Malta Airport Foundation names new chairman

Josef Formosa Gauci has been named the new chairman of Malta Airport Foundation, succeeding Fredrick Mifsud Bonnici in the role, according to a press statement sent to Business Malta. The NGO is celebrating its fifth anniversary by updating its visual identity.

“Back in 2014, Malta International Airport set out to further develop the country’s tourism product by investing directly in Malta’s heritage and the environment through the independent Malta Airport Foundation,” said outgoing Malta Airport Foundation chairman, Fredrick Mifsud Bonnici.

“Five years on, with a slew of successful projects already under its belt and a renewed vision for the future, the foundation can look forward to completing the projects it has taken on while exploring new partnerships and potential investment opportunities,” Mr Mifsud Bonnici added.

“Mr Mifsud Bonnici’s contribution and leadership throughout these past five years have set the Malta Airport Foundation off on a strong footing,” incoming chairman Mr Formosa Gauci said.

“As I step into my new role, I look forward to continuing to work closely with the board as well as key stakeholders to enable the foundation to continue preserving and promoting the identity of the Maltese Islands whilst honouring our country’s heritage,” the new chairman added.

The NGO says that its refreshed branding reflects the “vibrant settings” in which it operates, ranging from the “Mediterranean blues” of the surrounding waters to “deep earth tones reminiscent” of traditional Maltese landscapes.

Under new leadership and with a renewed identity, the Malta Airport Foundation promises to continue investing in the preservation and conservation of local heritage, while also keeps a commitment to its mission of reimagining local heritage as it brings forgotten or hidden aspects of Malta’s history and culture back to life.

Since its establishment, the foundation has launched two underwater documentaries, putting the islands of Filfla and Comino in the spotlight, is currently supporting the ongoing excavation of a Phoenician shipwreck in Gozo and is sponsoring research work being carried out by the University of Malta on a triptych dedicated to the Virgin of Succours. The foundation has also partnered up with NGO Żibel to commission sea bins in both Marsaxlokk and Marsascala. Nine seabins have been approved and funded while another nine seabins are in the pipeline to be added to Malta’s shoreline.

Recently, the foundation unveiled the newly restored 17th-century Ta’ Xutu watchtower, which was the first project to be taken on in collaboration with Din l-Art Ħelwa. The foundation also made substantial headway on the restoration of the Combined Operations Room in Valletta, which is expected to be reopened to the public early next year, and sponsored several local events, including the fifth edition of the Valletta Film Festival and the Joseph Calleja annual concert, the press statement adds.