European Divers Meeting Malta & Gozo
Successful international diving event
The Malta Tourism Authority is pleased to announce that the first edition of the European Divers Meeting Malta & Gozo, which took place between 5 and 9 June, was a huge success. This extraordinary diving event was a joint initiative of the Malta Tourism Authority, the Ministry of Gozo, leading European diving portal Taucher.Net and The Professional Diving Schools Association (PDSA) and was strongly supported by various Maltese and Gozitan dive centres.
On the evening of 6 June, more than 160 participants from all over the European Union and representatives from numerous local dive centres gathered for a networking dinner. The evening also included lectures by Prof. Alan Deidun (director International Ocean Institute Malta Centre) and Prof. Alessandro Marroni (Divers Alert Network Europe). In addition, a new degree in Management of Diving Tourism (MDT) was launched. This online degree comprises a vast array of diving topics such as safety, medicine, biology and conservation.
On 7 June, the European Union Dive took place at the MV Karwela wreck in Gozo. Over 150 participants from all over Europe dived to the Karwela which was adorned with flags of all EU countries. The divers were accompanied and supported by local dive centre representatives. For each diver, Taucher.Net donated €5 to the NGO No to Plastic Malta. Divers Alert Network Europe (DAN) provided the participants with qualified medical advice and useful safety tips and collected dive data of the divers. A safety boat by ERRC Gozo, Emergency Response and Rescue Corps, was at the participants’ disposal. Further partners such as Scuba Systems and the Gozo Tourism Authority (GTA) were also present at the event.
The third and final part of the European Divers Meeting revolved around World Ocean Day. A group of Gozitan dive centres organised underwater clean-ups. In the evening, participants and their dive centre partners met at the Cittadella for an interesting guided tour and a Gozitan evening with typical food and drinks hosted by the GTA. The guests also had the opportunity to watch the documentary A Plastic Ocean, followed by a lecture by Edward Sultana, initiator of the environmental project, No to Plastic Malta.
The Malta Tourism Authority CEO, Paul Bugeja said: “We are pleased to have been able to assist in the organisation of the first edition of European Divers Meeting Malta & Gozo, particularly as it can help provide further exposure to our highly rated diving sector. This conference gave an opportunity to all those that attended, including several international dive journalists, to learn more about the Maltese seas and to experience them at first hand.”
Bugeja concluded by thanking all the entities who contributed to the success of this conference, as well as the MTA employees involved, as without their hard work this would not have been possible. For more information visit: www.europeandiversmeeting.com