A euro for Shakespeare
Maltese travellers booking Air Malta flights will be contributing a euro with each booking to sponsor the restoration of the oldest known collection of Shakespeare works in Malta.
The decaying books, held at the National Library in Valletta, are believed to date back to 1782.
The airline's CEO, Joe Capello, said during a visit to the library that Air Malta had been moved by an article in The Times to do its bit to help the library. The airline, he said, was also well aware of the importance of culture in Malta's tourism product.
The initiative was welcomed by Education Minister Dolores Cristina, who said this was a fine example of corporate social responsibility which should be followed by other companies.
The scheme will run for a month in parallel with another scheme, where foreigners booking Air Malta flights on the internet will be contributing to a marine conservation campaign.
Fares are not affected by the initiatives.
16 Comments
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cmicallef
Aug 13th 2010, 23:45
The initiative was welcomed by Education Minister Dolores Cristina
- bet it was, someone else doing what is meant to be the governments responsibility
Peter Farrugia
Aug 12th 2010, 22:03
This really is a wonderful initiative. It's nice to read something edifying for a change.
Godfrey Grima
Aug 12th 2010, 19:50
An airline with a True Social Conscience. Nobody does it better for Malta!
mario aquilina
Aug 12th 2010, 15:38
Looks like you lost my euro.
Just booked a flight with another airline for nearly a third of air malta's price. Me pocket comes first.
JOSEPH ZAMMIT
Aug 12th 2010, 15:03
Well done Air Malta. Hope other great companies get the cue.
Also well done to The Times for the article which sparked this initiative. Very positive indeed.
Jesmond Micallef
Aug 12th 2010, 14:46
A definite well done to Air Malta on this great initiative. The National Library in Valletta is a national treasure just like Malta's national air carrier, Air Malta. Nice, very nice indeed.
Keep flying high Air Malta. I am very proud of you.
A. Zahra
Aug 12th 2010, 14:20
The initiative was welcomed by Education Minister Dolores Cristina, who said this was a fine example of corporate social responsibility which should be followed by other companies.
It is Minister Cristina's DUTY to fight tooth and nail to secure funds for the restoration of ALL the books in the National Library. In the meantime her ministry could also set the example by sponsoring the restoration of another decaying book.
Patrick Sacco
Aug 12th 2010, 14:08
My most sincere congratulations Air Malta for this excellent initiative! I hope other large corporations will follow your good example.
Joseph n Attard
Aug 12th 2010, 13:06
Well done indeed. But what I cannot understand is how the Government finds the money for such projects as the Bridge To Nowhere, yet skimps on such causes. I realise that there are departemental votes, but surely the necessary funds could have been found somehow.
Chris Ellul
Aug 12th 2010, 11:58
Excellent. Didn't even know there existed such documents!
Gill Snook
Aug 12th 2010, 11:48
This is commendable, but surely the person holding the precious book should be wearing gloves to protect it from further deterioration.
Michael Parks
Aug 12th 2010, 11:35
What a wonderfully simple way to ensure these valuable items are restored/maintained for the benefit of all, well done Air Malta.
David Coleiro
Aug 12th 2010, 11:07
Sure how nice of Airmalta! Recently we booked a flight and had to change my wife's surname about two months before departure. incredibly they had the guts to charge us 100 euro. I complained and yet they did not even have the decency to reply to my emails and even to those form the consumer agency. Poor service at an excessive cost.
Mario Borg
Aug 12th 2010, 11:06
For something so old and rare and also decaying, care should be taken to handle it with gloves, unlike the person in the picture! Everyone knows that the natural oils from our hands will worsen the books condition even quicker. Having said that, I congratulate Air Malta for the initiative.
Gerard Cassar
Aug 12th 2010, 10:53
In over 20 years of P.N. government little care has been given to culture. This is seen in the fact that a public collection is to be made to care for Shakespear works found in Malta works that are held under the responsibility of the P.N. government for over 20 years at the Public Library.
And millions are spent for unwanted projects.
Julian Mompalao de Piro
Aug 12th 2010, 10:39
Well done Air Malta. Very admirable initiative. Hopefully other large corporations will follow your example.