This conference is a landmark initiative of the Mediterranean Children’s Movement, led by former President Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca, with the support of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and Ministry for Foreign Affairs and Tourism. 

Through a grant agreement signed this week, the Ministry will financially support the organisation of a conference that will serve as a platform for regional dialogue, youth engagement and the exchange of best practices among those working with and for children. 

The Mediterranean Children’s Movement Children’s Council will be actively engaged in this initiative to ensure children and young people are directly involved in the discussions.

The agreement was signed by Ms Coleiro Preca and Christopher Cutajar, Permanent Secretary at the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and Ministry for Foreign Affairs and Tourism, in the presence of Deputy Prime Minister Ian Borg.

Ms Coleiro Preca described the signing of the agreement as an important step in strengthening regional cooperation for the wellbeing of children across the Mediterranean, while promoting peace education and best practices.

“Through this collaboration with the Foreign Affairs Ministry, Malta is providing a platform for organisations, professionals, and young people to exchange ideas, promote children’s rights, and build stronger networks of solidarity and inclusion.

“This initiative reflects Malta’s commitment to meaningful engagement with civil society and to fostering dialogue on issues that directly impact the lives and future of children and young people in our region,” Ms Coleiro Preca said, thanking the ministry for supporting this project.

Deputy Prime Minister Borg commended the Mediterranean Children’s Movement for this project and said Malta was once again stepping forward to encourage stronger regional and global cooperation for children’s wellbeing and rights.

“This is a commitment we have consistently demonstrated, including during our term on the UN Security Council and last year’s Presidency of the Council of Europe. By investing in children today, we are fostering a more peaceful, stable and prosperous future for our region,” Dr Borg said. 

Mr Cutajar added that this partnership reflected Malta’s continued commitment to supporting initiatives that promoted child welfare, regional cooperation, and inclusive dialogue across the Mediterranean.

The Mediterranean Children’s Movement was established to build and sustain an active network of associations and individuals committed to improving the quality of life for children across the region. 

The 4th PECS Call will make €1.75 million available for Malta-based entities seeking to develop projects connected to the space sector. This forms part of Malta’s continued cooperation with ESA and reflects Xjenza Malta’s ongoing work to increase access to funding for local companies, researchers, and innovators, enabling them to expand research, development, and innovation activity within Malta’s emerging space economy.

The PECS Information Day provided practical guidance on the PECS application process, including eligibility, proposal preparation, project scope, technical expectations, and ESA’s evaluation procedures. Industry representatives present also had the opportunity to hold one-to-one meetings with ESA technical representatives, allowing them to discuss potential project ideas, clarify viability considerations, and better understand how their expertise could be developed into viable PECS proposals.

Xjenza Malta, through its Space Programmes & Engagement Unit continues to serve as Malta’s institutional bridge with ESA, with a clear focus on opening practical routes for local industry to participate in European space programmes. Xjenza Malta thus plays a critical role in ensuring that Malta’s participation in ESA structures translates into concrete opportunities for companies, start-ups, researchers, and service providers operating from Malta.

The call is not limited to traditional aerospace organisations. The modern space economy includes upstream, downstream, and space-derived activities, ranging from technology development and satellite data applications to legal, financial, insurance, corporate, digital, and advisory services that support the wider sector. Through the forthcoming PECS call, Maltese entities and private bodies may explore projects ranging from feasibility studies and concept validation to applied research, technology development, and innovation-driven activities.

The PECS Information Day reinforced Malta’s wider strategic direction in the space domain, with Xjenza Malta continuing to support the development of a credible national space ecosystem aligned with EU priorities and responsive to Malta’s industrial, technological, and research strengths.

The 4th ESA PECS Call will open for applications on 4 June and represents an important opportunity for Maltese industry to move from early engagement to direct participation, and from potential capabilities to concrete project development.

For more information contact space.xjenzamalta@gov.mt

Since its launch, the campaign has focused on how closely plant health is linked to daily life – from what we eat, to how we travel, garden and shop. In this final year, Plant Health 4 Life builds on that momentum, encouraging people across Europe to stay informed, spread the word and take simple actions that help protect plants, the environment, and the economy.

“Plant Health 4 Life is built on a key principle: awareness empowers action. In this final year, the campaign reinforces how protecting plant health means safeguarding our food, our environment and our future. By engaging citizens across Europe, the campaign has laid strong foundations that will continue to support efforts to protect plants well beyond the campaign itself,” said Sylvain Giraud, Head of the Plant Health Unit at the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety.

