Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1542275
Nature Notebook FoEM Plant-Based themed month in February - Open Call for Restaurants This February, Friends of the Earth Malta is launching a plant-based themed month, and we're inviting restaurants across Malta to collabo- rate with us. FoEM has partnered with Eat for Impact, a global initiative that brings together cities, local organisations, restaurants, businesses and citizens to make sustainable, planet-friendly dining a reality. As part of their campaign, the NGO is calling on restaurants to join by creating two new, creative, climate-friendly specials for the month. Green idea of the week 1002 Find out more: https://foemalta.org/blog/open-call-restaurants/ Don't miss this Give nature a voice. Become a BirdLife member PEACE Date: 28 December Location: Church of St Augustine, Victoria Gozo, Victoria, Malta After so many World struggles in the past months now it's time to give Peace a chance. Therefore, all those who have Peace at heart are invited to attend this music manifestation for Peace. MYO Christmas Concert Date: 30 December Location: St Agatha's Auditorium, Rabat, Malta The MYO marks the festive season with its annual concert led by Michael Laus. The selection from Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker Suite evokes the holiday spirit, while Dvorák's Slavonic Dance No. 8 blends folk tunes with refined elegance. Camilleri's Notturno and Waltz showcase his Mediterranean warmth and lyricism. The programme concludes with some of Johann Strauss Jr.'s most celebrated classics. A New Year's Toast Date: 1 January Location: Kempinski Hotel, Triq ir-Rokon, San Lawrenz Ring in 2026 with the Gaulitanus Choir, its soloists, and guests under the direction of Colin Attard. This lively concert features a rich blend of classical gems, modern works, and choral favourites—an uplifting celebration of music, artistry, and the promise of a new year. Luna Park Wonderland Date: 4 January Location: Smart City, Kalkara, Malta Get ready for the South's first-ever Luna Park! This December, Shoreline Mall brings the excitement and sparkle of a true funfair to SmartCity - with dazzling lights, thrilling rides, and festive energy for all ages. Dream Welding – An exhibition by Leo Chircop Date: 8 January Location: Malta Society of Arts, Republic Street, Valletta, Malta Portraits daze with their unexpected composition – a body posed in lovely and rueful postures locked in an enigmatic reverie. A crash between traditional painting and the human nude. Bodies glint, oil-like. The sea occupies a transversal position in Chircop's Dream Welding – a series of photographs presented at the Malta Society of Arts in Valletta. Figuring in the background, the sea hinges between subject and object. At once, the skin and the organ of the image. In recent and growing discourse on the posthuman and on critical attention on the blueprint of the body, the sea has proven to be revelatory, along with notions of fluidity and porosity. It has, then, held a definitive position of indefinity. Beethoven & Mahler Date: 11 January Location: Mediterranean Conference Centre, Valletta, Malta Austrian soprano Elisabeth Breuer joins the MPO led by Michael Laus, opening the programme with fiery emotion and vocal intensity in Beethoven's Ah! Perfido. Mahler's Symphony No. 4 takes listeners on a luminous journey of transcendence. With graceful melodies and delicate orchestration, it evokes a childlike view of the world, culminating in a soprano solo that imagines a serene, heavenly life. That "dreadful awful hole" in Pietà Date: 13 January Location: Malta Enterprise, Gwardamangia Hill, Pietà, Malta For nearly two centuries, Villa Frere has captivated visitors with its rich and varied history, and none of its features has stirred more curiosity than the mysterious "dreadful awful hole". Edward Said, founding volunteer of The Friends of Villa Frere, will uncover the story behind this intriguing landmark. Made With Love Artisan Fair Date: 31 January Location: Villa Rundle Gardens, Triq ir- Repubblika, Victoria Celebrate with us at the Made with Love Artisan Fair! Explore a delightful array of handcrafted treasures and unique, heartfelt goods perfect for gifting—or keeping just for yourself. Wander through an atmosphere brimming with creativity, charm, and inspiration, where every booth tells a story. From hand-poured candles and bespoke jewelry to artisanal home décor, local artwork, and one-of-a-kind fashion pieces, there's something special for everyone. Enjoy live music, interactive demonstrations, and tasty treats from local vendors as you shop, mingle, and support passionate makers from our community. Bring your family, friends, and loved ones for a day filled with laughter, discovery, and memories to cherish. 1002. Spanish sparrow SPANISH Sparrows are common and widespread but they too have their charm. The female appears rather lacklustre but the male's quite a looker. Despite the name, Spanish sparrows (M. għasfur tal-bejt) are native Maltese birds. Originally, they nested in caves and cliffs – they still do in some parts – but the cosy nooks and crannies in human structures provided excellent des-res for these intrepid opportunists, so they have largely switched to human hab- itations. Spanish sparrows readily adapt to changing conditions, a knack that has helped them thrive in a human society that isn't always kind to birds. Of the hundreds of photographs of this ubiq- uitous and photogenic neighbour in our image library, I went for one showing a family enjoying titbits on a bird table. In this festive season, bring good cheer also to our feathered friends by setting up something similar in your garden, balcony, yard or roof, and plying it with a nice array of seeds and crumbled cookies, etc. Best wishes. 5 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 28 DECEMBER 2025 ALMANAC Victor Falzon