The newly restored 17th-century Ta’ Xutu watchtower, a historic site under the guardianship of Din l-Art Ħelwa, has been inaugurated by the Malta Airport Foundation.

The quarter of a million Ta’ Xutu project, which included equally important boundary landscaping works, was funded by the Malta Airport Foundation. The landscaping project involved the challenging task of rehabilitating the cliff garigue surrounding the area, which is one of Malta’s 34 terrestrial Natura 2000 sites.

The foundation is to continue helping with the upkeep and promotion of the area over the coming years, Malta Airport Foundation chairman Fredrick Mifsud Bonnici said

The Malta Airport Foundation was established in 2014 as part of Malta International Airport’s revisited approach to corporate responsibility. The independently administered foundation’s mission is to support sustainable projects and initiatives that preserve local heritage and the environment for future generations, while enhancing the tourism product of the Maltese islands.

Din l-Art Ħelwa executive president Alex Torpiano thanked the foundation for its financial support and encouragement, which enabled the completion of this “somewhat challenging undertaking”.

Prof. Torpiano also had words of appreciation for the Environment and Resources Authority, the advice of which was crucial given the area’s environmental importance, the Qrendi Council, and Din l-Art Ħelwa volunteers.