“Science helps us understand the risks to plant health, but that’s not enough: we need Europeans to connect that knowledge to their daily lives. Plant Health 4 Life makes plant health accessible and relevant. By travelling responsibly, shopping responsibly, and educating the next generation, we can all be part of the solution,” explains Tobin Robinson, Head of the Environment, Plants and Ecotoxicology Unit at EFSA.

“Hosting the launch of the campaign during the Cyprus Presidency, together with Chief Officers for Plant Health from across Europe, highlights how plant health is a shared European responsibility. Simple actions by citizens, supported by strong cooperation across countries, help protect our plants and our future,” said Anthemis Melifronidou, Chief Officer for Plant Health of Cyprus.

By showing that plant health concerns us all, the Plant Health 4 Life campaign aims to leave a lasting legacy of awareness and shared responsibility.

Spread the word and get involved!

The actions of every European are key to keeping plants healthy. Visit the #PlantHealth4Life campaignwebsite and discover how the campaign encourages the public to safeguard plant health. Resources include press materials, social media posts, and videos.  

The campaign is open to everyone, with a particular focus on: 

• Curious travellers who love exploring the world and nature.
• Gardeners who grow and take care of vegetables, flowers and trees at home.        
• Parents who are concerned about the food their children eat, and eager to protect the environment and biodiversity for future generations.

About the campaign

#PlantHealth4Life is a multi-year campaign developed at the request of the European Commission. It is based on an in-depth analysis of citizen perceptions and behaviour with respect to plant health across the EU.  

The campaign continues to extend its scope and reach, covering 33 countries: 

• EU countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, and Sweden
• Pre-accession countries: Albania, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Kosovo*, Montenegro, and Türkiye, and
• Switzerland.  

*This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSCR 1244/1999 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo Declaration of Independence.

How does plant health affect our lives?

Plants make up 80% of the food we eat, feed the animals we raise for food, and clean the air we breathe. But that’s not all: healthy plants mean good agricultural yield, which impacts food availability and food prices for consumers. See more information on the role of plants.

Climate change and human activities, such as trade and travel put plants under heavy pressure. The spread of plant pests and diseases can have devastating economic and environmental consequences. For example, the pine wood nematode is a microscopic worm that can quickly kill pine trees and devastate forests. Until 1999, it was never detected in the EU. First introduced in Portugal, it is now present also in parts of Spain and has recently been detected in France. To stop it spreading, EU rules require all at-risk trees (mainly pines) within a 500 metres radius of an outbreak to be cut down and destroyed, with major economic and environmental impact, especially in regions with large pine forests.

Bank of Valletta, in collaboration with the Gozo Business Chamber, organised a conference titled ‘Gozo’s Economy: The Context and Future Direction’, bringing together key stakeholders to discuss Gozo’s economic landscape amid an increasingly complex and uncertain global environment. The conference assessed Gozo’s economic performance, examined emerging challenges, and explored opportunities that can shape its future trajectory.

Malcolm Bray, Head of BOV’s Economics Department, delivered a presentation outlining the salient features of Gozo’s economy, highlighting both recent developments and the structural challenges shaping its future trajectory.

Gozo has continued to record economic growth broadly in line with Malta, although performance has remained more volatile, reflecting the island’s narrower and less diversified economic base. In 2024, Gozo generated close to €1 billion in gross value added, representing just over 4% of Malta’s overall economic output.

The population of Gozo has increased in recent years, mirroring national trends. Nevertheless, Gozo continues to face demographic pressures linked to ageing. Employment remains heavily concentrated in services, and unemployment remains low, underscoring a tight labour market.

Tourism activity has recovered strongly since the pandemic, supported by improved connectivity. However, Gozo continues to function primarily as a short‑stay destination. Property market activity has stabilised, with rents remaining more affordable than in Malta. Household wealth is among the highest nationally, largely reflecting high rates of property ownership.

Concluding his presentation, Mr Bray noted that “looking ahead, aligning investment, policy and finance with a higher‑value, sustainable and innovation‑led vision will be critical for Gozo to strengthen economic resilience while preserving its distinct identity.”

Juergen Attard, Senior Manager Policy & Research, Gozo Regional Development Authority (GRDA), focused on ‘Gozo’s Economic Future: Opportunities Through a Vibrant Start-Up Ecosystem’. He remarked that “Gozo’s economy has made significant progress, with sustained growth and near full employment. The next phase is to build on this momentum by diversifying into higher value-added sectors and improving the quality of employment, ensuring that Gozitans can continue to live and work on the island. An important component of this transition is the development of a vibrant start-up ecosystem, supported by an integrated framework that encourages innovation, entrepreneurship, and higher value-added economic activity.”

