Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/722943
46 Events maltatoday, SUNDAY, 4 SEPTEMBER 2016 Farsons Foundation brings Best of Travel Photographer of the Year to St James Cavalier A collection of stunning im- ages from the international Travel Photographer of the Year awards (TPOTY) is being brought to Malta for the first time by The Farsons Founda- tion. Hosted at St James Cavalier in collaboration with Spazju Kreattiv, the exhibition is be- ing held as part of the inau- gural celebration of the new Beer Packaging Facility at the Farsons Brewery in Mriehel to be held in the coming days. Eighty fascinating travel pho- tographs, which go beyond the usual holiday pictures and pretty postcards, will be ex- hibited in Spazju Kreattiv St James Cavalier, Valletta, from Friday 9th September until 9th October 2016. Patrick J. Fene- ch is the curator of the exhibi- tion. In addition to the TPOTY exhibition, The Farsons Foun- dation is showcasing key mile- stones in the creation and con- servation of Simonds Farsons Cisk 's industrial buildings and heritage. These include de- signs of Farsons' newly built €27 million Beer Packaging Facility (2016) designed by Farsons in-house architect Karl Borg; the €12.5 million Brewhouse (2012) designed by Architecture Project AP; and the Beer Process Building and Tank Farm (1990) designed by UK architectural firm Peake Short and Partners; as well as the re-adaptation of Farsons 1950's buildings into a new Farsons Business Park (2017- 2020) designed by the interna- tional firm of Ian Ritchie Ar- chitects Ltd with the support of TBA Periti. "During the last 88 years, Farsons has built a tradition of investing in quality indus- trial buildings. At The Farsons Foundation, we embrace Far- sons' conservation initiatives and believe in its contribution to the economic and social de- velopment of Malta," said Far- sons Foundation Chairman Mr Bryan A. Gera. "As part of the inauguration of the new Beer Packaging facility, The Farsons Foundation is bringing for the first time to Malta a stunning selection of the Travel Pho- tographer of the Year exhibi- tion, showcasing the intrigu- ing power and beauty of travel photography. We are confident that the public will find this exhibition truly magical," add- ed Mr Gera. Over the years, TPOTY (tpo- ty.com) has grown into one of the largest and most prestig- ious international travel pho- tography competitions. It has showcased thousands of beau- tiful, intriguing, moving and inspirational photographs cov- ering every element of travel and related photographic gen- res. This retrospective, which is TPOTY's first international show outside the UK, com- prises 80 of the very best im- ages from the past 13 years of TPOTY awards. The TPOTY exhibition is held annually each summer in London, and the awards themselves attract many travel photographers, both amateurs and profession- als, from across the globe in- cluding Malta. Each year, the awards showcase images of an exceptionally high standard and unique diversity, ranging from pictures of people, cul- tures and landscape to wildlife and adventure from around the world. Commenting on the TPOTY exhibition in Malta, curator Patrick J. Fenech said: "We invite the public to take their time to read the photographs and understand their contex- tual meaning and also ref lect on the photographer's skills of harnessing light and com- posing the right frame which bring out their creative skills and patience to capture the right moment." Local children practise football - 2015 (Alison Jonas Cardoso Gontijo/tpoty.com) HSBC Catch the Drop promotes vitality of water during World Water Week REPRESENTATIVES from over 200 environmental organisations, government bodies and institu- tions, including HSBC, are con- verging on Stockholm over the next few days for World Water Week (28th August – 2nd Sep- tember). Officials from HSBC are active- ly participating in sessions during the week, including hosting a spe- cial event in conjunction with the Bank's environmental partners to highlight the achievements and the impacts of the five-year HSBC Water Programme. HSBC Malta's Catch the Drop is a part of the programme. At its onset, the HSBC Water Programme sought to tackle the water challenge on a number of key levels: water provision, pro- tection, education and scientific research. So far, the programme has already provided sanitation to 1.9 million people, support- ed conservation action across 530,000 ha of wetland and en- gaged over 8,000 people in citizen science. Closer to home, the Catch the Drop has continued reaching out to new communities by sponsor- ing an expanded number of sum- mer clubs as well as activities at SkolaSajf, all embodying the themes of water conservation. Thousands of SkolaSajf partici- pants from 48 schools in Malta and 10 in Gozo are estimated to have taken a better understand- ing of water conservation issues after joining these mainly educa- tional activities. For the second consecutive year, the campaign will also be organ- ising a summer concert 'Water is Life' at Teatru Rjal. The concert on Wednesday 7th September will feature the popular campaign songs, 'Water is Life' and 'Catch the Drop', as well as feature one of the song' vocalist Destiny Chuku- nyere, a Junior Eurovision winner. Entrance will be free. HSBC Malta CEO Andrew Beane said: "At HSBC Malta we believe that educating the young people about water scarcity will help them become responsible citizens in a Malta driven by sus- tainability. Water, after all, is vital to building healthy communities and developing national econo- mies." Launched in 2012, the HSBC Water Programme is a five year, US$100m partnership with Earthwatch, WaterAid, WWF and over 50 other NGOs. HSBC Malta's Catch the Drop is part of the HSBC Water Programme. Students from 48 schools in Malta and 10 in Gozo had a better understanding of water issues after participating in SkolaSajf 2016 Italian couple find love at IELS in Gozo THEY say learning a new language can open new doors. For Emanuele Carloni, owner of the Maldorado Bistro in Victoria, Gozo, an Eng- lish-language course at IELS, Gozo changed his life forever – and not just thanks to his improved fluency in English. Some time ago, Emanuele decided he needed time off from his job in Italy. He enrolled in an English lan- guage course at IELS Gozo, packed his bags and set off for the sunny Mediterranean island. Little did he know the impact the experience, and Gozo in particular, would have on him and his future. Initially, his knowledge of English was limited. However, through tui- tion and interaction with other stu- dents at the school residence, Ema- nuele soon gained the confidence to communicate and connect with people. Yet, for Emanuele, Gozo turned out to be a lot more than just about learning English. On the various jeep trips, boat excursions, and other activities that the school or- ganised, Emanuele discovered the picturesque island and its warm- hearted people. "I immediately fell in love with this small island – the peace and quiet are unique. It's incredible how many beautiful places you can find in such a tiny place," he says. Emanuele was completely taken by Gozo's landscapes, history and atmosphere. "It was a wonderful time and I'm not ashamed to say that when I left, I cried." While for many students the expe- rience ends upon the completion of the course, albeit with plenty of hap- py memories and new friendships, for Emanuele it was actually the start of a strong emotional link with Gozo – a new chapter in his life. Emanuele was so fond of the island he would return many times until he finally decided to make Gozo his home. It was a decision he definitely does not regret. Initially, he worked as a waiter in various restaurants, then as a beach boy at Comino, Ramla and San Blas bays. Finally, Emanuele opened the Maldonado Bistro, in the heart of the island's capital. Diners are well familiar with the restaurant's spe- ciality – home-made pasta. It's a family-run restaurant, Emanuele's girlfriend, Michela, is the restau- rant's chef! In fact, the recipe for the pasta is her grandma's. For the Ital- ian couple, the restaurant is more than just a business. It's a passion, something they both pour their hearts into. The family business is not the only thing keeping Emanuele and Mi- chela busy these days. Earlier this year, the couple's life took another turn for the better when their son, Filippo, was born. "It is impossible to describe our joy. I am proud of myself for the new life I have made, but also want to say thank you to Gozo and thank you IELS!" says Emanuele with a broad smile.