As a non-city partner, the Maltese Planning Authority is representing the Republic of Malta and participating as a Member State of the EU, rather than a city. The Republic of Malta is composed of an archipelago of islands, the three principal ones being Malta, Gozo and Comino. The capital city of the islands, Valletta, is a peninsula at the centre of Malta’s Principal Urban Area as defined in the nation’s highest spatial planning instrument – the Strategic Plan for the Environment and Development.
The Planning Authority will be able to apply the lessons learned from its participation in the network to the urban planning of the entire archipelago.
In this conversation, the project representatives explain their motivations and expectations in relation to the Healthy Cities network.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Kci4GTYcP8
The local project coordinator so far reflects on her learning through the network:
“"I’m a different person since I started my URBACT journey! The URBACT Healthy Cities Project saw people from several European cities exchange ideas on our collective wellbeing as city dwellers. Though our journey started in a world which has changed, the Covid-19 pandemic has certainly helped in putting the spotlight on the importance of Healthy Cities. Many Maltese, myself included, have been prompted into re-evaluating our lifestyles. We pride ourselves on our quality of life, frequently enjoying the company of friends and family, but underappreciating the benefits of an active lifestyle. The URBACT Healthy Cities Project has allowed me to discuss and learn how to become more active through my daily routine, and essentially how cities can be designed to better support sustainable mobility. I am surely only one of many who has been influenced in this way, and whose reality has changed through networking and cultural exchange. Now a mentor to several aspiring architects and urban planners, I will cherish the experience and hope to inspire others with what I have learnt along the way."