Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/534048
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 28 JUNE 2015 38 This Week The list of birds that nest in Malta is embarrassingly short. Well little wonder: a tiny arid spot of land, a sea of noisy people steadily burying every scrap of countryside under concrete and tarmac, and ten thousand trigger-happy men. Not exactly bird paradise. So it's understandable that nature lovers celebrate a success story. One such story seems to be the Collared Dove (M: Gamiema tal-Kullar), a species that just 15 years ago was a rarity here. But in 2003 a pair nested in Mellieħa, after which a colony grew there though it stayed in the same general area, since hunters efficiently shot down young birds trying to disperse to other parts of the country. That chance to spread only came in 2008 and 2009 – two years in which hunting in spring was banned – after which nesting pairs started turning up in other areas, from Kerċem in Gozo to Buskett, south of Rabat. Here's hope that the slender pink-grey dove with the lovely triple-note cooing is here to stay. 460. COLLARED DOVE GREEN IDEA OF THE WEEK 363: FOOD VISION PHOTO CONTEST – For more information about how to participate visit http://www.foemalta.org/links/foodvision The Pontiff has joined a long list of religious leaders, social and environmental movements, youth and labour movements, and indigenous peoples who are addressing climate change with resilience, solidarity and compassion. In a crucial indictment against 'false' solutions to the climate crisis, the Pope warned of the perils of putting 'blind faith' in technical solutions and the financialisation of nature through carbon credits. Pope Francis also warned against the social, economic and environmental dangers of industrial agriculture, such as those posed by genetically modified (GM) crops and pesticides. Pope Francis calls for us to get off the pesticide and techno-fix treadmill that claims to feed the world but in reality is often at the service of finance and consumerism. The real solutions to feeding the world and nurturing our planet are in the hands of small scale food producers. Food sovereignty and agroecology provide us with peoples' knowledge and science and this is where we need to provide support. The Pope has shown impressive and inspiring leadership where many elected leaders have failed. He is both a friend of the earth and of the millions of people in poorer, vulnerable nations whose lives are already being shattered by extreme weather. Addressing climate change is a matter of justice: those who have contributed least to causing the crisis are suffering the greatest consequences. Those who owe the biggest ecological debt, industrialised countries, must now act with urgency and ambition. Dirty corporations that have long abused our planet have driven us to the brink of environmental and social catastrophe. Pope Francis' words meet the surge in popular demand for urgent, ambitious and equitable action to address the climate crisis. In the run up to the critical climate summit in Paris and in its aftermath, politicians must follow his lead, ditch dirty energy vested interests and unleash the massive potential of the clean economy. Visit Friends of the Earth's website for more information about our work, as well as for information about how to join us. You can also support us by sending us a donation - www.foemalta.org/donate Text Victor Falzon Photo Aron Tanti Pope says Climate Crisis is a matter of Justice Postgrad course in film studies aims to create jobs in sector LAUNCHED by the Faculty of Arts at the University of Malta in collaboration with the Malta Film Commission and the Ministry for Tourism, a new MA course in Film Studies aims to consolidate the film servicing industry and strengthen indigenous film production A new Master's course at the University of Malta will aim to cre- ate more jobs within the local film servicing industry, while also ad- dressing the needs of the burgeon- ing indigenous film industry. Launched earlier this week at the Ministry for Tourism, the course will incorporate both theoretical and practical aspects of film, pro- viding necessary training for those interested in working on foreign productions that come to Malta, while also providing a historical and artistic context of the evolution of film for budding filmmakers and scholars. Tourism minister Edward Zam- mit Lewis, whose ministry helped the course financially, stressed that the course is necessary and timely since it addresses the need to have a fully trained workforce, to meet the demands of the film servicing in- dustry and to sustain a healthy flow of it throughout the whole year. "In fact, it's important to note that compared to tourism, the film industry generates an even big- ger economic return, and within a shorter time frame," Zammit Lewis said. Zammit Lewis added that he was glad that this course saw the Uni- versity "opening up" to address con- temporary economical and social realities – a sentiment echoed by University of Malta Rector Juanito Camilleri. Malta Film Commissioner Engel- bert Grech said that the course will also provide tools for local film- makers to create quality films, com- menting that while film servicing was important for our economy, "it is now time for Maltese people to tell their own stories". He added that the course will also be done in collaboration with students from MCAST. Grech ex- plained that a Memorandum of Understanding with MCAST will bind film companies using Malta as a servicing location to employ a percentage of MCAST students as crew members. These will then be funneled into indigenous produc- tions. Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Arts Gloria Lauri-Lucente said that the course will be offered on a flex- ible, part-time basis, and as well as covering a standard range of study units on the history of film, offering a critical and analytical perspective on various genres and movements. There will also be courses of more immediate interest to Maltese par- ticipants, among them a focus on Mediterranean cinema, as well as on Malta as a film location. For the practical side of the course, Lauri-Lucente said that in- ternational tutors will be roped in, among them Fabio Grassadonia and Antonio Piazza, who were lauded at the Cannes Film Festival for their film Salvo, and Gigi Roccati ('Road to Kabul'). Film scholar Ian Christie – known for his work on directors such as Martin Scorcese, Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger – will also be among the tutors, as well as TV series and comic book scriptwriter Alberto Ostini. Encompassing six semesters spread out over two years, the course will be priced at €800 per semester. To ensure individual at- tention for all students, the course will be capped at 15 students per intake. For more information log on to: http://tinyurl.com/ofyjt6w A collaboration between the University of Malta, the Malta Film Commission and the Ministry for Tourism, the new MA in Film Studies will set out to train prospective Maltese film practitioners Tourism Minister Edward Zammit Lewis launching the MA in Film Studies earlier this week