To support the Maltese Honey Bee Education Through Songs and Rhymes project under Small Initiatives Support Scheme 2025, two vibrant educational tools have been created: a roll-up banner and A6 postcards. These materials are designed to bring In-Naħla Katerina, the beloved bee mascot, into schools and community spaces in a fun, accessible, and lasting way.
This initiative forms part of a wider campaign led by Dylan Farrugia and Abner Joe Buttigieg, and supported through the Small Initiatives Support Scheme (SIS), managed by the Malta Council for the Voluntary Sector (MCVS) and financed by the Ministry for Inclusion and the Voluntary Sector (MIV). With a focus on raising awareness about Malta’s endemic honey bee (Apis mellifera ruttneri) and other national species, the campaign uses music, visual storytelling, and interactive tools to connect with young audiences.
A Vibrant Roll-Up Banner
The roll-up banner features In-Naħla Katerina in full colour, as she appears in the music video of the first song, released on World Bee Day (20 May 2025). The mascot is depicted in a vibrant natural setting, with a beehive in the background and playful musical notes floating through the scene, emphasising the project’s fusion of nature and music.
The banner is not only a visual attraction but also an interactive tool. A QR code placed prominently at the top-left of the banner links directly to the song In-Naħla Katerina, allowing children, teachers, and parents to easily access the music and engage with the content on their own devices.
This banner will accompany the project team during school visits and public events, where it will serve as a visual anchor for live sessions and presentations. It was designed with young children in mind, using friendly imagery and bright colours to captivate their attention while reinforcing the campaign’s educational aims.
A6 Postcards: A Take-Home Reminder
To complement the banner, the team also designed A6-sized postcards, printed in bulk and to be distributed to students during school visits with the mascot. These postcards are both a keepsake and a learning tool.
The front of the postcard features the In-Naħla Katerina mascot and a collage of the banners of all three songs in the educational trilogy:
- In-Naħla Katerina (20 May 2025)
- Festin Għad-Dakkara (16 June 2025)
- In-Naħla u Sħabha (24 September 2025)
This trio of banners visually ties the songs together as a unified set. The front also includes a QR code, enabling immediate access to the song or further information online.
On the reverse side, the postcard continues the visual storytelling, showing In-Naħla Katerina as she appears in the official music video. The back image supports visual recognition and helps children recall the song, story, and environmental message more easily.
Encouraging Ongoing Engagement
Both the banner and the postcards are designed to extend the life and reach of the SIS 2025 project. While the songs themselves live online and in classrooms, these tangible materials help embed the messages in children’s everyday lives, creating a lasting connection with In-Naħla Katerina and her lessons about nature.
In addition to promoting the Maltese Honey Bee, these tools also contribute to the project’s broader aims, encouraging early language learning in Maltese, building environmental awareness, and strengthening cultural identity among Malta’s younger generations.
As the campaign continues to roll out across schools, the roll-up banner and postcards will serve as cheerful ambassadors of the project, reminding children that learning about nature can be both fun and meaningful.
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Disclaimer: This project has been funded by the Small Initiatives Support Scheme (SIS) managed by the Malta Council for the Voluntary Sector (MCVS) supported by the Ministry for Inclusion and the Voluntary Sector (MIV). This project/ publication reflects the views only of the author, and the MCVS cannot be held responsible for the content or any use which may be made of the information contained therein.
Small Initiatives Support Scheme 2025
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