Church to receive €2.2 million in EU funds

The Archdiocese of Malta has been awarded €2.2 million in EU funds for the conservation, protection and promotion of ecclesiastical cultural heritage, the archdiocese announced on Tuesday afternoon.

Over 15 parishes are expected to benefit from the funds, which are to be used up over a period of three years. The funds were obtained after the church successfully submitted an application to the Project Selection Committee for the allocation of EU funds between 2014 and 2020.

The parishes which will benefit from the funds include: Attard, Balzan, Birkirkara (St Helen), Birkirkara (St Mary), Dingli, Gharghur, Marsaxlokk, Mdina, Mgarr, Mellieha, Mosta (including Bidnija), Naxxar, Paola (Christ the King), Rabat and Tarxien.

Parliamentary Secretary for EU funds Aaron Farrugia presented a formal letter on Tuesday to Michael Pace Ross, the chairperson of the Foundation for Cultural Heritage of the Archdiocese of Malta. He thanked Farrugia on behalf of Archbishop Charles J. Scicluna, explaining that the funds would “enhance ecclesiastical heritage”.

The funds are part of a total amount of €23 million which have been allocated for a total of 22 projects related to renewable energy and Malta’s cultural heritage, Farrugia announced on Tuesday morning.

He said the projects would not only preserve the country’s history, but would also attract more tourists to the islands, thus generating new jobs.

Three of the projects for which EU funds had been obtained, said Farrugia, involve renewable energy and see photovoltaic cells installed on a number of buildings.