Michael Galea, President of the Gozo Business Chamber, stated, “The real opportunity for Gozo is not to replicate Malta’s model, but to redefine its own. Gozo has to build a resilient, innovative and high-value economy.” This was echoed by Daniel Borg, Chief Executive Officer of the Gozo Business Chamber, who highlighted the growing number of high value-added companies in Gozo, especially in the digital sector, which are mainly local. “With the right enabling environment, we can move towards an ecosystem of companies, which can help other start-ups succeed in this sector. Nonetheless, I believe that our focus should also revolve around youth. The Chamber, through the youth4entrepreneurship programme, is trying to instil in young entrepreneurs the confidence to pitch their business ideas about Gozo. We should continue to develop further such a framework,” he added.

In his closing remarks, Kenneth Farrugia, Chief Executive Officer of Bank of Valletta, stressed that Gozo’s future depends on a clear shift towards qualitydriven, sustainable development, enabled through strong collaboration. He said that Gozo’s double insularity should be deliberately leveraged as a strategic advantage, positioning the island as an exclusive, highvalue destination supported by disciplined planning and responsible investment. Mr Farrugia outlined the need for targeted financing for quality tourism and valueadded enterprise, improved connectivity and digital infrastructure, and sustained investment in skills and talent retention, noting that BOV has a key role to play in enabling these outcomes. He concluded that turning vision into reality will require alignment between policymakers, the business community and financial institutions to ensure Gozo’s longterm resilience and competitiveness.

Kenneth Farrugia and Daniel Borg also participated in the panel discussion, alongside Ivan Falzon, CEO of the Gozo Regional Development Authority (GRDA); Mario Buttigieg, CEO of Fiduscorp Limited; and Omar Tanti, CEO of Threls. The discussion focused on Gozo’s economic resilience and weaknesses, investment and access to finance, infrastructure and sustainability, digital transformation and talent, as well as entrepreneurship and capital attraction.

The Children’s Manifesto, spearheaded by the Children’s Local Councils, and coordinated by the Malta Foundation for the Wellbeing of Society, lists 132 proposals children want political parties to commit to ahead of the May 30 general election.

It was launched today by the children themselves and presented to political parties. Then, on May 19 and 20, electoral candidates will be invited to sign a declaration committing to champion the children’s manifesto’s proposals and children’s rights. 

President Emeritus Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca, MFWS founder and chair, said: “Through this manifesto, children are not asking for token consultation; they are asking for concrete commitments on the issues already dominating the national conversation. This is a call for political parties to put children at the heart of every policy; to take into consideration their proposals for the Malta they will inherit,” Ms Coleiro Preca said.

The 2026 Children’s Manifesto was drawn up following years of work, discussions and consultations with Children’s Local Councils in 65 localities. It is structured around six pillars: The Community & Environment; Health & Mental Wellbeing; Education; Diversity & Inclusion; Children’s Rights & Active Participation; and Technology, Online Protection & AI.

Elena Curmi, 14, from Għarb, Gozo, expressed a sincere hope that this manifesto would bring real attention to what children and young people in Malta and Gozo actually need.

“We hope this document leads to real change. My message to political parties is: I hope you continue listening to us children and work with us to make our ideas a reality; I hope you improve education, wellbeing, opportunities, and community life, so that we can all feel more confident about our future,” she said, urging political parties to take their proposals on board.

Ms Coleiro Preca added that the Children’s Local Councils in Malta and Gozo were an essential vehicle for children and younger people to make their voices heard.

“I am heartened to witness a leap in children’s confidence to debate and to demand what is rightfully theirs.

“For political leaders, policymakers and authorities, this document offers a valuable compass. It invites us to listen carefully and to recognise that children often see the future with clarity, honesty, and courage.

“It is now our collective responsibility to honour their voices, to take their proposals seriously, and to work with them to build the country they so clearly envision. Their ideas challenge us. Their courage inspires us. Their vision calls us to act.”

The proposals in the Children’s Manifesto speak directly to the issues dominating the national conversation: traffic, road safety, overdevelopment, access to green spaces, cost of living, poverty, disability, inclusion, mental health, education, and community life.

The children also want AI to be used in ways that make their lives more fruitful, while ensuring children have meaningful alternatives to screen time and device use.

