The letter by Stephen Camilleri (August 24) is indicative of the evergreen spirit that continually animates Floriana. The younger generation continues to appreciate the historical and cultural gems, the heirloom of ancestral heritage.

Demonstrating pride in any one’s place of birth means superb citizenship that augurs well for coming generations. Fortunately, senior citizens can recall more historical reminders than the selection mentioned in his letter.

The railway tunnel (February 1883 - March 1931) had improved transport but, better still, it had saved the lives of hundreds of people in wartime Malta (June 11, 1940 to  September 8, 1943).

Floriana school (1856) was the first primary school in Malta to be built through government funds. Like all the buildings around Sarria, the school had claimed a slice of the original garden that belonged to Bailiff Vergas. So did the block of social housing next to Sarria church. It was one of the 20 blocks suggested by the Order and completed in 1766.

The Argotti were ‘botanical’ gardens, housing a world-renowned collection of herbarium and a magnificent three-tiered fountain. The Mall proudly guards the monuments of prominent personalities.

Montgomery House was originally built by Grand Master Manoel de Vilhena (1722- 1736) as a country house; later it served as a rendezvous for Winston Churchill and Franklin Roosevelt before the Yalta Conference.

The Connaught Home (1908) continued the traditional role of the Salvation Army that rescued army personnel from the temptation of worldly iniquities. Last but not least, the headquarters (1913) of the Scouts’ Movement. These cultural and historical places, like those mentioned by Camilleri, endow Sarria area with the glory that Floriana fully deserves.