Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/697149
42 Events maltatoday, SUNDAY, 26 JUNE 2016 Playmobil FunPark outdoor area reopens following €350,000 investment The Playmobil FunPark outdoor, located outside the plant's premis- es in the Hal Far Industrial Estate has reopened its doors following a €350,000 investment by German toys manufacturing company Playmobil. The FunPark was inaugurated on 21 June in the presence of President Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to Malta Gudrun Sräga, and CEO at Play- mobil Malta Matthias Fauser. "Over the years, we are pleased to have been a part of thousands of children's lives, taking an active role in their fantasies and adven- tures. And it is with this in mind that we decided to undergo exten- sive refurbishment to our Funpark outdoor area – to offer our little fans an immersive experience into the world of Playmobil," Fauser noted. Playmobil Malta Ltd is German- owned and has been engaged in the production of plastic toys in Malta since 1971. Today, the com- pany directly employs over 1,000 workers. "Playmobil Malta, one of the largest and longest-standing Ger- man investors in Malta, is proving with this Funpark that creativity and play are not only important elements at the design stage of the product inside the factory but also outdoors! My sincere congratula- tions and thanks for giving chil- dren this great opportunity for active and educational entertain- ment," Ambassador Sräga com- mented. Thanking all who were involved in the project, as well as the media and guests who attended the offi- cial opening, Fauser concluded his speech by noting the importance of spending quality time with the family and encouraged the public to visit the park. President Coleiro Preca said that "The FunPark's refurbishment is further evidence of the confidence shown by this German-owned company in the Maltese economy, and an investment in the people of our islands". The Playmobil FunPark outdoor area (right) is open daily between 10:00 and 18:00. For further in- formation visit www.playmobil- malta.com search for 'Playmobil Malta' on Facebook ALIVE Cycling Challenge donates another record sum for children's cancer research ALIVE Charity Foundation present- ed another record sum of €100,000 to the Research Trust of the Univer- sity of Malta (RIDT) to further the University's specialised programme in cancer research for children. The generous sum was collected by ALIVE cyclists who bravely ven- tured into the gruelling challenge across seven countries in seven days covering almost 160 km every day from the Alps to Sutton in UK. Held at San Anton Palace, the presentation from ALIVE2015 Cy- cling Challenge was presided by President of Malta Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca. ALIVE Charity Foundation Chair- person Nicky Camilleri, on behalf of ALIVE committee and members, participating cyclists, main spon- sor Daikin, all supporting sponsors, and friends, presented the donation to University of Malta Rector and RIDT Chairperson Professor Juan- ito Camilleri. Also present were Par- liamentary Secretary for Research, Innovation, Youth and Sport Chris Agius, Opposition Spokesperson for Local Government, Youth and Sport David Agius, Dr Pierre Schembri Wismayer from the Faculty of Med- icine and Surgery, and Consultant Paediatric Oncologist and President of Puttinu Cares Children's Cancer Support Group Dr Victor Calvagna. ALIVE2015 was held in collabora- tion with Puttinu Cares. On thanking ALIVE Charity Foundation for their generous dona- tion and support, Professor Camill- eri said: "The University of Malta is seeing the fruit of the community's contribution towards the enhance- ment of our cancer research activi- ties. Such contributions like the one of today provide huge support to our talented academics and opportuni- ties for our students who wish to pursue further studies." In three weeks' time, the RE/MAX - ALIVE2016 Cycling Challenge for Cancer will take the cyclists from Croatia through Slovenia, northern Italy to the Vatican City. A gruelling 1100km will be covered in just seven days. Long hours of regular training are being covered by participants in preparation for this marathon. The RE/MAX – ALIVE2016 Cy- cling Challenge for Cancer will be supporting once again children's cancer research. With the support of RE/MAX and Friends Founda- tion, ALIVE will also be converting a large courtyard into an outdoor play area and furnishing an indoor play area specifically for the chil- dren undergoing treatment at the Paediatric Unit within Sir Anthony Mamo Oncology Centre. Dr Schembri Wismayer explained that this year the funding will go towards a Ph.D project to use the initial successes in leukaemia dif- ferentiation, and study its' possible applications in brain cancer re- search. He said: "One can roughly group cancers into two types, those which one can only get as an adult, such as lung cancer, stomach can- cer and melanoma, as well as those one can get both as an adult or as a child, such as leukaemia and brain tumours. "Our laboratory works on immu- notherapy as a method to target the first group of cancer patients, and differentiation therapy as a method to target the cancers which can also occur in children. The idea of these differentiation studies is to develop drugs which make cancer cells grow old and die naturally (differentiate). "Both natural products as well as synthesised chemicals from chemis- try laboratories of colleagues around Europe (through the STEMCHEM consortium) have been tested and a number of successful candidates are being further studied. We have evi- dence that some of these potential leukaemia drugs can also work on other childhood tumours like bone cancers and with this funding, we wish to turn this research also onto brain tumours or gliomas," said Dr Schembri Wismayer. The RE/MAX - ALIVE2016 Cy- cling Challenge for Cancer is being sponsored by RE/MAX and Friends Foundation, Powered by Garmin, Wurth, Tum Invest, Pro Action and Supported by Impressions Ltd, SIS, Wheelwizard, Danusan, Airmalta and the Malta Police Force. Do- nate by sms: 50618081 - €4.66, tel: 50618913 - €6.99, tel: 50619208 - €11.65 University of Malta Rector and RIDT Chairperson Professor Juanito Camilleri re- ceiving the €100,000 donation from ALIVE Charity Foundation. The money was collected by ALIVE2015 Cycling Challenge to further the University's specialised programme in children's cancer research Kia fans make it to France to watch the UEFA Euro 2016 quarter-finals Six football enthusiast players who formed the 'Gilba FC' took part in the 'Kia Champ in the Arena' tournament will be trav- elling to France to watch a quar- ter final game of the UEFA Euro 2016 between 29 June and 3 July. The winners are Ludwig Fardell, Emmanuel Cuta- jar, Marlon Farrugia, Gilbert Camilleri, Gaynor D'Amato and Glenn Bonello. The six friends formed the Gilba FC to compete against 17 other teams in the day-long Kia 5-a-side tourna- ment at the Luxol Grounds in Pembroke. Companies and friends formed friendly football teams to take part in the 'Kia Champ in the Arena' tournament and stand a chance to win the Kia VIP treat- ment to travel to France for the Euro 2016 quarter-finals. The Maltese winning team will also be participating in the World Final Tournament organised by KIA Motors, competing against other winning teams who par- ticipating in a similar tourna- ment organised by Kia in coun- tries worldwide. KIA Motors has been support- ing the EURO for the past 10 years and is one of the 10 global UEFA sponsors and the offi- cial automotive partner for the EURO 2016 being held between 10 June and 11 July in Paris, France. In this respect, Cars international, representatives of Kia Motors in Malta, gave Maltese football enthusiasts the opportunity to get closer to the game by participating in local 5-a-side tournament and stand a chance to win an all-inclusive trip to Paris for the hotly antici- pated EURO 2016. The 'KIA Champ into the Are- na' programme is supported by Air Malta Six Kia fans will be in France to watch a UEFA Euro 2016 quarter final game