The strongest shift in this manifesto is the importance children attach to community. The first pillar, Community and Environment, contains more proposals than any other, sending a clear message to political parties that children across Malta and Gozo are yearning for stronger community life, safer public spaces, more greenery, and places where they can meet, play, belong and be heard.

Local Councils’ Association president Mario Fava said the direct participation of people in community life lies at the heart of every democracy; a principle that applied equally to children.

“The fact that these children felt the need to organise themselves, engage in discussion, and present concrete proposals should serve as a clear signal to all – including local councils – that we must continue to strengthen the mechanisms of consultation and children’s active participation.

“We cannot speak of a long-term vision if those who will live and lead it in the future are excluded from the decisions being made today. This Children’s Manifesto should be seen as the first step in a broader journey. The next step must be direct engagement with these children… It is only through such a process that we can build solutions that truly reflect the needs and aspirations of all,” Mr Fava said.

You can read the proposals in the Children’s Manifesto here: https://mfws.org.mt/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Childrens-Manifesto-ebook.pdf

Specifically, from May 5 and every Tuesday until June 30, Mastercard cardholders who make purchases at supermarkets, either in-store or online, paying with their Mastercard card and accumulate a total spend of €50 on Tuesdays within the month, are eligible to receive €10 cashback. The offer applies to a limited number of cards each month, and each card can benefit once per month. The cashback will be credited automatically once eligible transactions are completed and validated.

The campaign is valid nationwide for supermarket purchases and applies to Mastercard cardholders from Maltese banks, reinforcing Tuesdays as a dedicated day of rewards within the week.
“Mastercard Day” is part of Mastercard’s ongoing efforts to enhance the payment experience by offering more benefits to its cardholders. Starting with supermarket shopping, the initiative is expected to expand into other spending categories, creating further opportunities for rewards in everyday life.

Panagiotis Polydoros, Country Manager of Mastercard for Greece, Cyprus and Malta, said:
“At Mastercard, we design and implement initiatives that create meaningful value and benefits in our cardholders’ everyday lives. With Mastercard Day, we connect an everyday habit with an immediate and tangible benefit for the consumer, through a simple mechanism that fits seamlessly into their routine.”
With Mastercard Day, every supermarket shopping becomes very rewarding every Tuesday.

For more information, please visit: mastercard.com/mt/mastercard-day
The promotion applies to eligible supermarket purchases in Malta. 
Purchases made through third-party delivery providers are excluded.
The campaign applies to active Mastercard cards (excluding Maestro and commercial cards), issued by bank or other payment institution duly authorized by the Malta Financial Services Authority.
Terms and conditions apply.

The completion of the regenerative project was inaugurated by the Bank’s CEO Kenneth Farrugia, Chief Personal and Wealth Officer Simon Azzopardi and Chief Operations Officer Ernest Agius, in the presence of Xewkija Mayor, Simona Refalo.

Speaking at the inaugural event, BOV CEO Kenneth Farrugia remarked that “with the reopening of our premises in Xewkija, we enter another phase of the Bank’s Renovation Program. The program aims to upgrade our customer touchpoints, and now marks 11 refurbished branches and agencies, two new Financial Well-being Centres, a new Investment Centre in Sliema, as well as a refurbished BOV Centre and a new Business Hub. This is in line with our objective of offering a better experience for our customers and a more pleasant working environment for our employees, thereby confirming our position as the Bank of Choice in both Malta and Gozo.”

Simon Azzopardi and Ernest Agius spoke about the importance of the Bank’s physical presence in Gozo, highlighting that, with over 30 branches and agencies across Malta and Gozo, Bank of Valletta is the island’s most physically present bank. In Gozo, that includes BOV’s main Victoria branch, agencies in Nadur, Xagħra and Xewkija, and the newly opened Sannat Financial Well-being Centre. This year, the Bank will make significant progress in the program, with further renovations planned. Ernest Agius also emphasised the work being done to reduce the Bank’s carbon footprint through several ESG-friendly measures that were implemented during the refurbishment works.

Xewkija Mayor Simona Refalo thanked Bank of Valletta on behalf of the residents for its commitment to renew and improve its services in the locality. She said that the residents are also appreciative of the newly installed BOV ATM, which is housed on the Local Council’s premises.

In the coming months, the Bank will continue working to improve the premises of its Branch network while enhancing its digital banking platforms.

