Competition to Win Limited Edition €2 Commemorative Coin Celebrating the Maltese Honey Bee

The Foundation for the Conservation of the Maltese Honey Bee (KNM), in collaboration with the HSBC Malta Foundation, is pleased to announce a competition offering participants the chance to win a €2 commemorative coin issued by the Central Bank of Malta, featuring the Maltese Honey Bee. The theme for this commemorative coin has long been proposed by the KNM Foundation. Thanks to the generous sponsorship of the HSBC Malta Foundation, seven coin cards of this €2 commemorative coin will be awarded as prizes.

The Maltese Honey Bee, scientifically known as Apis mellifera ruttneri, has evolved in isolation on the Maltese Islands, making it an endemic subspecies exclusive to this archipelago. However, the introduction of foreign honey bee stock continues to compromise its genetic purity. This hybridisation threatens the subspecies’ survival, emphasising the critical need for conservation efforts to protect it from extinction. The Maltese Honey Bee is also currently being considered for classification as the National Insect of Malta, an initiative led by the KNM Foundation. Learn more about this initiative by watching a video directed by the Foundation, titled “Unique Insect: The Maltese Honey Bee.”

To participate in the competition, residents of Malta or Gozo are being invited to submit a short vertically oriented video, between 15 and 50 seconds in length, showcasing the Maltese Honey Bee with its distinctive dark-coloured abdomen. Submissions must be of high quality and accurately depict the unique characteristics of the Maltese Honey Bee; videos that do not meet these criteria will be rejected. For detailed guidance on the bee’s appearance, please visit the KNM Foundation’s website at https://nahlamaltija.org. Participants should send their videos with their basic personal details at nahlamaltija@gmail.com, and using WeTransfer (https://wetransfer.com) for larger files. Submissions will be accepted until the 30th of October 2024, with a limit of one video per participant. Approved videos will be uploaded to the KNM Foundation’s YouTube channel in a special playlist created for this competition. The seven videos receiving the most LIKES on YouTube by November 15th, will be declared the winners.

Abner Joe Buttigieg, co-founder of the KNM Foundation, expressed his satisfaction, stating, “I am delighted that a commemorative coin honouring the Maltese Honey Bee is now available. This theme holds particular significance for our Foundation, as it has been a long-standing proposal of ours. Every effort towards conservation, in any form, contributes to combating the numerous threats facing our honey bee. We are grateful to the HSBC Malta Foundation for once again recognising and supporting these vital conservation efforts.’”

Glenn Bugeja, representing the HSBC Malta Foundation, stated, “We are proud to support KNM once again by sponsoring the purchase of these limited edition €2 commemorative coins honouring the Maltese Honey Bee. Conservation efforts can take many forms, from hands-on fieldwork to raising awareness through initiatives like this, which celebrate a vital pollinator so deeply intertwined with our country.”

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