Din l-Art Ħelwa will be able to continue caring for 11 heritage sites whose guardianship was on Tuesday renewed for a further 10 years.

Most of the sites were first granted to the NGO by government in 2003 making this the third 10-year renewal.

Over that time, the NGO has spent millions to restore and maintain the sites, using a veritable army of volunteers to open the majority of them to visitors on a regular basis.

The funds for restoration and maintenance are raised from corporate sponsors, donations, memberships and fundraising events, and by tapping into EU and other funds.

The guardianship deeds were renewed for the Church of Our Lady of Victory, Valletta, the Red Tower in Mellieħa, Wignacourt Tower in St Pauls Bay, Dwejra Tower in Gozo, Torri Mamo in Marsascala, XutuTower in Wied iż-Żurrieq, the Msida Bastion Guardian of Rest in Floriana, the Għallis and Qalet Marku towers in Naxxar, and St Mary’s Fort and St Mary’s Battery on Comino.

The deeds were signed by the Superintendent of Cultural Heritage, Kurt Farrugia, DĦL's executive president Alex Torpiano, and secretary general Simone Mizzi.

DLĦ looks after a number of other sites, and has also helped to restore numerous others over which it does not have guardianship. It was recently given the guardianship of the historic Australian Bungalow, which is currently being restored and will be re-assembled in Ta’ Qali.

It has also managed to secure sponsorship for other sites such as the mediaeval chapel at San Ċir for which it is currently awaiting formal guardianship.