Addressing stockbrokers at Corinthia Palace hotel following the publication of IHI’s financial results, the Chairman said the Group will increasingly focus on profitability, and look to offload mature properties and realise their capital appreciation while redeploying funds into higher-return opportunities in support of growth and a consistent dividend policy.

A central element of the model is the expansion of third-party management agreements generating recurring income without the burden of financing development costs and depreciation, and strengthening overall margins through improved efficiency.

He added that growth in the Group’s service companies – Corinthia Hotels CHL, QP-EQ and C-Rev – is expected to more than offset the impact of asset disposals.

The Chairman’s remarks come as IHI reported a sharp rise in profits for 2025. Revenue increased by 9.3% to €335.3 million, while net profit attributable to shareholders reached €20.8 million, up from just over €4 million the previous year. Total assets now exceed €1.9 billion, with net asset value per share climbing to €1.52, a net increase of 1 billion.

The Board has recommended an interim dividend of 3c per share, reflecting both performance and confidence in the Group’s outlook.

Simon Naudi, CEO of IHI, said the transition towards a more asset-light model is already visible in recent activity.

He pointed to the sale of a 72% stake in the Corinthia Hotel Lisbon, based on a €150 million valuation, with IHI retaining a minority share and continuing to manage the property – a model it is now looking to replicate with other mature assets, including Prague.

“We are growing on all fronts – as investors, developers and operators – but with a clearer focus on efficiency and capital discipline” .

The Group’s expansion continues across key markets, with new openings in New York, Brussels, Bucharest and Rome, and a growing pipeline spanning Europe, the Middle East and Asia. The group is also seeking third party capital for new projects being led by C-rev in new locations such as Beverley hills and and the Caribbean.

IHI is now involved in more than 30 hotels under ownership or operating on behalf of third parties. 

The Chairman said the focus now is on building a leaner, more agile organisation capable of delivering consistent returns, supported by a stronger earnings base and regular dividend distributions.

Terra Quantum, a global leader in quantum technology, together with Melita Business and Merqury Cybersecurity, a leading developer of quantum key management and quantum network control solutions, today announced the successful deployment of a Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) link connecting Melita’s two main data centers in Malta. The system enables the exchange of cryptographic keys secured by quantum technology across Melita’s live fiber network, demonstrating that quantum-secure communication can operate on existing telecommunications infrastructure.

The deployment represents an important milestone in bringing quantum security from research environments into operational telecom networks. Much like the transition from unencrypted to encrypted internet traffic in the early 2000s, quantum key distribution is poised to become the next foundational layer of security for global communications. As quantum computing advances, widely used public key encryption methods will become vulnerable, making quantum-secure communication increasingly important. Consequently, quantum-secure communication technologies are becoming critical for protecting telecom infrastructure, financial systems, and government networks.

Quantum security on existing telecom infrastructure

A key achievement of the deployment is that the QKD system operates over Melita’s existing lit fiber infrastructure using Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM). Unlike many experimental quantum communication systems that require dedicated dark fiber, this installation demonstrates that quantum-secure key exchange can operate within active telecom networks without any infrastructure modifications.

The system connected Melita’s primary data centers and enabled the secure exchange of cryptographic keys used to protect sensitive communications. By integrating Terra Quantum’s QKD technology with Merqury’s networking hardware and key management capabilities, the partners created a fully integrated quantum-secure networking solution. Terra Quantum’s proprietary QKD technology enables provably secure encryption for critical network infrastructure. It is a loss control-based system that delivers quantum-safe key exchange over optical fiber, including critical security components:

• Quantum Random Number Generator (QRNG) producing truly unpredictable cryptographic keys
• Optical Time-Domain Reflectometry (OTDR) to continuously monitor the fiber link and detect potential intrusion attempts

Together, these technologies enable provably secure encryption for critical digital infrastructure, ensuring that any attempt to intercept communications can be detected.

Demonstrating quantum networking in real-world conditions

During deployment, the partners successfully implemented Terra Quantum’s QKD technology on active telecom fiber infrastructure and integrated the system with Merqury’s key management system via a standards-aligned REST API. 

The deployment has handled tens of thousands of key requests with zero unplanned client-impacting incidents, demonstrating stable operation in a live telco environment. These results validate the feasibility of integrating quantum security into live telecommunications networks and accelerate the transition toward commercial quantum-secure communication services.

“By successfully operating our quantum key distribution technology on a live telecom network, we are proving that quantum security can be integrated into existing infrastructure today, moving from research laboratories into real-world deployment. This represents a major step toward building the quantum-secure communication backbone Europe will rely on in the future.” said Markus Pflitsch, Founder and CEO of Terra Quantum.

