1,000 students expected for fund-raising heritage week

Bank of Valletta has teamed up with the Equal Partners Foundation to support this year's Valletta Week, a cultural event being organised as part of the foundation's Partners in Culture initiative that involves all schools in Malta and Gozo.

The two-week event was launched yesterday at the Malta Experience in Valletta by foundation president Colin Galea, MP Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando and Michael Galea, head of public relations, communication and corporate branding at Bank of Valletta. Also present were students from St Francis' School in Cospicua and from San Andrea Senior School in Mgarr.

Mr Galea said Partners in Culture consists of a series of cultural/fundraising activities that involve the participation of school children.

"The aim behind this initiative is to raise funds to support the programmes of children with disability who are receiving support services through the foundation, while at the same time returning something of interest and value to the students who are contributing to our mission".

Mr Galea reiterated the bank's commitment to supporting initiatives that promote Malta's cultural heritage and expressed the bank's pride in being able to promote among children the importance of assisting members of society who may be in need.

Valletta Week is running between yesterday and November 18. Children from all schools will be able to visit four sites of cultural heritage within Valletta, namely The Malta Experience, The Knights Hospitallers, The National War Museum within Fort St Elmo and Fort St Elmo.

Over 1,000 students are expected to take part, the majority from Years 5 and 6. Besides teachers and facilitators, a number of volunteers and first-aiders from St John's Ambulance will accompany the children.

For more information about the event contact Equal Partners on office number 2125 0400 (fax: 21 250397, e-mail: epf@waldonet.net.mt).