Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1543191
9 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 11 FEBRUARY 2026 CULTURE New Philatelic Issue: 2026 - The Year of the Horse IN the traditional Chinese lunar calendar, 2026 is the Year of the Horse, a zodiac sign that sym- bolises energy, freedom, strength and forward movement. The Horse is traditionally associat- ed with dynamism, enthusiasm and a spirit of adventure, en- couraging progress and the pur- suit of new opportunities with confidence and determination. People born under this sign are often described as lively, intelli- gent and charismatic with a nat- ural ability to inspire others and a strong will to succeed. The Year of the Horse is believed to favour initiative, travel, creativity and open communication, making it a time when new opportunities arise that can lead to significant personal and collective achieve- ments. The Chinese Lunar New Year is celebrated on 17 February 2026. TO celebrate the Chinese Year of the Horse, MaltaPost will issue a set of two stamps featuring the horse, respectively, within a Chi- nese and Maltese cultural context. The €0.45 stamp was designed by local artist Maria Christina Buge- ja, while the €1.91 stamp was created by Fang Jun from China. This set will be issued in a sheet of 10 stamps, with each stamp meas- uring 35mm x 35mm, a comb perforation of 13.77 x 13.66, and bearing the Maltese Cross water- mark. The sheets measure 98mm x 203mm and were produced by Printex Ltd in the offset process. The issue consists of 500,000 of the €0.45 stamp and 60,000 of the €1.91 stamp. The stamps will be available from all Post Offices in Malta and Gozo from Monday 9 February 2026. Orders may be placed on- line at www.maltaphilately.com or by mail from the Philatelic Bu- reau, MaltaPost p.l.c., 305, Qormi Road, Marsa, MTP 1001; by tele- phone 2596 1740 or via e-mail in- fo@maltaphilately.com Free digital skills workshops this February to help SMES work smarter, hot harder TWO free digital skills workshops this month are set to help individ- uals and people working in small and medium-sized organisations save time and boost productivity through more effective use of dig- ital tools. Delivered by The Foundation for the Promotion of Entrepreneurial Initiatives (FPEI) in partnership with Esplai Social and Edu Play- ground, the workshops form part of EuroDigiVerse – a 13-month European Erasmus+ project fo- cused on closing the digital skills gap that affects SMEs across Mal- ta, Spain and Bulgaria. Small businesses continue to face growing pressure to adapt quickly to digital tools that save time, streamline operations and improve visibility – yet many lack access to practical training that speaks directly to their needs. EuroDigiVerse aims to empower owners, managers and employees at SMEs with the hands-on, acces- sible learning they need to tackle real-world business challenges with digital tools. At the in-person workshop held at Campus Hub on Saturday 21 February, participants will take part in live demonstrations, guid- ed exercises and interactive group discussions based on everyday challenges that small organisa- tions face. Topics include using AI tools for productivity, design basics using Canva, digital mar- keting essentials, simple website development and mastering Out- look and Teams. The day's agenda also includes lunch, with dedicat- ed time for networking and peer exchange. A shorter, two-hour online session will be held on Thursday 26 February via Zoom, offering similar content in a for- mat tailored for online learning. Registration for both February sessions is now open – but places are limited and available only on a first-come, first-served basis. "Many small businesses know digital tools could make their work easier, but they don't always know where to start," says Giselle Borg Olivier, Foundation Man- ager at FPEI. "These workshops are about giving people the confi- dence and practical skills to work smarter, using tools they can put into practice straight away." FPEI's in-person Digital Skills for SMEs workshop will take place on Saturday 21 February at the Għollieqa Shed, Campus Hub, University of Malta, Msida, from 10am–4pm. Advance registration is essential to secure a place at https://forms.gle/PkTiNg2oynx5f- max9. The online workshop will be held on Thursday 26 Febru- ary from 3pm–5pm via Zoom – participants will receive the link following registration at https:// forms.gle/KPtXXgLq4wTxy7Lo9. More information is available at https://fpei.mt/project/eu- rodigiverse-project/. FPEI's two upcoming free workshops are part of an Erasmus+ project designed to help close the digital skills gap for Malta's small businesses