Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1512911
maltatoday | SUNDAY • 10 DECEMBER 2023 10 COMMERCIAL The Esplora Christmas Wonderland THIS year, during the Christ- mas period, Esplora, Interactive Science Centre, will be open- ing its doors every evening for a unique experience to be en- joyed by the whole family. The Esplora Christmas Wonderland programme will be bringing together the spirit of Christ- mas with the exciting world of Science and Technology, in a unique way that only Esplora knows how to create. The Esplora Christmas Won- derland programme was offi- cially launched by the Parlia- mentary Secretary for Youth, Research and Innovation, the Honourable Keith Azzopardi Tanti, during an activity organ- ised at Esplora and Villa Bighi in Kalkara. The Hon. Azzopardi Tanti announced how, this year, " ... we will be delivering the subjects of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics in a different way, because for the first time, Esplora is creating this village, where children and adults together will have the op- portunity to experience Science and have fun at the same time, in a warm Christmas environ- ment." The Chief Executive Officer of the Malta Council for Sci- ence and Technology, Mr. Sil- vio Scerri stressed the com- mitment of Esplora and of the Council to deliver quality events for the whole family, especial- ly in Christmastime up to the New Year an beyond. He also expressed his confidence that many people would choose to seize the opportunity to come to Esplora for an educational and entertaining experience, suit- able for all ages, always in the spirit of Christmas. Together with the very pop- ular duo Danusan, the experi- ence will be expanded to a level where entertainment, through music, dancing and singing, will meet science. Especially for this programme, Esplora prepared a trail containing 14 different sta- tions, which starts even before entering Esplora. Upon arriv- al, visitors will be greeted by a special character, The Wise Elf who, through a special device, will remove any sadness and problems being felt by guests before they start their adventur- ous visit. The activities planned will in- clude knowledge-sharing and hands-on experiences on how snow is formed, what Father Christmas does to keep healthy and not to continue getting any older than he already is. Chil- dren will have the possibility to write a letter to Father Christ- mas, and also particpate in a game to train them to enter and pass through home chimneys. This training is given using spe- cial laser beams. They will also discover how Father Christmas manages to deliver all the pre- sents in one night! During these days of celebra- tion and presents, a lot of waste of all kinds is generated. During the programme, information and education about how we can have more sustainable cel- ebrations will not be lacking. The visit continues in the ma- jestic and historic building of Villa Bighi, where a traditional Christmas Village has been set up. As a memento of the visit, souvenir photos will also be tak- en, and then electronically sent directly to visitors. Esplora Senior Director, Olaf Mc Kay, reiterated that this programme is a special and in- novative event that is ideal for the whole family, including chil- dren and adults. He explained how this year, Esplora and the Maltese Council for Science and Technology have come up with this new idea of opening in the evening in a magical and sen- sational Christmas atmosphere, against the background of sci- ence and research, together with the very popular personalities - Danusan. The Esplora Christmas Won- derland programme will be open from Friday 8 December to Sunday 7 January, both dates inclusive, every evening from 6:00pm to 10:30pm, for a unique celebration for the whole family. More details about the pro- gramme can be found on the website - https://esplora.org. mt/christmas-at-esplora-3/ Tickets can be obtained from - https://www.showshappening. com/Esplora-Interactive-Sci- ence-Centre/Esplora-Christ- mas-Wonderland FIMBank announces appointment of new CEO FIMBANK is pleased to announce the appointment of its new CEO, Mr Mohammed Louhab. The ap- pointment has been made effec- tive on the 1st of December fol- lowing regulatory approval. The new FIMBank Group CEO has a significant background within the entities of the KIPCO Group, the Bank's parent company. The KIP- CO Group is a holding company that focuses on investments in the Middle East and North Africa and is one of the largest banking groups in the region. Throughout his career, Mr Lou- hab held a number of senior po- sitions, serving in different capac- ities, most recently as a financial advisor at Burgan Bank, Kuwait and United Gulf Bank, Bahrain for the prior five years. He also serves as a Director on the Board of Tunis International Bank and Gulf Insurance Company. Pre- viously, he was the Chairman of CNEP Bank, the CEO of Trust Bank and AGBank. Before tak- ing up these leadership roles, he worked at the Central Bank of Algeria, where he was involved in banking regulation, credit control and refinancing. Mr. Louhab has a diverse academic background in Banking and Economics. He ob- tained his license in Economy and his Magister in Management from the Institute of Political Studies in Algiers. He also earned his Mas- ters in Banking from the Institut des Techniques Bancaires in Paris. FIMBank's new CEO expressed his enthusiasm for his new role, stating, "I am excited to work with our specialist trade finance and corporate banking team to achieve our common goals. We aspire to be the partner of choice for trade finance and corporate banking in our target niche markets by providing a best-in-class banking customer experience. By doing so, we will not only contribute to the economic development of the re- gions we operate in but also create value for our shareholders." For further information about FIMBank plc please visit www. fimbank.com