Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/620229
37 Events maltatoday, SUNDAY, 27 DECEMBER 2015 Banif team enjoys Bond Christmas Party Banif Bank held its traditional staff Christmas Party at Fer- retti in Birzebbugia, amid Bond- themed decorations and icons. With backdrops featuring mod- ern-day Craig sets against the beautiful Skyfall landscapes to a certain Mr Connery leaning on his trademark Aston Martin, the tuxedo-clad gents and ballroom- chic ladies had no problem easing into the secret agent swagger. The snazzy Versatile Brass band set the mood with some silky jazz be- fore progressing to upbeat, lively tunes later in the night. "This will be our last staff event this year, besides the Children's Party," said Edward Cachia, mem- ber of the Bank's Sports and So- cial Committee responsible for organising such events. "This past year has been a fan- tastic experience for two reasons. Firstly, because we got a taster of event planning, from the idea stage to the final execution and all the logistics in between… something I don't get to do in my regular job. "Secondly, because we were able to see our team grow stronger and closer thanks to the teambuilding and social events we organised like paintball, a music quiz, a trip to Sicily and of course our Sum- mer and Christmas parties. It's al- ways fantastic when we have peo- ple from different departments and branches who don't see each other that often coming together and hitting it off." Kellogg's marks 15 years supporting 'On The Move' Skolasport Programme The scholastic year 2015-16 marks the 15th consecutive year Kellogg's has been providing its support to the programme 'On The Move' Skolasport, making it one of the longest sponsorship relationships in Malta's sports sector. As evidenced by its numer- ous global sports sponsorships, Kellogg's is a firm believer in encouraging a healthy and ac- tive lifestyle from a young age. For the past fifteen years, over 32,000 participants received training from Skolasport and have been acquainted with the concept that a healthy lifestyle is best achieved through a bal- anced diet and active sports participation. A Kellogg's spokesperson in Malta said, "This is a milestone year. Kellogg's is proud to have been supporting 'On The Move' Skolasport for all these years. Kellogg's believes in the school 's valuable service of developing sport talents among the young Maltese generation. Our spon- sorship further accentuates our commitment towards promot- ing a healthy lifestyle among the Maltese community." Robert Portelli, Head of Pro- grammes, said: "Long standing partnerships are hugely impor- tant to government sports pro- grammes, such as 'On The Move' Skolasport. We are honoured to have enjoyed such a long-term relationship with a globally re- spected brand like Kellogg's." "Following the success of the Horse Racing and Triathlon academies, this year we will be launching four new academies; Gymnastics, Basketball, Volley- ball and Handball. "Held in conjunction with the respective National Associa- tion, 'On The Move' Skolasport participants can develop their talents even further ensuring that all children achieve their potential whilst supporting our vision of upgrading the quality of our programmes even fur- ther," added Portelli. Run by SportMalta, 'On The Move' Skolasport programme covers the development of move- ment and physical exercise. Its main concern is to ensure that all children learn basic move- ment skills, enjoy being active, develop knowledge and train- ing. On the other hand 'On The Move' Skolasport Adult Pro- gramme is designed to encour- age parents and adults to take up a physical activity at least once a week. The programme for both children and adults is f lexible enough to embrace all abilities from the beginner to a trained athlete. This year 'On The Move' Skolasport is offer- ing over 400 weekly sessions in more venues, on more days and a wider range of activities. In addition this year, the pro- gramme has lowered the age such that toddlers as young as one year old can join the parent- and-child classes. These classes aim to strengthen the bond be- tween the child and the parent, and more importantly foster an active lifestyle together from a very young age. At the other end of the age spectrum, 'On The Move' Sko- lasport has been enriched with the 60+ programme with more Pilates, yoga, tai chi, aqua fit- ness, ballroom and line-dancing sessions across the island. This, together with other es- tablished initiatives such as the Walking & Jogging Club and free entrance for swimming at the National Pool, offer an ex- cellent opportunity for the eld- erly to remain active and main- tain fitness. 'On The Move' Skolasport of- fers various programme mod- ules in different venues, includ- ing the Sports Complexes found in Cottonera, Marsa, Kirkop and Tal-Qroqq. Government colleges have also been roped in to reach a wider audience. These include Sta Margerita Secondary School in Cospicua, St Ignatius Second- ary School in Tal-Handaq, St Clare Secondary School in Pem- broke and Maria Regina Second- ary School in Mosta. This year 'On the Move' Sko- lasport has exceeded the number of registrations, reaching an overwhelming 5,400 partici- pants. For further queries one can contact the Programmes Section at SportMalta Office on tel. 22036000 or via e-mail: pro- g r a m m e s @ s p o r t m a l t a . o r g . m t or visit the SportMalta website: w w w.sportmalta.org.mt. Malta Tourism Authority launches 2016 corporate calendar The Malta Tourism Authority has recently launched its 2016 corporate calendar. The chosen theme/concept of the 2016 calen- dar hinges around the traditional Maltese Arts and Crafts. Based on positive feedback received by overseas stakeholders, the MTA has been publishing calendars that open a window onto Malta's rich cultural heritage. Traditional Maltese Crafts have undergone a strong revival in recent years. This is not solely due to their appeal as authentic souvenirs but also because of their high cultural value to the islands. These different crafts have a long history linking them to the various periods of the his- tory of the Maltese Islands. Some of the characteristics portrayed in the calendar in- clude the craft forms of weaving and pottery, which date back to prehistoric times. At the Tarxien Temples, archaeologists found fragments of red-dyed, flax tex- tiles. These fabrics showed that the prehistoric islanders had considerable skills in weaving. Skills such as those of the pot- ter and the basket-maker had a mostly functional rather than decorative purpose. A craft that really flourished under the Knights of St. John was that of work in gold and silver. To this day, Malta's most precious craft production con- tinues to consist of the gilder's work and silver filigree jewelry. Hence the main goal of this cal- endar was to feature a selection of crafts that are very much alive and in practical use in contem- porary Malta. Given the positive feedback received from overseas offices and partners about the 2015 calendar, which focused on the theme of the main characteris- tics of a Maltese village feast, the MTA sought the development of another concept that would yet again promote our rich cultural heritage. "As a Tourism Authority we are extremely pleased that we are promoting the skills and craftsmanship of several Mal- tese artists, with special empha- sis on the South of Malta which has massive tourism potential especially during the off peak season." Commenting during the launch of this calendar, the Malta Tour- ism Authority CEO Paul Bugeja said that, "the concept of this calendar gives us a great oppor- tunity to promote the Maltese Islands and the cultural charac- teristics of traditional Maltese arts and crafts. "Crafts which provide the im- portant link with past genera- tions and lifestyles and the need to relate to historical traditions as we seek to increasingly project those aspects that distinguish us from other tourism destinations and which make a visit to our is- lands such a unique experience" Skolasport participants of the 'On the Move' programme