In line with its social cohesion strategy, the environment rejuvenation movement Saġġar collaborated with Swieqi local council, sponsors of the event, in organising a pot-decorating and seed-planting drive.

Thirty-two children and their families showed up at the local council ready to roll up their sleeves and get their creative juices flowing. Armed with colours and paintbrushes, every child was given a clay pot to decorate to their own vision and liking.

The initiative, conceptualised and headed by Jade Boye, an enthusiast of arts and nature, is appropriately called ‘For the love of trees’. Ms Boye’s dream is to propel this new concept to a national level by opening up the opportunity to other local councils around the island and the children in their respective constituencies. “Art and nature are two strong elements that I feel can help in a child’s development”, said Ms Boye. “I believe introducing both in children’s lives at an early stage also helps them appreciate the importance of caring for the environment and expressing themselves in an artistic manner”, she added.

The team behind Saġġar, the QLZH Foundation and Act, together with volunteers, worked tirelessly under the scorching sun hand-picking the first lot of seeds that will eventually be sowed and nurtured into the one million indigenous trees intended to green up Malta and Gozo over the next decade. The current seed stock now exceeds the 180,000 mark. This was only possible through the support of volunteers from QuickLets and Zanzi Homes, as well as one of their green sponsors Town Square.

From the QLZH Foundation, Steve Mercieca said: “‘For the love of trees’ is exactly what Saġġar is all about. We always wished to include as many people from different walks of society as possible. We are very content with the way things are progressing with Saġġar. The seed collection was a critical part of this stage. What makes it more special is the possibility of donating a few of these seeds to initiatives such as this one,” he said.