Precious heritage

Malta is small. But it is also very relative. Readers of this column will be struck by the repetition of these two statements. But they are very meaningful and necessary in every context they crop up. The first statement is very true. The second seems to be contradictory. Yet it is this seeming contradiction that makes both so complementary.

Malta has a millennial heritage. Quite positive. Still, there is a negative side too. This heritage has until recently been either neglected or downright ignored in part. Of late, there has been an awakening of the awareness of its importance and its precious worth.

The Cultural Heritage Act of 2000 has introduced in our statute book the need to use our heritage for cultural, social and economic purposes.

The establishment of the Superintendence of Heritage and of Heritage Malta has to have the mission defined. Its mission and simultaneous brief is to conserve, embellish and present Malta's unique heritage sites and museums. Here another adjective describing the heritage is called for. It is unique for many reasons. Our heritage is millennial. In fact it is much older than the Pyramids of Egypt, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

The concentration of the archaeological sites in the relatively small area of the Maltese Archipelago makes it also exceptional among countries that can boast of many historical sites. Two great ages that predominate in Malta are the prehistoric - Neolithic and Bronze - age and the Baroque. Both groups containing many units have been declared World Heritage Sites by UNESCO.

Ideal chairman

The newly elected chairman of Heritage Malta is the charismatic and genial Dr Mario Tabone. An ophthalmologist by profession, he is passionate about all things Maltese. Dr Tabone stated that the principal aim of Heritage Malta is to increase the income from our site to about twice the figure. Now it is quite one thing to believe in a goal, and quite another to achieve it. Yet by the impression Dr Tabone gave in a recent interview is that he says what he means and he means what he says.

The chairman describes Heritage Malta as an agency responsible for policymaking. Its basic brief is to conserve, embellish present sites of cultural heritage, while paying special attention to security at these sites.

The security being proposed is a most important duty since the horrific vandal attack on the Mnajdra temples. That security is of top priority on the agenda of Heritage Malta has been proved by the ease with which it has been possible for a TV crew to enter once again the perimeter of the temples without being noticed. It was the intruding crew that provided the proof of their illegal intrusion. The truth must be told. They did what they did to prove the lack of security of the precious heritage site.

Main objectives

The main objectives as listed by the chairman of Heritage Malta is to upgrade all the sites. Conservation efforts have to be based on scientific principles that will improve their aesthetic presentation. Consideration will also have to be taken of the sites' educational value. Exploitation of the potential presentation of the sites is also on the books.

Government's policy has been interpreted as the setting up of public organisations to produce results and accelerate performance. The aim is to render the agency semi-autonomous. In this manner, its operation becomes more dynamic than has been the practice so far.

Identity and self-esteem

The proposed programme of activities of Heritage Malta are meant in the first place as the foundation of our national identity and self-esteem. This is important because it precedes the secondary, albeit most important purpose, which is cultural tourism. Our heritage has to attract the cultured tourist who is not so much drawn by sun, sea and sand. In any case, our competitors have equal and even better attractions on those lines.

The sites have to be developed as an education in themselves. This is only possible if and when it is evident that we Maltese do care and diligently look after our heritage. Although listed by UNESCO as World Heritage sites, the temples being situated in our land belong initially to us. It is our ancient ancestors who built them. There is so much care and attention to architectural details and sculpture that their degree of civilisation and culture is so very relative and advanced even by present progressive thinking in the art of architecture and science of engineering.

Cultural tourism

It is visible proof of our esteem for the feat of our ancestors in building such remarkable constructions that persuades tourists of the high quality and standards of our heritage. It is this lasting impression that it will be passed on to their relatives and friends. It may also probably lead to their repeated visits to admire and study the unbelievably remarkable skills of the temple builders and sculptors.

Such being the context, it is imperative that our archaeological sites deserve a major investment in planning for the future, as Dr Tabone so eloquently put it. He further pleaded that investment in money is equally needed for the activation of the planning of protection of the sites and the creation of centres for visitors to the sites. These centres are useful and needed as an introduction and a follow-up to the actual visit of the temples and other historical sites.