Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1544842
4 gozotoday | FRIDAY • 8 MAY 2026 NEWS Malta and Gozo host conference on children and armed conflict MALTA and Gozo are hosting an international conference on Children and Armed Conflict (CAAC), bringing together glob- al partners to strengthen efforts to protect children affected by war, displacement and other forms of violence. The conference, held at the University of Malta's Vallet- ta Campus, focuses on the Children and Armed Conflict agenda as a key pillar of global peace and human security ef- forts. Discussions are centred on improving existing protec- tion mechanisms, addressing emerging risks—including those linked to digital spaces— and developing forward-look- ing recommendations, at a time when more than one in six children worldwide live in conflict-affected areas. On the sidelines of the confer- ence, a series of school work- shops were launched across Malta and Gozo as part of the United Nations Prove It Mat- ter campaign. The initiative is being rolled out in four schools and is designed to encourage children and young people to reflect on peace, dialogue, and universal children's rights. During the workshops, stu- dents discussed the meaning of peace and equality and cre- ated origami doves carrying messages of peace, which will later be exhibited at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. The campaign, led by the Office of the UN Special Rep- resentative for Children and Armed Conflict, aims to high- light the importance of placing children's rights at the centre of international decision-mak- ing. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ian Borg opened the conference at the University of Malta's Valletta Campus, where he said the pro- tection of children in conflict situations is a "core test" of in- ternational credibility, stress- ing that responses to children affected by war reflect commit- ments to peace, international law and human dignity. Speaking during the initiative, participants emphasised that protecting children in conflict zones is essential for building stable and resilient societies, and that education remains a key tool in preventing recruit- ment, violence and exploita- tion. The conference in Malta and Gozo builds on the country's recent experience on the UN Security Council, including its role in leading work on chil- dren and armed conflict and the adoption of Security Coun- cil resolution 2764 (2024). A new participatory solar en- ergy scheme, Pannelli Bla Bejt, has been launched, with 4,000 photovoltaic panels set to be installed across 10 addition- al Water Services Corporation (WSC) reservoirs in Malta and Gozo, opening renewable ener- gy investment opportunities to households without access to rooftops. The project will allow mem- bers of the public to invest in the solar installations once the panels are in place, with around 500 families expected to benefit from a share of the income generated. Each partic- ipating household will be able to invest €6,000 in return for an allocation of eight panels, with projected annual earnings of around €840 over a 20-year pe- riod and an estimated payback period of seven years. Once operational, the instal- lations are expected to gener- ate around four million kilo- watt hours of clean electricity in their first year, reducing car- bon emissions by approxi- mately 1,500 tonnes annually. The scheme is being rolled out across multiple WSC sites, adding to existing photovolta- ic installations at locations in- cluding Fiddien, Qrendi, Ċenċ, Ta' Qali, Bulebel, Ċirkewwa, Lapsi and Pembroke, with fur- ther sites under development. The initiative involves a com- bined €5 million investment, with €3 million allocated for in- frastructure works and €2 mil- lion for panel installation, and is being implemented through collaboration between the En- vironment and Home Affairs ministries alongside the WSC. Speaking at the launch, Envi- ronment Minister Miriam Dalli said the project contributes to Malta's wider transition to- wards a cleaner energy mix and expanding renewable capacity across public infrastructure. Home Affairs Minister By- ron Camilleri said the scheme allows members of the public without rooftop access to take part directly in the renewable transition, describing it as a model that combines environ- mental objectives with finan- cial participation. WSC Chief Executive Officer Karl Cilia said the corporation will manage all technical as- pects of the project, including installation, maintenance and grid connection, with partic- ipating families only required to invest and then receive the generated income. The infrastructure tender for the project is expected to be is- sued shortly, with preparatory works beginning immediate- ly. A public call for interested families will be launched once installation works are ready to proceed, with further details to be published by the WSC in the coming weeks. New Pannelli Bla Bejt scheme opens renewable investment to households without roofs Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ian Borg opened the conference at the University of Malta's Valletta Campus, where he said the protection of children in conflict situations is a 'core test of international credibility The project will allow members of the public to invest in the solar installations once the panels are in place, with around 500 families expected to benefit from a share of the income generated