Comments and suggestions on the Valletta branding report, published some weeks ago, are being welcomed by the local council on its own Wiki – a website that presents content while allowing interested parties to collaborate and contribute by suggesting changes and freely editing pages.
Called Valletta Branding and Identity, the Wiki was considered an “innovative method in consultation” by Local Councils Parliamentary Secretary Chris Said.
The initiative is being implemented at a time when various infrastructural projects are under way, including Renzo Piano’s City Gate and the new Parliament building, as well as the rebuilding of residential streets, he pointed out.
Valletta mayor Alexiei Dingli said users would also be able to upload documents, graphics and other files to provide more detailed pages for everyone to consider.
The exercise – “a first in e-democracy in Malta” – would ensure the ownership of the branding and identity of the capital was shared by all interested parties, Dr Dingli said.
The main objective of the report was to come up with ideas to “wake up” and brand Valletta, suggesting the creation of a commercial arm for the council to tackle financial issues of restoration and maintenance and generate another source of income that could be reinvested in the city and its activities.
The local council had decided to launch a public consultation process on the report, which cost €19,000, “because it is not cast in stone”, Dr Dingli had told The Times.
Despite the cost of the original exercise, he did not consider the opening up to feedback a waste of time and money and said the report was a “baseline to build on”.
Compiled by Artiga Consulting Services, it had attracted some negative feedback, especially as regards the proposed logo for the capital city.
“We are doing this for the good of Valletta. If we can improve on the report’s suggestions, well and good. We need everyone on board to do so,” Dr Dingli had said, adding it was easy to be an armchair critic.
“One of the greatest challenges of Valletta 2018 is to activate the public, and the consultation is the first step towards this.”
Among the ideas floated by the mayor himself to counteract, for example, the fact that tourists only spent a short time in the capital was the creation of tours on the individual langues of the Knights of the Order of St John, oriented towards particular nationalities.
He also had in mind the opening of the city’s underground tunnels. Dr Dingli had said Valletta could benefit from, for example, roof gardens to add more greenery, encouraging businesses to use underutilised resources.Valletta’s Wiki can be accessed at vallettacouncil.wikispaces.com Registration is necessary.