A seminar was recently held by San Lawrenz council as part of the Panacea (Promozione aree naturali attraverso centri di educazione ambientale) project, funded under the Italia-Malta Programme, Cohesion Policy 2007-2013.

The seminar was opened by San Lawrenz mayor Anthony Formosa and the project’s local, scientific co-ordinator Alan Deidun gave an introduction about the project.

Two underwater documentaries that were filmed during the project were screened and DVD copies of the documentaries distributed to the participants.

Paul Pace, director for the University’s Centre for Environmental Education and Research, stressed the importance of shifting from environmental information to education.

Lino Briguglio, director for the Institute for Islands and Small States, spoke on sustainable tourism aspects for Gozo. Patrick Vella, from Salpa Sub, spoke on the importance of environmental education to the local diving industry.

Various speakers highlighted the centre’s importance to contribute to environmental education and to help protect and care for the marine ecosystem

Grazio Mercieca, chief head of staff at the Gozo Ministry, discussed the importance of tourism to Gozo and the island’s overall economic growth objectives.

Malta Environment and Planning Authority chairman Vincent Cassar spoke about the Dwejra Management Plan and the issue of the centre’s sustainability, saying the planning authority had agreed to entrust the centre’s management to the San Lawrenz council.

The seminar was chaired by Noel Formosa, who was mayor of San Lawrenz at the project’s inception.

Various speakers highlighted the centre’s importance to contribute to environmental education and to help protect and care for the marine ecosystem.

The seminar ended with a visit to the Dwejra Marine Environmental Education Centre, where Dr Deidun spoke about Malta’s underwater marine environment. The centre is currently open to the public during weekdays from 11am to 3pm.

Both the University of Malta and San Lawrenz council are partners in the Panacea project.

Its main objective is to foster greater local appreciation of the marine environment and aims to promote the sound scientific management of biodiversity assets in Maltese and Sicilian marine protected areas through the setting up of marine environmental educational centres.

The centre in Dwejra is the first of its kind. It houses fish and plant specimens and replicas found in the areas of Rdum Majjiesa in Malta and Dwejra in Gozo.

www.panaceaproject.net