About 1000 students attended morning activities prepared specially for them. All of them participated in cartoon sessions aiming at raising awareness among children on volunteering.  The cartoon called "Tommy & Rosy" has been produced by MEUSAC - Malta-EU Steering and Action Committee. The sessions were followed by a discussion and sharing of impressions of the children.

The event attracted several VIPs. On 30th November, day dedicated to Art, Culture & Sports, Mario Debono, a National Olympic athlete gave a talk on sport volunteering & the benefits of sport. On the same day, the Hon. Dolores Cristina, the Minister of Education, Employment and the Family, exchanged impressions with the organizations present in the marketplace and visited a small exhibition of arts and local products by various artisans.

On 1st December, day of volunteering in environment, the tent received a surprise visit from the Minister for Resources and Rural Affairs George Pullicino who visited the stands of the marketplace and learnt about the different organizations that were present, such as GS 1 Malta, SOS Malta, Nature Trust or Malta Girl Guides. Among the activities that attracted a great attention that day was the explanation of the life cycle of bees, of how they produce honey and how they should be protected; this included many lively species of bees!

Every day there was a cultural or musical animation. The Maltese Scouts Association held a meeting at the event and performed in front of the tent. Every evening short film sessions were offered to the participants and several evening discussions were broadcasted on the Education TV Channel.

The Maltese Tour closed on Monday 5th December by a gala event in the Tent. On this special occasion the National coordinators prepared a presentation that resumed all the activities that were held in Malta in the framework of the year. A section was also dedicated to the Relay reporters and the video was shown on their activities. The MCVS launched its volunteer matching web site which will serve as the tool to link organisations with volunteers and the business sector.

The highlight of the closing ceremony was the presentation of the National Volunteer Award launched earlier this year by MCVS. The Malta Council for the Volunteer Sector (MCVS) established National Volunteer Award, which will be awarded every year on the 5th of December, International Volunteer Day, in order to recognise the important work carried out by those who volunteer with voluntary organisations which are non-profit, charities and NGOs, to contribute towards the rewarding and recognising achievements gained in volunteering activities and the raising of awareness of the value and importance of volunteering, to honour those men and women who, for no material gain, dedicate themselves to help others or work for a cause and to raise public awareness of the crucial role volunteers play in our society and therefore should be encouraged and supported. The National Volunteer Award was given as follows:

1st Place: Mr Joseph Mifsud (Mission Fund)

Joint 2nd Place: Ms Helen Muscat (Action for Breast Cancer), and Ms Miriam Bonnici (National Parents Society for Persons with Disability & Malta Society of the Blind)

3rd Place: Mr John L. Peel (National Parents Society for Persons

with Disability)

The Awards were presented by Mr. Robert Farrugia, Chairperson MCVS, Mr. Martin Bugelli, Head EU Representation in Malta and Prof. Kenneth Wain, Commissioner for Voluntary Organisations.

The Maltese EYV Tour stop was a remarkable closure of the European Year of Volunteering, which managed to attract about 2000 visitors and brought together more than 50 volunteering organizations, an amazing outcome for the smallest country of the European Union.

You can find day by day information and more pictures on the country section.