Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1535901
4 gozotoday | FRIDAY • 30 MAY 2025 NEWS Gozo Album: A digital treasure of GOZO Minister Clint Camilleri launched the Gozo Album at gozoal- bum.gov.mt, an innovative digital plat- form designed to ser ve as a treasure trove of memories and historical stories from the island of Gozo. Visitors to the Public Service Expo at Ta' Qali were among the first to expe- rience the Gozo Album, which is not merely an online site but a meticulously curated collection of over 1,500 histor- ical photographs of Gozo—some dating back to the 1800s. Camilleri stated, "This ambitious pro- ject, the launch of the gozoalbum.gov. mt website, is the result of excellent col- laboration between the Directorate for Cultural Heritage within the Ministry for Gozo and Planning, the Information Management Unit (the IT section of the Ministry), and the National Archives Section in Gozo. The website features an extensive number of old photo- graphs collected in recent months, paired with current photos taken from the same angles. This allows viewers to see not only how places have changed over time, but also to appreciate the progress made—while evoking a sense of nostalgia among older generations who remember these locations as they once were." Furthermore, Camilleri emphasised the importance of the project, stressing that it must continue to grow through public contribution. He encouraged members of the public who are in pos- session of old photographs to share them in order to help expand the ar- chive. The Ministry noted that it is contin- uously working to "preserve the rich cultural heritage of Gozo while promot- ing innovation and growth. With this project, an innovative and interactive platform has been created to allow the public to explore Gozo's past in a docu- mented and digitally accessible format." Director for Cultural Heritage John Xuereb added, "Through this project, we can not only enjoy Gozo as it once was, but also see how it is evolving over time. A special section of the album, ti- tled 'Then & Now', has been launched to support this. This is a unique project in the Maltese Islands that strengthens both the tangible and intangible herit- age of our country." Key Features of the Gozo Album Include: • Photo Book: A collection logical- ly structured by location, decade, and theme, making it easy to find specific content. • Then & Now: A fascinating fea- ture that allows direct visual com- parisons between historical and contemporary images of iconic places, highlighting the evolution of the Gozitan landscape. • Photographers Page: A tribute to several historic photographers who dedicated their lives to cap- turing moments from the past, in- cluding Michele Farrugia (known as 'il-Badiku'), Richard Ellis, Sal- vatore Lorenzo Cassar, and Guido Stilon. • Timeline Page: A chronological account of Gozo's visual history. Notable examples include photos of the Dwejra Window, with the earliest dated 1890 and another A wartime-era photograph capturing British soldiers in formation during military exercises on Gozo. The disciplined march unfolds along a coastal road overlooking Mgarr Harbour. In the background (Photo: Ino Mario Borg) Photo: MGP