HSBC Malta Foundation Hosts Prize Ceremony for Winners of the National Insect €2 Commemorative Coin Competition

The Foundation for the Conservation of the Maltese Honey Bee (KNM), in collaboration with the HSBC Malta Foundation, last August announced a competition offering participants the chance to win a €2 commemorative coin issued by the Central Bank of Malta. The coin, featuring the Maltese Honey Bee (Apis mellifera ruttneri), has since been officially declared the National Insect of Malta. With the generous sponsorship of the HSBC Malta Foundation, seven of these unique coins were awarded as prizes.

Participants in the competition were invited to create short, vertical videos, between 15 and 50 seconds, showcasing the Maltese Honey Bee and its distinctive dark-coloured abdomen. The aim was to raise awareness of the bee’s uniqueness and highlight its vital role in the Maltese ecosystem. The videos were uploaded to the KNM Foundation’s YouTube channel, where the public voted by giving “LIKES” to their favourites. The seven videos that received the most likes were declared the winners.

On 22nd November 2024, a ceremony was held at the HSBC Malta Foundation’s premises in Valletta to award the winners. Each received a €2 commemorative coin, presented by Glenn Bugeja, representing the HSBC Malta Foundation, and Dylan Farrugia, co-Founder and President of the KNM Foundation.

Speaking at the event, Glenn Bugeja, representing the HSBC Malta Foundation, expressed his pride in supporting the KNM Foundation once again, stating, “We are proud to support KNM by sponsoring the purchase of these limited edition €2 commemorative coins honouring the National Insect of Malta. 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.”

Dylan Farrugia, President of the KNM Foundation, also expressed his satisfaction with the competition and the release of the commemorative coin, stating, “I am delighted that a commemorative coin honouring the National Insect of Malta is now available. 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.”

The winners of the competition were Jeremy Bonello, Brendan Buttigieg, Sebastian Said, Jake Desira, Jorge Spiteri, Joseph Zammit, and Monika Gerdvilyte. Their videos were praised for effectively showcasing the Maltese Honey Bee and its significance to Malta’s natural heritage.

The Maltese Honey Bee is an endemic subspecies, unique to the Maltese Islands, and has been evolving in isolation for centuries. However, the introduction of foreign bee stock poses a significant threat to its genetic purity. The coin’s release and the competition are part of broader efforts to raise awareness and highlight the importance of protecting this species from extinction.

The HSBC Malta Foundation’s support of the competition underscores their commitment to environmental conservation and sustainability. Through such initiatives, the KNM Foundation and the HSBC Malta Foundation continue to educate the public about the importance of the Maltese Honey Bee and its role in Malta’s biodiversity.

To stay up to date with the Foundation’s work, we warmly invite you to join our WhatsApp community. The smooth functioning of our organisation relies on financial resources, and your support is essential. Every contribution, no matter the size, makes a real difference in advancing our mission. You can help by joining the Foundation’s cause, become a supporter for just €10 a year or make a donation here: Support the Foundation.

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Il-Fondazzjoni HSBC Malta tospita ċerimonja biex tonora r-rebbieħa tal-kompetizzjoni għall-għarfien tan-naħla Maltija tal-għasel

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Il-Fondazzjoni HSBC Malta, b’kollaborazzjoni mal-Fondazzjoni għall-Konservazzjoni tan-Naħla Maltija tal-Għasel (KNM), iċċelebraw flimkien mar-rebbieħa tal-kompetizzjoni “National Insect €2 Commemorative Coin”, waqt ċerimonja apposta u speċjali li saret fil-bini tal-Fondazzjoni HSBC Malta fil-Belt Valletta.

