Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/573382
Events 49 maltatoday, Sunday, 20 September 2015 Zejtun to host 'Zejt iz-Zejtun' event, celebrating olive oil production Żejt iż-Żejtun, the event cele- brating the olive picking season and olive pressing, will be held in Żejtun during the evening of Saturday 26 and on the morning of Sunday 27 September. The Semitic origins of the place name 'Żejtun' signify the fruit of the olive trees and the cultivat- ed olive tree, synonymous with the Mediterranean and popular since biblical times. As the place name indicates olive tree cultivation and its by- products were a prime activity on the south coast of Malta in the Punic and Roman era with Żejtun at its centre. Over the years, especially with the Arab occupation of Malta, at the end of the first millennium, cotton gradually replaced the olive tree. In recent years, olive tree culti- vation, olive pressing for oil and its association with the healthy Mediterranean diet has made a comeback. Żejt iż-Żejtun cel- ebrates and commemorates this past and present tradition. The event organized by the Żejtun Local Council will kick off on Saturday at 7.30pm with the BANDU announcing the event, which will be followed by a defilé of village folk and farm- ers on carts carrying the olive harvest for pressing. Drummers and flag bearers in medieval cos- tume, as well as folk singers and dancers, will be present. Agricul- tural tools, typical agricultural products and folk art will be ex- hibited in the ambience of an old country village and fair. Pride of place will be given to the olive tree. Maltese ftajjar and bread dressed in freshly pressed olive oil will be distributed for free tasting. Olive tress and associ- ated products will be on sale. An audiovisual presentation will fea- ture olive tree varieties and their proper cultivation. On Saturday, important histor- ical and civic sites will be open to the public. A park-and-ride service will be available on Saturday from 7.00pm till midnight from Bulebel Industrial Estate near In- spire. Ample parking space will be provided in Żejtun itself. Live UEFA Champions League on mobile devices from GO GO Sports Premium Interactive TV residential subscribers can now watch UEFA Champions League live on their smartphones and tablets. To do so subscrib- ers simply need to download a free app. GO's UEFA Champions League app provides live text up- dates, in-match video clips and highlights, in-depth statistics and live scores. Live match updates and information on fixtures and standings will also be available through the app. Kurt Camilleri, Chief Commer- cial Officer at GO, said, "Through the launch of TV Anywhere more than a year ago, GO made live TV available on smartphones, tablets and PCs for all its Interactive TV subscribers. All eight GO Sports channels are available on TV An- ywhere. With the all-new UEFA Champions League app, our Sports Interactive TV residential subscribers now benefit from an enriched experience which not only offers live match coverage but also a wealth of other video and in depth content about Eu- rope's premier club football com- petition." The GO Sports UEFA Champi- ons League app is available from iTunes or Playstore across the fol- lowing platforms on both smart- phones and tablets; iOS 7.0 and above, Android, 4.03 and above. Once the app is downloaded, sub- scribers simply need to use their GO Account Number and their GO Interactive TV number, which can be found on any bill. Custom- ers will be able to download the GO Sports UEFA Champions League app on up to two devices per Interactive TV number. More information is available from www.go.com.mt/uefa-cham- pions-league . MEPA to restart popular heritage planning and biodiversity tours this October For the sixth consecutive year, MEPA will be hosting a series of tours aimed at cultivating aware- ness about Malta's heritage plan- ning and biodiversity. Over the years, these monthly Sunday tours have become a popular educational and cultural experience amongst the general public from various walks of life. This year's heritage planning tour will primarily focus around the locality of Hal Tarxien and its whereabouts. Participants will be able to appreciate the way Mal- tese traditional houses evolved throughout the years and under- stand the planning parameters that exist within a typical Urban Conservation Area. The tour will also highlight vari- ous architectural buildings found in and around the Tarxien area including the military prison in Kordin and the modernist church dedicated to Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Fgura. Participants opting for the biodi- versity tour will this year explore the area known as Ras il-Ħamrija, limits of Qrendi. Ras il-Ħamrija, which is a Natura 2000 site along the south-west coast of Malta, is home to numerous endemic habi- tats and species, complemented with various cultural heritage gems and breathtaking views. The public is invited to attend these tours against a minimal fee of €2.50 per person, which will be donated to Caritas. Transport will be provided and will leave from Floriana (in front of the Phoenicia Hotel) at 9:00hrs. The tours will be over by 12:30hrs. For more information about the tours visit MEPA's website www.mepa.org.mt/mepatours. To book a place for these tours, call on 2290 2021/9942 5222 or send an email to: tours@mepa.org.mt. Bookings will be taken on first- come-first-served basis. The dates of the tours are as fol- lows: !"#$%&'(")!%*"+$&,-$.!/01%$ 2%-1%3/!#%45$4-6!$ ("&$4"!7%/0$8$%4#$9(/!/"2-64#$ (/!%4":/$4-6!$ 11th October 25th October 15th November 29th November 6th December 20th December 17th January 31st January 7th February 28th February 6th March 20th March 10th April 24th April ! HSBC Water Programme creates refreshing stream of awareness in summer Nearly 663 million people around the world do not have access to safe, clean drinking water. In some regions, shortage of clean water is leading to conflicts between com- munities. Water is a vital source of life and without it communities cannot exist. These messages were shared with participants at this year's St Joseph Summer Club in Paola, which, for the first time, organ- ised its entire summer schedule around the theme of water con- servation. Running for eight weeks for chil- dren aged 3-12, the programme offered special activities and guest appearances all related to raising awareness about water shortage and water conservation. These activities reached a cre- scendo when the St Joseph sum- mer programme children gath- ered at Pjazza Teatru Rjal and gave a terrific concert. The popular HSBC Water Programme songs, 'Water Life' and 'Catch the Drop' were also presented by the stu- dents of Maria Abdilla's Choir. The concert was free, but the public was encouraged to pur- chase candles in support of Wat- erAid, a beneficiary non govern- ment organisation of the HSBC Water Programme. "I like how the bank supports worthy causes, and the Ghana clip was a particular favourite of mine. It is good to note how other peo- ple's lives are transformed by such initiatives. Above all, I believe the evening served to consolidate our school children's beliefs in ex- tending a helping hand to those less fortunate," said one of the 900 spectators who filled the arena. Glenn Bugeja, HSBC Water Pro- gramme coordinator said: "By 2025, scientists predict that one in five humans will live in regions suffering from water scarcity. As an already water-scarce island, we must do everything in our capac- ity to preserve our water resourc- es. We are incredibly proud that our partnership with St Joseph Summer Club has brought real awareness about the importance of water to a significant number of young students and their fami- lies." Olives, in the traditional wicker basket on the traditional cart A biodiversity tour in progress