DLHAlert Funding

The DLHAlert project has been cofunded through the Voluntary Organisations Project Scheme, an initiative managed and administered by the Malta Council for the Voluntary Sector (MCVS).

Din l-Art Ħelwa received €20,000 to fund part of the costs of developing this platform as well as conduct online marketing on social media to promote DLH’s efforts in engaging with the public to inform them with objections to specific planning applications.Din l-Art Ħelwa filed a record 1,500 objections to individual planning applications in 2022 – close to a third of which concern proposed developments in Gozo.

The NGO has a team – the Heritage and Environment Protection sub-committee – which scans development applications and prioritises those of most concern. The sub-committee is assisted by various professionals working on a pro-bono basis, enabling it to tackle far more than its financial resources would otherwise allow.

“Our ongoing efforts have not been in vain. Despite the odds being undoubtedly stacked against us, Din l-Art Ħelwa has had several victories,” DLĦ executive president Alex Torpiano said in a statement.

The public has over the years shown great interest in supporting initiatives that expose over development and abuse of the local built and natural environment. This portal will act as an effective tool to the public allowing them to be involved in protecting the environment.

Active citizenship means people getting involved in their communities and democracy at all levels from local to national and global. … They organize civic initiatives: events, polls, simulations, campaigns, anything that gets people engaged with European politics and policies. DLHAlert is a clear initiative in encouraging active citizenship in the work of the NGO.

Active citizenship is based on volunteering and DLH’s existence depends on volunteering. Through this project DLH will create an effective tool to be used by the general public tuning them into volunteers to help DLH better police the environment.