As part of the Climate-MATCH Mainstreaming of Climate Adaptation for Horizontal Coordination in Malta, the UM Team of the CHeriSH project organised a participatory workshop on May 16 in order to disseminate and validate the preliminary risk and cultural significance assessment framework for coastal cultural heritage.
The overarching Climate-Match project aims to address the issue of Integrated Climate Policy and Adaptation Action Mapping across various sectors within the Maltese Government. The project was commissioned by the Public Works Department (PWD) and the Ministry for Environment, Enterprise and Regeneration of the Grand Harbour (MEER) under the TSI2023 flagship project funding. The University of Malta is working in collaboration with the EUCC (Coastal and Marine Union).
The UM Team is working on the CHeriSH project: Coastal Heritage and Safeguards against Hazards. Its aim is to deliver a more detailed, specialised approach in order to address climate and other impacts, through structural vulnerability and cultural significance analysis of heritage assets on the coast of Malta. The framework will enable a diverse and specialised analysis of the exposure, vulnerability and cultural significance of coastal heritage assets at risk from coastal-climate changes and other hazards in a multi-risk environment.
The workshop, hosted by the Public Works Department and implemented by the UM Team, brought together around 50 participants from diverse backgrounds, representing a wide range of public entities, NGOs, academia, and professional practice. Their expertise spanned conservation, heritage management and interpretation, tourism, research, engineering, architecture, climate action, and local governance. The workshop converged this exceptionally broad range of disciplines by convening practitioners, NGOs, and policymakers, and bridging the gap between policy and practice. It presented an opportunity to present and expose the preliminary framework to all relevant stakeholders and actors in the field for a rich, critical and highly valuable feedback to inform its development.
Participants were first introduced to an overview of the project, the motivation and need for a risk assessment framework and climate-related threats impacting Malta鈥檚 coastal heritage by Mr Daniel Fenech (PWD), Mr Christoph Klockenbring (SG Reform), , and . Ms Annukka K枚ppen presented the preliminary framework, outlining in detail the stages of cultural significance, hazard, exposure, and vulnerability assessment, as well as the resulting Heritage Value@Risk statement.
At the heart of the workshop was the participation of stakeholders. led the first session on the case study of the megalithic structures in Xorb L鈥橤hagin. With the team having already finalised the assessment for the site, this exercise focused on drawing out ratings and assessment of participants of representative elements from each section - cultural significance, hazard, exposure and vulnerability. This interactive exercise is not extensive but provides valuable information for the validation of the framework results.
During the second participatory session, breakout groups engaged in an in-depth exercise focused on the G魔ajn Tuffie魔a Tower. This session is extensive and every step of the preliminary framework was tested and reviewed by the participants. Not only does this provide comparative data for validation of the framework, it also yields essential feedback on its methodology and implementation, facilitating iterative refinement and alignment with stakeholder requirements and practices.
The workshop was concluded by Prof. Ruben Paul Borg and outlining the vision of the framework and the importance of this event, marking the active participatory approaches, dynamic exchanges and vibrant discussions and collaboration in the breakout groups. Through enthusiastic engagement and constructive criticism, participants' contributions revealed both affirming and challenging perspectives, informing the framework鈥檚 refinement and practical implementation.
