Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/874823
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 17 SEPTEMBER 2017 40 This Week If you're out walking or driving in the countryside at this time of year, and this bright yellow, almost pigeon-sized bird streaks across your eyeline, you have just seen a Golden Oriole, and you are richer for it! Golden Orioles (M. Tajra Safra) are one of the more colourful birds that grace our valleys and green spots for a few days in spring and autumn as they make their way north or south across the Mediterranean. The name could not fit the bird better: if the male's bold yellow plumage (with black wings and tail to set off the yellow even more) explains 'golden', you only need to hear the bird's fluty yodelling song to understand the 'oriole' bit. Thanks to their gaudy colour, many Golden Orioles sadly end up as glass-eyed trophies in stuffed-bird collections. Only when hunting becomes history will we truly enjoy Golden Orioles and other wild birds without fearing for their safety. Visit Friends of the Earth's website for more information about our work, as well as for information about how to join us. You can also support us by sending us a donation - www.foemalta.org/donate Text Victor Falzon Photo Aron Tanti 575. GOLDEN ORIOLE GREEN IDEA OF THE WEEK 476: PROTECT OUTDOOR PLANTS - If a cold snap is coming, cover outdoor plants with sheets of newspaper, and secure them to plant stems with clothes pins. This only works if the weather is dry. Although Friends of the Earth appeals for additional EU funding for nature it rejects any proposal that integrates nature into unproven market- based instruments and turns biodiversity into a tradable commodity as a basis for finance, as this threatens to further deplete biodiversity and sites. The wider countryside across Europe is already severely degraded, particularly in more densely populated areas. Biodiversity offsetting and habitat banking through a potential 'No Net Loss' initiative has been mooted as one way to provide innovative finance for funding conservation and restoration. An offsetting scheme would aim to make up for biodiversity loss in one area by financing restoration or protections in another. However, such a strategy would be flawed and risky and would distract from proper and concerted conservation activity. By promising to restore or even increase biodiversity elsewhere to compensate for its destruction, such a mechanism would facilitate nature destruction in the first place, delivering a 'license to trash'. An offsetting mechanism would open the door to putting a price on irreplaceable nature and turn biodiversity into a tradeable commodity. Moreover, experience has shown how difficult it is to replace nature once it has been destroyed – due to the complexity and lack of enforcement. Previous offsetting efforts have often had poor overall results. The Commission must not propose a mechanism for biodiversity offsetting – instead it should strengthen approaches to avoid damage in the first place. 10 actions for a biodiverse Europe No offsetting Notte Bianca ups the ante for 2017 edition NOTTE Bianca will return to Valletta in spectacular fashion on Saturday the 7th of October with a carefully curated programme put together by the Notte Bianca team, together with Arts Coun- cil Malta, which draws from all the myriad facets of the creative sphere. Festival goers can expect to experience among the very best in music, dance, theatre, visual arts, and literary events, as well as a continuation and expan- sion on last year's shift into the exciting emerging world of new and digital arts. Notte Bianca will also continue to use Valletta's streets and public spaces in inno- vative, creative ways thanks to a mix of roaming and site-specific projects. Speaking during a press con- ference launching Notte Bianca, Minister for Justice, Culture and Local Government Owen Bonnici explained how this an- nual event builds upon one of the Government's priorities to make culture accessible for all, both through artistic exhibitions and entrances in historical sites. Above all, Minister Bonnici stat- ed that this event is contributing economically while giving life to our capital city which has been undergoing a regeneration dur- ing these recent years. Parliamentary Secretary for Consumer Protection and Val- letta 2018 Deo Debattista noted how this will be the final Notte Bianca before Valletta takes on the role of European Capital for Culture, a fact which the organ- isers have surely kept in mind when planning this popular event. For one evening, the pub- lic will have but a taste of what will be taking place all over Malta and Gozo during the next year. Above all, this year's Notte Bi- anca programme also focuses on interactive art, which includes the audience, also a characteris- tic which will be prominent dur- ing Valletta 18. Parliamentary Secretary for Local Government and Com- munites Silvio Parnis said that Maltese towns, in particular the capital city as well as Vittoriosa and Mdina, have different char- acteristics in comparison with other cities. He also said that when it comes to financial aid for cultural activities, the Secretariat has always given importance and helped these three cities. The Parliamentary Secretary also said that nowadays local coun- cils form an integral part of the public administration and man- age public funds to fulfill their responsibilities, and therefore, whilst embarking on an exten- sive reform of the local councils, the Secretariat chaired by the Parliamentary Secretary himself will also be ensuring that local councils make good use of public funds. Sean Buhagiar, Artistic Direc- tor of the festival since 2013, said that "Notte Bianca continues to grow into a bigger platform for quality projects which entertain our different audiences whilst al- ways treating Valletta as an open city of culture." Festivals Director Annabelle Stivala spoke about the impor- tance of having a great variety of entertainment on offer, saying: "All art forms take the spotlight during this annual popular major event. Notte Bianca is a unique programme celebrating perform- ing arts and the city through free family activities and original discoveries in all corners of Val- letta." With the 2018 Capital of Cul- ture just around the corner, the Notte Bianca team in collabo- ration with the Valletta 2018 Foundation have sought inspira- tion from the European Capital of Culture ambitions to make Malta a global platform for ar- tistic excellence and community projects. Valletta 2018 chairman Jason Micallef said that "Val- letta 2018 has always been deeply supportive of Notte Bianca and heavily involved in ensuring that it pushes the boundaries of crea- tivity and collaboration further." Notte Bianca's programme for this year varies to cater for all audiences, from electronic music to jazz, and from international music to Maltese music. More information regarding the activi- ties can be found on www.notte- bianca.org.mt. Notte Bianca is organised by the Festivals Directorate within Arts Council Malta under the Ministry for Justice, Culture and Local Government, with the sup- port of the Valletta 2018 Founda- tion, the Valletta Local Council, and other private entities. From right: Minister Owen Bonnici, Parliamentary Secretary Deo Debattista, and Parliamentary Secretary Silvio Pasrnis