Manoel Island was lit in blue and purple on Tuesday night in an annual event organised globally by NGOs with the aim of raising awareness for three disabling illnesses: myalgic encephalomyelitis, chronic fatigue syndrome (ME, CFS) and fibromyalgia.
The Light Up the Night 2021 initiative was the work of the Gżira council in collaboration with MIDI.
ME and fibromyalgia are two distinct chronic and invisible disabilities, which roughly make up 0.2%-6% of Malta s population. An estimated 75% to 85% of these sufferers are predominantly women.
Fibromyalgia is the second most common chronic condition affecting the bones, muscles and soft tissues, causing pain, stiffness, and tenderness of the muscles, joints and tendons. An estimated 4%–6% suffer from it in Malta.
It has been more than two years since I wrote an article denouncing the Manoel Island development which was overwhelmingly approved by the Planning Authority. The article, more than aptly entitled ‘The rape of Malta’, recently came up in my feed again and as I curiously skimmed through the lines to see what I had written, my heart sank a little with the realisation that as bad as things were back then, they have gotten worse in the last two years. I also noticed, with even more melancholy, that my tone had changed. More than two years on, I am not as sad as I used to be, but I am instead angry; very angry.
The revised MIDI master plan for Manoel Island has integrated the island’s rich heritage at its core, recreating centuries of Malta’s history through restoration and conservation of the iconic buildings and sites which are synonymous with Manoel Island.
Manoel Island has a legacy intertwined with Malta’s history, reflected in heritage buildings and sites that define the island’s identity.
The reconstructed cattle shed with its pointed arches
Protecting, restoring and conserving these important landmarks is central to the design philosophy of the revised MIDI master plan for Manoel Island – not just to honour Malta’s history, but to preserve it for future generations.
A dispute between the clubs and the owners of the Empire Stadium in September 1965 resulted in the game being transferred to the old naval ground of Manoel Island. Wednesday September 29 1965, was a historic day in the history of local football.
For the first time in 75 years, a Maltese club played on a ground owned by the clubs themselves.
The occasion was Floriana’s home match against Borussia Dortmund, of Germany, in the first round of the European Cup Winners Cup.
Unfortunately, however, the ground was not up to standard. It sloped a little to one side, bringing to mind the old National Ground at Pietà.