Celebrating International Earth Day

A weekend event packed with fun and educational activities for all the family!

This year, we will be celebrating the 53rd year of International Earth Day and for the occasion, a number of local social enterprises and NGOs are coming together to bring the first Earth Day Green Fair in Malta.

The event will take place between Friday 22 and Sunday 24 April at the beautiful outdoor grounds of Il-Majjistral Nature & History Park and The Farmoury in Manikata, and it is being organised by Eco Market Malta, The Veg Box, Il-Majjistral Park NGO, Parks Malta and the Ministry for the Environment, Energy and Enterprise.

Conscious consumerism

Over the past few years, there has been a rise of a community of conscious individuals; people who are becoming more aware of the impact our lives have on the environment, and are actively finding ways to live in a more sustainable manner. We have also witnessed an increase in local sustainable businesses and start-ups. The main purpose of this event is to continue spreading awareness and disseminating knowledge to assist people transit towards a more eco-sensible lifestyle. At the Earth Day Green Fest, one can discover a number of sustainable products and solutions available in Malta, by browsing through the market stalls featuring a variety of eco-friendly household products, fashion and beauty, food, mobility and gardening, among others.

The visitors’ centre of Il-Majjistral Park will be transformed into an Activity Zone where several talks and workshops will be held, and where guests will have the opportunity to learn from experts and find out new solutions to their daily challenges. Some of the most popular workshops include Balcony Gardening,

Making Sustainable Decisions led by an international coach, Treasures of the Seas sponsored by Free Hour Malta and Discovering Malta with Eco Sports, which will be followed by a clean-up.

Environmental education in children is extremely important as the fate of the planet is in their hands. It is therefore imperative for them to learn practices and abilities to fight climate change and to live in harmony with the Earth. There will be two separate Kids Zones at the Fair with original, fun activities for children of all ages to help them broaden their knowledge and understand more about the Earth’s natural resources such as energy, air, water, soil and wildlife. There will also the popular Kids 4 Kids Market, sponsored by the Malta HSBC Foundation, where children will experience becoming a vendor for a day selling their home-made or second-hand items. Earth Day Green Fair will also include a Food Zone with healthy, international food, pesticide-free veggie market and free drinking water stations. The event runs on a zero single use plastic policy. Bring your own bags, cups and containers for a discount and surprise gifts!

In line with the event’s core message, the organisers are encouraging people to reach the venue by means of public transport, bicycles and car-sharing.

Why celebrate Earth Day

Words like climate change, climate adaptation, mitigation and sustainability are only going to become more constant in our lives. The bad news is that 97% of the scientific community confirmed that human behaviour is responsible for this phenomenon. The good news is that we are still in time to create a better future for all future generations, with sustainable solutions that are already existent. Although the grade of awareness is rising globally, not all stakeholders in our society know how to actively contribute to climate goals through their actions. Earth Day Green Fair, offers an opportunity to Learn, Share and Care so that together, we rise to the occasion and guarantee a safe planet for our children.

Entrance to the event is free, as are most of the activities conducted by grassroots organisations, activists, innovators and eco-entrepreneurs. Check out the Calendar for a full list of activities.

• Friday 22 April – Kids Zone only from 11am to 2pm

• Saturday 23 and Sunday 24 April – Main event from 11am to 6pm

For further information visit www.ecomarketmalta.com or find the event on social media