Wirt Għawdex, the only Gozitan heritage non-governmental and non-profit organisation, appealed for more support during its annual general meeting.
The society, founded in the late 1970s, has been very active organising various events in the furtherance of its aims. Fully aware of the importance to be given to the younger generation as tomorrow's leaders and care-takers of our national patrimony, during three consecutive summers Wirt Għawdex organised a series of outdoor lectures and activities on art and its appreciation, creative and essay writing and photography for secondary schoolchildren.
It has also organised two cultural trips to Sicily, which turned out to be very successful. The society is thinking of other exciting places for the coming days.
In the outgoing year Wirt Għawdex published various material including Hbiebna fin-Natura, a full-colour eight-page pamphlet specifically designed for 8-11 year-olds to introduce them to some of the flowers and insects inhabiting our islands, and encourage them to care for nature.
Other publications include Voyage Pittoresque des Isles de Sicile, de Malte et de Lipari - a reproduction of six engravings of Gozo by Jean Houel, with the original text in French and an English translation, and Veduta del Porto detto Migiarro nell'isola del Gozo verso levante - a reproduction of a watercolour by Salvatore Busuttil.
In 2001, to help raise funds for the restoration of the only existing passenger and cargo 'Dgħajsa tal-Latini', Gozo Channel Company Ltd published a full-colour booklet entitled The Gozo Boat, which is a re-print of a complete chapter appearing in The Dgħajsa and Other Traditional Maltese Boats, written by Joseph Muscat, the expert historian on Malta's maritime history, and published by Fondazzjoni Patrimonju Malti in 1999.
Restoration work is nearly completed, and eventually the dgħajsa will be exhibited at a site in Mġarr Harbour. Wirt Ghawdex has put up donation boxes and information panels on each of the three Gozo Channel vessels and at the Cirkewwa Passenger Terminal for this purpose..
Besides the Dgħajsa tal-Latini, Wirt Ghawdex has embarked on major restoration and rehabilitation projects, including the 17th century coastal watch tower at Mġarr ix-Xini, the late medieval chapel of Santa Cecilia in Ghajnsielem, and St John's Demi-bastion and the Gunpowder Magazine at the Citadel.
As from last year, the society also started to publish a tri-monthly newsletter Gwl to all its members. An official website is also in the pipeline.
From the response received, it is evident that Wirt Għawdex has managed to fulfil its aims. Enthusiasm and ideas are never lacking. However, what worries the society is that not many Gozitans are interested in participating in Wirt Għawdex's activities. In fact, the majority are Maltese and foreigners residing in Gozo.
Wirt Għawdex would also like to see more youths and children participate in its activities.
Anyone interested in finding out more about Wirt Ghawdex is to e-mail stephaniecoppini@yahoo. com. Those wishing to become members can contact the Betty Zammit on 2156 1947 or via.
For publications, contact John Blizzard on 2155 8038.
The society's postal address is: Wirt Ghawdex, c/o Dar il-Lunzjata, Lunzjata Valley, Victoria, Gozo.