Mellieħa parish church photo places 6th in Wiki Loves Monuments competition
Nearly 240,000 images were contributed by more than 4,500 photographers in 56 national contests
A photo of the iconic Mellieħa parish church by Marika Caruana placed 6th place in the international Wiki Loves Monuments competition.
This is the highest international ranking ever achieved by a photo from Malta in any Wiki Loves photo contest.
The winning image shows the grandeur of the church, bathed in golden light against a dramatic sky featuring a full moon, capturing not just architectural beauty but also a sense of cultural pride.
The photo stood out among tens of thousands of submissions from photographers across the world, all competing to celebrate heritage through the lens of a camera.
“We’re thrilled to see Malta’s rich heritage represented on an international stage,” Times of Malta Wikimedian in Residence Toni Sant said.
“This amazing recognition just proves that even a small island like ours has stories and sights that can compete appropriately on an international level.”
In 2024, nearly 240,000 images were contributed by more than 4,500 photographers in 56 national contests.
Up to 10 pictures from each of the national competitions were nominated for the international finale.
Organised by the local official affiliate, Wikimedia Community Malta, 60 participants contributed 481 photos for the local contest held last September.
Locally, Caruana’s photo placed second.
She had previously participated in other Wikimedia photo contests, most recently placing first in Wiki Loves Earth 2023 in Malta, with a spectacular photo of the clay slopes at Il-Karraba.
Organised by Wikimedia affiliates globally, Wiki Loves Monuments encourages photographers to document and share cultural heritage sites on Wikimedia Commons, the image repository that fuels Wikipedia.
Meanwhile, Wiki Loves Earth kicks off next month.
This contest focuses on capturing the beauty of natural heritage, from nature reserves and marine life to protected landscapes and unique flora and fauna.
More information here or on the Wikimedia Community Malta’s Facebook page (@wikimalta).