Santa Cement, the 'patron saint' of concrete and rapid development, debuted at the University of Malta’s campus on Monday.

Nearly two metres tall, the statue is now greeting students and staff at the entrance of the Faculty for the Built Environment, with a slogan reading: "Will you worship/adore me (ħa tadurani)?".

The statue, created by recent architecture graduate Karl Sammut and student Julian Cassar, is a statement about Malta's "addiction to cement" and rapid development.

“We want students to be aware of the local situation when it comes to the Maltese construction industry and we urge them to address it rather than hide or be afraid to act,” Sammut said. 

Julian Cassar and Karl Sammut with Santa Cement. Photo: Karl Sammut

Santa Cement was built during a summer workshop held by the Society of Architecture and Civil Engineering Students.

The theme was ‘Escape,’ and Cassar and Sammut’s group focused on what many in Malta long to escape from: relentless concrete development.

Their creation, called ‘Min Ħexa Mexa’, or simply Santa Cement, reflects this frustration.

They hope the structure stays in the faculty for at least a year:

“The statue serves as a physical reminder to do better, design better and avoid being pushed around in an industry often run by bullies".

Freshers’ Week is usually known for its flashy commercial displays, but Santa Cement stands out as a more direct, thought-provoking statement.

The duo hopes the statue encourages more activism by students: “Student organisations don’t realise how much power they hold or, if they do, they just do not utilise it".

“A student’s voice, free from political ties, can be a powerful force for change.”