‘Ċaqlaq addresses a national concern’ – President Coleiro Preca

President Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca has endorsed the Fundación MAPFRE Ċaqlaq campaign – a healthy living campaign around schools in Malta and Gozo, saying it addresses a national concern.

Fundación Mapfre, a nonprofit organisation, embarked on this nationwide campaign in 2012 and ever since, over 15,000 students have attended one of the workshops organised in schools. In Malta, Fundación MAPFRE is represented by MAPFRE Middlesea.

“The campaign is providing early education, helping to build resilient children, strong families and an even stronger community. Obesity is a national concern and we need to address it both in the short and long-run. We are grateful that organisations like Fundacion Mapfre help to do this,” President Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca said.

Fundación MAPFRE makes contributions to society in over 40 countries where MAPFRE companies operate in order to ensure safety of people, enhance people’s quality of life, improve the social, cultural and economic environments of most disadvantage people or groups in society and promote involvement in culture, literature and art.

The aim of this campaign is to highlight the importance of having a healthy lifestyle by following a balanced diet and doing physical activity by making children aware of the risks of not taking care of their body. The workshops are carried out by Generation Green.

During the workshop, children are taught the difference between unhealthy and healthy food choices for breakfast, lunch and dinner and the importance of vitamins, proteins and carbohydrates. Students then participate in physical exercises, while being explained the benefits of such exercise on a daily basis. During the last four years, workshops were also held for parents, helping them to bring up their children in a healthy environment.

“In a country in which obesity in children is on the increase, such a campaign is crucial. At a young age, children should be aware of the importance of leading a healthy lifestyle,” MAPFRE Middlesea Chairman Martin Galea said.

Fundación MAPFRE Ċaqlaq campaign has influenced thousands of school children to become aware of their overall health and well-being. The campaign has created a network of stakeholders across Malta’s socio-educational landscape that is unparalleled within the context of health education.