Din l-Art Ħelwa signs guardianship deed for Qolla l-Bajda Battery in Gozo

NGO Din l-Art Ħelwa said Wednesday that it has signed a guardianship deed with the Superintendent of Cultural Heritage, acting on behalf of the government, for the restoration, management and public opening of the Qolla l-Bajda Battery in Gozo. In a statement, Din l-Art Ħelwa described the agreement as “a significant victory for cultural heritage preservation.” The deed, signed at the Office of the Notary to Government in Valletta, grants the organisation guardianship of the site for an initial period of 10 years. Under the agreement, Din l-Art Ħelwa will carry out all necessary restoration works at its own expense, manage the battery as a visitor attraction and ensure public access once works are completed, the statement said. The government, through the Superintendent of Cultural Heritage, opted to entrust the site to Din l-Art Ħelwa, recognising the organisation’s long-standing experience in cultural heritage protection, including through its Gozo branch, Din l-Art Ħelwa Għawdex. Executive President of Din l-Art Ħelwa Patrick Calleja described the agreement as “a landmark day for Gozo’s heritage.” “The Qolla l-Bajda Battery is a site of extraordinary historical value, and we will now begin the detailed planning and restoration work, ensuring that the battery is not only saved from neglect but opened to all as a living monument to our island’s history,” Calleja said.