manoel island: A Place for us
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Our vision
Through this campaign, we want to show how Manoel Island can be a place for all of us to enjoy.
It is possible…
But we only have a short window of opportunity to act, and the below petition is just the start.
The concession between the Maltese Parliament and MIDI is currently being renegotiated.
This campaign is the only chance we have to make this dream a reality.
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What can manoel island be?
an urban biodiversity refuge
After decades of abandonment, the glacis around Fort Manoel has been taken over by local flora and fauna. Wild plant species bloom on its slopes, a diversity of birds nest and roost in its quiet corners, and wild mammals, reptiles, and insects find refuge in this wooded green space in the urban core.
A public open space
The Northern Harbour region is the most constructed and populated part of Malta. The people here lack green open spaces where they can relax and where children can play safely. Manoel Island could provide almost 30 hectares of public space, free for all to enjoy, in a car-free and non-commercial environment.
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A heritage park
The Manoel Island Heritage Park would enjoy views of Valletta's UNESCO World Heritage Site skyline and fortifications. It would boast of the Baroque Fort Manoel and the Lazzaretto, the oldest surviving quarantine quarters in Europe, transformed into a museum and cultural centre for public use.
Participation
Get involved
Reach out to us on Facebook or Instagram, or via email at contact@manoelislandcampaign.com, to get involved in the Manoel Island campaign.
sign and share
Encourage your friends and family to sign and share the petition. Just copy the url and spread it far and wide! Don’t forget to verify your signature by email after you sign.
If you are involved in any organisation, or even at the workplace, explore whether you can share the petition. You can print this QR code and stick it on a notice board, or leave it at your office’s reception. It will point straight to the Parliamentary Petition.
donate
Running a campaign is expensive. Everyone involved is a volunteer, but certain things like advertising, printing and hosting need to be paid for. If you want to contribute, please follow instructions below. Every contribution, big or small, is another step to increasing the amount of public spaces in Malta. Every little helps.
by Bank Transfer
Moviment Graffitti
Bank of Valletta
IBAN No. MT87VALL22013000000011799516014
Pay by Card
Follow this link to the FAA payment system.
30+ ENDORSEES
Inħobb il-Gżira
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GĦAWDIX
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The Grow 10 Trees Project
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WIRT IŻ-ŻEJTUN
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7R Lifestyle Malta
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Residenti Beltin
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YPB
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Friends of the earth Malta
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Malta Ranger Unit
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Bird Life Malta
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Nature Trust Malta
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DIN L-ART ĦELWA
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Wied ta' Rmiedi Rewilding Project
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PEN Malta
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Kummissjoni interdjoċesana ambjent
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Sliema Residents' Association
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Marsaskala Residents Network
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Kreattivisti
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Rota
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Geġwiġija
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ACT.
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ClimbMT
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Richmond
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Azzjoni Tuna Artna Lura
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il-kollettiv
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Greenhouse
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Dance Beyond Borders
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BERG
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MRCC
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Inizjamed
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Dawra Madwarna
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KNZ
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Ramblers Malta
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Wirt Għawdex
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Betapsi
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Inħobb il-Gżira • GĦAWDIX • The Grow 10 Trees Project • WIRT IŻ-ŻEJTUN • 7R Lifestyle Malta • Residenti Beltin • YPB • Friends of the earth Malta • Malta Ranger Unit • Bird Life Malta • Nature Trust Malta • DIN L-ART ĦELWA • Wied ta' Rmiedi Rewilding Project • PEN Malta • Kummissjoni interdjoċesana ambjent • Sliema Residents' Association • Marsaskala Residents Network • Kreattivisti • Rota • Geġwiġija • ACT. • ClimbMT • Richmond • Azzjoni Tuna Artna Lura • il-kollettiv • Greenhouse • Dance Beyond Borders • BERG • MRCC • Inizjamed • Dawra Madwarna • KNZ • Ramblers Malta • Wirt Għawdex • Betapsi •
FAQS
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The campaign aims to put the issue of Manoel Island back on the national agenda. We stand at a crossroads, a unique point in time where the future of Manoel Island is being questioned. Will it be used for commercial development, turned into luxury residences, a hotel, a casino or can it become a landmark park for all to enjoy in the most urbanised part of Malta?
Imagine Manoel Island as a place for us all to enjoy . Where nature is allowed to flourish alongside free open spaces. The Manoel Island: Post Għalina campaign wants to make this dream a reality. -
MIDI is a private consortium created for the redevelopment of Tigné and Manoel Island. The private operator, MIDI, has a lease on the combined Tigné Point-Manoel Island concession until 2099. But the contract, which was signed by the Maltese Parliament - unanimously - in 2000, states that works must be “substantially complete” by March 2026.
That is impossible.
MIDI is therefore in talks with the Maltese Government to obtain an extension to the 2026 deadline, because breaking the contract puts the entire concession - including Tigné Point - at risk.
That’s where the Manoel Island: Post Għalina campaign comes in.
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Yes. That parliamentary petition collected over 7,500 signatures. However, it was dismissed by the Parliamentary Committee responsible for petitions. This time, we want to change the course of history and create a movement for Manoel Island to be enjoyed by the people for years to come.
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The campaign is being organised by a team of volunteers with experience in other activist and environmental organisations. The campaign is also being endorsed by a wide variety of groups and associations. See the endorsement list here.
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We want Manoel Island - all of it, or close to all - to become a national public park for the use of everyone. How this takes place is up to the negotiations between the Government and MIDI.
Specifically, we want the luxury residences currently planned on a big part of Manoel Island to be replaced with green open spaces and recreational facilities, and for the island’s rich heritage to be preserved and made accessible to the public.
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The contract’s conditions are clear. MIDI had a quarter-century to get this project off the ground, and it has still barely started. MIDI is in breach of the contract’s conditions. That gives the government the right to rescind the contract.
The economic argument can be argued differently, too. Malta in 2025 is very different to what it was in 2000. There is an increasing appreciation for quality of life and health. Furthermore, an accessible park for families in Malta’s most densely-populated area will be better for the country’s long-term economic stability than a few hundred more luxury apartments.
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Not at all! Returning Manoel Island to the public and turning it into a national park for all to enjoy can be - and should be - a win-win situation. The fact is that the concession is now in a grey area. The deadline is fast approaching, and negotiations about an extension are underway. MIDI argues that some of the delays were outside its control. MIDI is also seeking outside investment for the project, and has been doing so for many years.
That means that there is a good chance for everyone to sit around the table and come to an agreement that benefits everyone.
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