Il-kompetizzjoni, immirata biex tqajjem kuxjenza dwar in-naħla tal-għasel endemika Maltija (Apis mellifera ruttneri), stiednet lill-parteċipanti biex joħolqu filmati qosra li juru l-parti unika taż-żaqq tan-naħla u li hu ta’ lewn skur. Fl-istess waqt, permezz ta’ dan il-kontenut awdjo-viżiv, l-istess parteċipanti kellhom iċ-ċans jispjegaw dan ir-rwol kritiku fl-ekosistema tan-naħla. Il-filmati rebbieħa kienu magħżula permezz tal-vot pubbliku fuq il-YouTube channel tal-KNM. Ir-rebbieħa ta’ din il-kompetizzjoni kellhom jenfasizzaw l-importanza ta’ din id-dakkara vitali għall-biodiversitá ta’ pajjiżna.

B’kollox kien hemm seba’ rebbieħa. Dawn kienu Jeremy Bonello, Brendan Buttigieg, Sebastian Said, Jake Desira, Jorge Spiteri, Joseph Zammit, u Monika Gerdvilyte. Dawn kollha kienu ppreżentanti b’munita kommemorattiva ta’ €2 b’edizzjoni limitata maħruġa mill-Bank Ċentrali ta’ Malta. Il-muniti kienu ġentilment sponsorjati mill-Fondazzjoni HSBC Malta, bl-għan li jonoraw lin-naħla Maltija tal-għasel, u li rikonoxxuta uffiċjalment bħala l-Insett nazzjonali ta’ Malta.

F’diskors tal-okkazzjoni li sar waqt din l-attivitá mir-rappreżentant ta’ HSBC Malta Foundation, is-Sur Glenn Bugeja, saħaq li “bħala HSBC ninsabu kburin li qed nagħtu l-appoġġ tagħna lill-KNM, billi nisponsorjaw ix-xiri ta’ dawn il-muniti kommemorattivi ta’ edizzjoni limitata u li fl-aħħar mill-aħħar jonoraw l-Insett nazzjonali ta’ Malta”. Is-Sur Bugeja żied jgħid li “l-isforzi ta’ konservazzjoni jistgħu jieħdu diversi forom, minn involviment dirett fix-xogħol prattiku li jsir fl-ambjent naturali għal għal inizjattivi bħal dawn, li jiċċelebraw dakkara tant vitali u li għandha rabta profonda ma’ pajjiżna.

Il-Kofundatur u President tal-KNM, is-Sur Dylan Farrugia, esprima l-apprezzament tiegħu: “Ninsab kuntent li issa hemm disponibbli munita kommemorattiva li tonora l-insett nazzjonali ta’ pajjiżna. Kull sforz lejn il-konservazzjoni, fi kwalunkwé forma, jikkontribwixxi għall-ġlieda kontra d-diversi theddidiet li qed tiffaċċja n-naħla tal-għasel tagħna. Għaldaqstant aħna ninsabu grati lejn il-Fondazzjoni HSBC Malta għar-rikonoxximent u l-appoġġ li qed ikomplu juru fl-isforzi vitali tagħna ta’ konservazzjoni.” 

In-naħla Malija tal-għasel, hi speċi endemika li evolviet f’iżolament għal sekli sħaħ. Illum din l-ispeċi qed tiffaċċja theddid sinifikanti għas-safa ġenetika tagħha minħabba l-introduzzjoni ta’ stokk ta’ naħal barrani. Il-kompetizzjoni u l-ħruġ tal-munita kommemorattiva għandhom l-għan li jżidu l-għarfien dwar dawn l-isfidi u jispiraw lill-Maltin u l-Għawdxin fl-isforzi tagħhom biex jipproteġu l-ispeċi mill-estinzjoni.

L-appoġġ li tat HSBC Malta Foundation permezz ta’ dan l-isponsorship għal din il-kompetizzjoni, jikkonferma l-impenn kontinwu tagħha favur il-konservazzjoni u s-sostenibbiltá ambjentali. Grazzi għal dawn it-tip ta’ inizjattivi, il-Bank HSBC qed ikompli jkollu rwol vitali fit-trawwim tal-għarfien dwar il-bijodiversitá unika ta’ Malta u l-importanza li din tiġi ppreservata għall-ġenerazzjonijiet futuri.