Manoel Island national park campaign launches crowdfunding initiative

A campaign behind a parliamentary petition calling on the government to turn Manoel Island into a public park is now urging the public to chip in financially to be able to reach out to more people.

Earlier this year, a campaign called ‘Manoel Island Post Għalina (A Place for Us)' was launched by Moviment Graffitti and Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar. It was endorsed by over 40 organisations and NGOs, including Din l-Art Ħelwa, Richmond Foundation, the Church's Environment Commission, and Kamra tal-Periti.

The campaign set up a parliamentary petition calling for the creation of a publicly accessible park in the heavily urbanised north harbour region, and for the government and MIDI to negotiate the return of Manoel Island to the public, scrapping planned commercial and residential units and replacing them with green open spaces.

Over 7,600 people have so far signed the petition. 

Campaigners said in a statement that every cent collected through the crowdfunding initiative will be used to promote the parliamentary petition calling on the government to renegotiate the contract with the private concessionaire.

“The parliamentary petition has been wildly successful,” said FAA coordinator Astrid Vella.

“In just one month, it has already eclipsed the previous petition, showing that public support for a national heritage park on Manoel Island has only become more popular in the last five years.”

Campaign representative Robert Louis Fenech said: “This is our last chance to change course and turn Manoel Island into a place for everyone to enjoy”.

Fenech said that the proceeds from the crowdfunding effort will be used to reach new audiences.

“It has become clear that there is no shortage of support for the call to turn Manoel Island into a national heritage park. That is why we are now asking for supporters to turbo-charge this campaign with their financial backing.”

Donations can be made to FAA or Moviment Graffitti . More information here.