Matthew Farrugia, Technical Head of Service Delivery & Data Centre at Melita, emphasized the importance of the project: “Ensuring the highest level of security for the connection between our data centers is essential. Quantum cryptography provides a powerful new layer of protection and allows us to detect any attempt to compromise the communication link.”

Noel Farrugia, Chief Technology Officer at Merqury Cybersecurity, added: “Quantum security only becomes useful when it can be deployed, controlled and monitored as any other system on a network. By integrating Terra Quantum’s QKD technology with Merqury’s quantum network management suite, we have shown that quantum-secure services can move beyond the lab and into real telecom operations.”

Toward Europe’s quantum-secure communication infrastructure

The successful deployment in Malta represents a significant step toward large-scale quantum networking and the realization of Europe’s future quantum-secure communication infrastructure. The program supports Europe’s efforts to establish a continent-wide quantum-secure communications network, ensuring long-term protection for critical data while strengthening Europe’s technological sovereignty

Spartacus was created and is being run by Otters ASC to deliver a new set of dynamic events that together further enhance the Otters Management strategy of delivering and building inclusivity across all sports and capabilities in the Gozo and Malta communities, and beyond. 

Spartacus offers competitors new locations for contender categories and courses in which to test their endurance sports performance limits across disciplines of Hybrid Steel, Running and Open Water Sea Swimming. Entries are already underway and are invited across the athletic and swimming spectrums from Pro-Athletes, Semi-Pro, and Amateur. The organisers, reflecting their grassroots expertise in sports have also opened friendly competition opportunities for Beginners to get a taste of sport in the Gladiator’s Arena or organised Running or Open Water Courses.

MeDirect has chosen to sponsor Spartacus Gozo because the event format and its competitors align perfectly with the Bank’s core values and objectives of giving people autonomy and confidence to pursue personal growth both financially and in life.   

Larissa Ciantar, Head of Personal Banking explained the Bank’s reasoning for sponsoring Spartacus: “As a Maltese bank, MeDirect is challenging the status quo, offering access to daily and business banking and an unrivalled selection of investment products. Through our digital and physical network, we have set ourselves tough objectives to offer the fastest and best service possible. Equally, the Spartacus Organising Committee and the many competitors attracted to compete at Spartacus on land or sea, are setting themselves tough standards. This shared commitment to excellence and innovation forms the foundation of this collaboration.”

Club Manager at Otters ASC and Event Director at Spartacus Gozo, Mark Camilleri said, “Spartacus is the realisation of a dream come true for Otters ASC as we strive to expand the sporting services that we offer to our communities in Gozo, in Malta and beyond to the international visitors and tourists whom we attract to the Islands. Otters are well known and respected for our Championship winning expertise in the pool and in the Mediterranean Sea with Waterpolo and Swimming. With Spartacus we are rising up from the water onto the land to deliver new Running Challenges and our new Hybrid Steel Competitive format for Endurance Athletes who want to come to Marsalforn in Gozo to perform and compete outdoors and win glory alongside the beautiful Mediterranean Sea. Spartacus marks the beginning of a new era for sports in Gozo, in Malta, and beyond internationally. We are really excited to be welcoming so many competitors to Marsalforn to enjoy our stunning blue water Bay, coastal racing routes, and all the Island has to offer to competitors, their partners, their families and friends.” 

About Otters Aquatic Sports Club

Established in 1971, Otters ASC is celebrating its 55^th year in 2026 as the only Swimming and Waterpolo club in Gozo, Malta. In 2025 and 2026 the Club demonstrated outstanding results in its strategy for designing and delivering excellence in Sporting and Community development. Its growth ambitions are being realised in Gozo, in Malta, and beyond, attracting new players and audiences from across Europe to play and compete in Waterpolo, Swimming and Synchronised Swimming competitions in Gozo. Supporting the Club’s Voluntary Organisation commitments, the Otters ASC Committees have created and own the highly popular and successful Otters Festival, and in 2026 is introducing Spartacus Gozo, which is a new Sports Brand and dynamic sporting event for which competitors can choose to enter and compete in categories of Running, Open Water Swimming, and the new Hybrid Steel Endurance format. 

For more information on Otters ASC and entry into Sporting Events at Spartacus and The Otters Festival, please visit: https://ottersasc.club/ and https://spartacusgozo.com/