Gozo College Xewkija Primary marked this year’s Arbor Day with extra gusto as it had three other reasons to celebrate: last November it had won the Green Flag international award for the third consecutive time, it received eco Gozo funds to buy resources for sustainable education, and won the National Tree Planting School Winners for 2012/2013.
The pupils celebrated the day with story-telling and reading sessions, tree collages, paintings and potting of new trees. Gozo Minister Anton Refalo and Xewkija mayor Paul Azzopardi also visited the school during the event and planted native trees and plants in the school garden.
Charles Grech, assistant director for environmental affairs and public administration, presented the school with the National Tree Planting Shield and a number of books, while Joe Grech, hands-on farming co-ordinator, donated packets of seeds of native trees to all the children.
Other guests included Eco Gozo director Anthony Zammit and Gozo College principal Victor Galea.
The activities were organised by the Xewkija Ekoskola committee, the school council, the hands-on farming programme, the Education Ministry’s Gozo College and the Gozo Ministry’s Eco Gozo.