FIMBank CSR clips on Maltese language destined for schools

20.12.2016

Schoolchildren attending government, church and independent schools will soon have access to a series of video clips which trace the meaning of specific words in Maltese, and which focus on the origin and meaning of Maltese proverbs. These educational clips, produced by FIMBank plc as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility programme, will be distributed in all primary and secondary schools in Malta . This initiative was announced by FIMBank Group Chairman Dr John C. Grech, during a recent visit by the Minister for Education and Employment, the Hon. Evarist Bartolo at FIMBank’s head office  in St. Julian’s.

In 2015, FIMBank plc had partnered with Public Broadcasting Services Ltd (PBS) in an initiative which saw the broadcast of a series of 30-second video-spots, focusing on Malta’s linguistic heritage. The series of 100 clips, entitled ‘Kelma Kuljum’ (or ‘A Word Everyday’), includes both Maltese words used colloquially, as well as others which are being utilised less frequently. Meanwhile, earlier this year, as a continuation of this project and as part of its CSR programme, FIMBank launched a new series of video clips which focus on Maltese proverbs and their meanings, entitled ‘X’jghid il-Malti?’ (‘Maltese sayings’).  The new series has been featured extensively on PBS and the Bank’s social media channels.

Commenting on this initiative, FIMBank Chairman Dr John C. Grech stated that “As a Malta-based institution we feel we owe it to the people of Malta to help raise awareness of our Islands’ rich cultural heritage. This consideration has always been a mainstay of our Corporate Social Responsibility programme. The Maltese language is recognised as being an essential part of our DNA. Its uniqueness, derived from its eclectic mix of Semitic and Romance influences, is appreciated and endorsed by linguists worldwide. We are proud to be in a position to highlight its beauty and relevance.”

The Hon. Evarist Bartolo stated that he is "grateful that FIMBank is investing in the teaching of the Maltese language in our schools. Such support helps us to reach more kids in learning their language in an interesting way. We need more different programmes to reach more kids as am not satisfied that nearly half of our fifth formers are not passing their SEC exam in Maltese. We need different programmes and different methods of assessment in Maltese to reach more students."

Jason Zammit, FIMBank’s Head of Marketing and Administration, said that the video spots had proven to be quite popular with Maltese viewers. He added that “very positive and encouraging feedback had been received after the spots from both campaigns were posted on Facebook and YouTube, where they were shared extensively by users. Getting people engaged and talking about our linguistic wealth is precisely the main objective of our project. This helped us to better understand the potential of this tool for the benefit of schoolchildren and their teachers.”

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