Move Malta's main goal is to inspire people to be active while advocating for safe, vibrant community spaces that encourage daily physical activity like walking, running, and cycling. We understand that our surroundings, especially where we live, work, and play, significantly impact our health, well-being, and the environment. By blending sports with the subtle art of placemaking, we aim to tackle key issues such as sedentary lifestyles, social isolation, and environmental challenges, demonstrating how thoughtfully co-designed spaces can create healthier, more connected communities.

The Malta Pilot for the Placemaking and Sport Project centers around three key elements: People, Planet, and Health. Our goal was to connect these elements to revitalise an overlooked green area with the potential to become a vibrant community space that encourages an active lifestyle. 
At the heart of our initiative lies a hidden gem—an overlooked historic glacis, once part of Malta’s 17th-century fortifications. Originally built as a defense structure, this now-forgotten green slope, rich with beautiful trees, quietly serves a new purpose in tackling modern challenges like reducing carbon dioxide and boosting biodiversity. This unique setting forms the cornerstone of our project, where the art of placemaking connects the community with nature, contributes to its preservation, and promotes healthier spaces for active recreation.

To achieve this, we’ve shifted away from the traditional top-down approach, instead embracing inclusivity and participation. We took to the streets, engaging various stakeholders—schools, sports and nature organisations, children, and the elderly—listening to their stories and involving them from the very start. From clean-ups to storytelling, workshops, and hands-on activities, we poured our energy into making this project about the people and the potential of the space for healthy living. 

By involving the community every step of the way, we aimed to create a space that truly belongs to everyone, ensuring it thrives as a vibrant, active hub for everyone. Given Malta's high obesity rates and the scarcity of green community spaces, this area is a true gem. We hope that the outcome of this project, along with the suggestions from the experts, community and children, will be heard and acted upon, ensuring that the space is protected and cherished for years to come.

We’ve been very busy the last few months! Get a glimpse of what we’ve been up to in this video!

Disclaimer: Placemaking and sport - Innovative European solutions project is co-funded by European Commission under the Pilot Projects & Preparation Actions (PPPA), PPPA-SPORT-2022 GRASSROOTS-INNOVATION Programme with the following partners: ISCA (lead coordinator); Unione Italiana Sport Per Tutti (UISP), Italy, and Pilot City Matera;  DGI, Denmark, and Pilot City Copenhagen; Deporte Para La Educacion Y La Salud (DES), Spain, and Pilot city Valencia; MOVE Malta and Pilot city Valletta, Azur Sport Sante, France, and Pilot city Nice as well as the experts from  BG Be Active (Bulgaria) and Gehl (Denmark). Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.