's vulnerabil- ity and assume responsibility for safeguarding our natural and cul- tural heritage. Heritage Malta's Chairman, Mario Cutajar, announced the investment of about €300,000 that the museum will be benefit- ing from next year and said that each cent will reap a greater value if tomorrow's National Museum of Natural History is designed in such a way as to better reflect its new purpose, even through its name. €300,000 to be invested in National Museum of Natural History