Starting from December 2020 until May 2023, the University of Malta led the CORALLO project (Principle investigator: Prof. Alan Deidun from the Department of Geosciences) – a project dedicated to fostering of a greater degree of awareness about Natura 2000 in Malta and Sicily by promoting the unique living and landscape assets of these sites and their responsible enjoyment.
An important tool developed within the CORALLO project aimed to achieve precisely this is the CORALLO smartphone application, which is now live! This app is designed to encourage and help visitors explore and learn more about two important sites in Malta connected with a number of Natura 2000 sites: the White Tower Bay and the Ħaġar Qim & Mnajdra Archaeological Park. Further information and download links (for Android and iOS) about this edutainment and gaming app can be found online, and we highly recommend visitors to use this app when exploring these two sites. The content of this app was collected and edited by Mr Johann Galdies within the Oceanography Malta Research Group, with the support of Prof. Alan Deidun and Dr Adam Gauci, and also with the help of project partners ERA and Heritage Malta. In addition to interesting information, the app also features fantastic photographs of Maltese Natura 2000 assets taken by several local photographers.
In addition to the gaming app, the Oceanography Malta Research Group, through the CORALLO project, has also delivered six cutting-edge interactive kiosks, panels and touchtables, which will be providing information about local Natura 2000 sites in an interactive way. Four of these are located at the National Museum of Natural History, one is at the Ħaġar Qim and Mnajdra Archaeological Site, and one is in the Maths and Physics Building at the Msida Campus. We encourage everyone to visit and enjoy these amazing new tools.