Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/834699
maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 31 MAY 2017 19 Events A rehabilitated and safer Buskett SPRING is surely a time of year when a lot of people fre- quent the Maltese country roads while trying to bypass the heavy traffic on a Sunday afternoon or simply go for a stroll to enjoy the lush and colourful fields, and breathe in some fresh air. Having said this, unfortunately, sometimes one cannot help but notice the occasional collapsed rub- ble walls which besides being an eyesore, it leads to loss of soil and could pose a potential safety hazard to passers-by. This however, cannot be said anymore if one had to go walk- ing in the lovely woodland of Buskett. Through the Life Saving Buskett Project, the rubble walls which have fallen into disrepair are now being beautifully and professionally restored transforming further this green and beautiful wood- land into a rehabilitated and safer one. Life Saving Buskett is a project part financed by the European Union Life+ pro- gramme being implemented by the PARKS Directorate within the Ministry for Sustainable Development, the Environ- ment and Climate Change. It was launched in August 2014 and will run until May 2018. Rubble walls are generally made up of two tapering walls built with rough unfinished stone fitted together without mortar, hence their suscepti- bility to collapse. Repairing, restoring and rebuilding these rubble walls is not an easy task. Rubble walls are built caving inwards and resting upon the soil for sturdiness. Every three and a half metres, or less if the wall being restored is fairly high, the masons place a col- umn, with a fairly large stone heading into the soil and the one above stretching upon it along the wall. This column- like chain prevents the walls from collapsing by the move- ment of soil after heavy rain- fall. The repair, restoration and rebuilding of rubble walls in Buskett serve as a measure to protect woodland habitats of EU importance and other na- tionally protected trees from soil erosion. The walls prevent the soil from being washed away by the rain, which other- wise could lead to the destabili- sation and collapse of the trees. On flat ground, where rubble walls are built very low, they are used to mark the bounda- ries of land parcels in line with the original cultural landscape when the area had an agri- cultural use. In other areas in Buskett, rubble walls also serve to protect some plants from strong winds. Along lanes and footpaths, rubble walls are used to prevent trespass- ing and damaging to trees and other natural vegetation. Last but not least, rubble walls also serve as an important habitat for wildlife. Several species of reptiles, small mammals, mol- luscs and insects seek refuge within the walls and the main- tenance of such walls needs to be appreciated as a valuable environmental measure. Through this initiative, the Life Saving Buskett Project has transformed Buskett into a safer recreational place thus enabling people to continue enjoying this unique place in a freer way especially families visiting with young children, students and elderly people visiting on educational or cul- tural tours. Having said all this, it is very unfortunate that sometimes rubble walls are damaged by people who while collecting edible snails often overturn and dislodge stones, thus threatening the structural integrity of whole stretches of rubble walls. One hopes that the general public appreciates all the hard work that is being done and preserves it in the best of ways. UEFA and Pepsi celebrate football fandom at Champions League final opening ceremony UEFA and Pepsi will celebrate football fandom with a global live music celebration at the UEFA Champions League Final from The Black Eyed Peas. The per- formance is part of the "UEFA Champions League Final Open- ing Ceremony presented by Pep- si". The Final, which is the most watched annual sporting event in the world, will be played this year at National Stadium in Car- diff, Wales on 3rd June and air in more than 220 markets. Fans can expect year two of the "UEFA Champions League Final Opening Ceremony presented by Pepsi" to once again merge the worlds of music, entertainment and sports in a high-energy per- formance of chart-topping hits from The Black Eyed Peas. "We're planning on harnessing the excitement of the fans in the stadium and all those tuning in to the UEFA Champions League Final," said Will.i.am of The Black Eyed Peas. "As football fans ourselves, we know how much this game means to those watch- ing from the stands, their homes and with friends. This perfor- mance means just as much to us. We're planning an unforgettable show." "Pepsi will tap into fan passion for football – beyond the game on the pitch – by once again bringing headlining music to one of the world's most notable sports events, with unmatched global scale," said Natalia Filip- pociants, Senior Director, Brand Marketing, PepsiCo. "We know how much the UEFA Champions League Final means to football fans and we're excited to honour that passion with a blockbuster performance by The Black Eyed Peas at the Opening Ceremony." In PepsiCo's second year of its UEFA Champions League part- nership, the Pepsi football cam- paign has enlisted the help of all-star athletes Sergio Agüero, Alexis Sánchez and Vincent Kompany, to spark excitement in the lead up to the UEFA Champi- ons League Final. PepsiCo initially joined forc- es with the UEFA Champions League in 2015, announcing a partnership with the prestigious European club football tourna- ment where Lay's, Gatorade and Pepsi MAX/Pepsi serve as lead brands for the competition. Guy-Laurent Epstein, Director of Marketing of UEFA Events SA, commented: "We are thrilled to be collaborating with our partner Pepsi on the Opening Ceremony of the 2017 UEFA Champions League final. Pepsi have a long experience in bringing music and sports together and, in this re- spect, UEFA are excited to have The Black Eyed Peas performing in Cardiff. "The Champions League final is the world's largest annual sport- ing event that brings passion and emotion to people all around the world; so do The Black Eyed Peas who share the same global appeal. Football fans in the Na- tional Stadium of Wales and around the world will definitely enjoy a fantastic and upbeat per- formance just moments before the ultimate match in European club football kicks off." In addition to the "UEFA Champions League Final Open- ing Ceremony presented by Pep- si" performance, The Black Eyed Peas will be featured in a variety of integrated campaign elements leading up to the performance. For football fans making the journey to Cardiff for the UEFA Champions League Final, Pepsi Max will surprise them with a unique immersive high-tech football experience located with- in the UEFA "Champions Festi- val" fan zone in Cardiff Bay. Fans can stop by the Pepsi Max Fan House where they will have the opportunity to recreate their he- roes' steps from the locker room, through the tunnel, to the game on the pitch. Viking Signrite: merged entity offers enhanced services from new facility COMBINING the expertise and resources of two of Malta's foremost signage, poster print- ing and external branding en- tities, Viking Signrite has now commenced operation from a new, purposely-built, facility in Attard. This entailed a signifi- cant investment and extensive preparatory work. Viking Signrite Limited is a 50:50 joint venture enterprise between Viking Signs Limited and Signrite Limited, both of which have been in operation for some 25 years. The new entity now employs around 18 full time employees, all with many years experience in the sector and specialist skills. The strength of the new com- pany comes not only from its combined expertise and com- plementary skills but from a new purpose built facility in Attard Industrial Estate which enables it to house new ma- chinery that significantly ex- tends its capabilities for Malta- based and international clients. Viking Signrite is therefore expected to be a major force on the Maltese market, offering a formidable array of signage, poster printing, display and branding solutions for a variety of uses, be it vehicle wrapping, signage for retail, exhibitions, and virtually any physical branding application. "The joining of forces with our partners Signrite was a natural step, and a logical way forward for our industry" Jo- seph Vassallo of Viking Signs said. "The external branding industry is evolving rapidly, and this means ongoing capi- tal expenditure is required to be able to offer the service clients rightly expect. We are obviously in a much better, and stronger, position to develop and grow our business as a merged entity. Moreover, our new plant obviously enables us to offer an even wider range of quality services. We see excit- ing times ahead." Daniel Brockdorff of Signrite said: "For some time, we have been assessing strategies to ensure the sustainability and growth of our business. In a market like ours, the rationale for joining forces with a like- minded firm which shares the same values and has also devel- oped a reputation for a timely and attentive service is pretty compelling. We have for some time been collaboration with Viking on various projects and were encouraged by the seam- less process and effective re- sults. At the end of the day this is all about offering the best possible customer service both to direct customers and to communication agencies and, we believe, we are now unique- ly placed to support both."