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8 Things Malta’s Environmental Movement Needs To Learn From Last Sunday’s Protest

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Last Sunday’s protest showed that people were not just concerned about the state of our environment. They have shown that they are willing to dedicate their time to actively show their displeasure with what is happening in Malta.

Compared to other environmental protests on the island, this was a very successful one, with around a thousand people joining in. It all comes to show that while the country is living in the absence of a competent opposition, there is the potential for people to effectively organise themselves.

If the people involved in the protest and other NGOs who are in opposition with the Central Link Project are really intent on protecting the trees and land in the Attard, they should keep a few of these points in mind.

 1. Coordination is key

Environmental organisations need to coordinate more with each other and need to show this coordination publicly.

We have already seen the success they can deliver in the Central Link Project when 14 organisations appealed to gather €20,000 so they could legally challenge the project.

While this was a positive step, we do not have many examples of such coordination. The coordination that was seen exactly after the projects approval only stopped after the money was gathered. No effort was made to coordinate in the protest.

If NGOs want to have fresh ideas and more resources and have a powerful voice they must pool their efforts together.

2. Protests need to be organised in an adequate time and place

People that are genuinely concerned about an issue would want to express their opinion by means of protest, and organising protests at convenient times and places would help the turnout.

If protests clash with work or other activities the chances of people showing up become slim. It is important that organisers know what will be going on throughout the day.

The protest should also take place in an area that is easily reachable for people.

3. It’s vital to have top-notch logistics

Firstly, the protest needs to be given a few days notice, maybe even a week or two for publicity and organisation.

Protests are dependent on public outcry, but time must be dedicated to advertising the protest. NGOs need to make their events as public as possible, with social media being their main route.

Recruiting and requesting specific people to share an event will get far more clout than simply posting an event on an NGO’s Facebook page and hoping for an organic spread.

Secondly, develop an adequate transport system to get people from one place to the other. It was a very good move by the organisers to come up with a carpooling system for last Sunday.

After all that, it falls down to execution. Find good speakers who are able to effectively address the crowd and set up a sound system so people can hear what is being said.

If NGOs get a good crowd and speakers that are able to get those mic-drop-moments out, the protest will be far more likely to be prioritised by media outlets.

4. For maximum effect, attract and involve youths

If NGOs want to be seen as exuberant in the public eye they need to attract youths. They may seem uninterested because they are difficult to come by, but they’re often just scared. Or at least, apprehensive.  It isn’t their fault, they live in a politically claustrophobic country that turns toxic the minute political parties get involved.

Give them encouragement and space to speak, and they will rise to be the dynamic flow of the movement.

University Students at the Climate March that took place in March this year. Photo by Third Eye

University Students at the Climate March that took place in March this year. Photo by Third Eye

5. Make the organisation and the protest fun

This relates to youths as much as it does to the general public. Make an event out of it. Get as many people involved as possible, and create a healthy environment that will encourage people to look forward to the next event. A serious protest and a serious subject sure, but that doesn’t mean there’s no room for fun.

On another note, NGOs need to have some more family-bonding. Despite their minor differences, they’re fighting for the same end-goal. It should not be about commanding each other but developing each other’s abilities and fighting for a common cause. With the amount of bickering we’ve seen in the past, no one would be surprised if we ended up having more environmental NGOs than we do trees.

6.  Adopt an attractive and moderate strategy

NGOs will need to think about their outreach strategy. Creating an impact doesn’t solely rely on the size of an individual protest, but also on what is said and proposed while the cause is being fought for.

It is important that alternative options are proposed by the Green NGOs and should take moderation into consideration. Proposing something ludicrous, for example, an outright ban on cars or forcing people to ride bikes, or even not proposing any alternatives at all will alienate supporters and the public, and will eat away at the heart of any given movement.

Also, NGOs should not automatically assume they have the moral high ground when people disagree with their cause.

7. Make sure that politicians are not at the forefront

While politicians would want to ride the bandwagon to look good for votes they must be prevented from hijacking and becoming the face of a movement.

A public movement is of the people, for the people, by the people.

The mistake of the climate protest that took place last March should not be repeated. The protesters who organised the protest criticising the government for the lack of climate action let a government minister be at the forefront of the protest, effectively taking the reigns.

The Minister of Education Evarist Bartolo, at the forefront of a march organised against his own government, attended by then MEP candidates Cyrus Engerer and Michael Brigulio. Photo by KSU

The Minister of Education Evarist Bartolo, at the forefront of a march organised against his own government, attended by then MEP candidates Cyrus Engerer and Michael Brigulio. Photo by KSU

8. Don’t succumb to pressure

For those who are able to create a successful movement, as has happened with the Central Link protest, they will likely be targeted – for no other reason than because they’re struck a raw nerve.

Sasha Vella was targeted by government supporters who took aim at her looks. Graffiti Activist Robert Lewis Fenech suffered after the same treatment after he posted a photo of Transport Minister Ian Borg with his daughter arguing that more trees would be beneficial for the young girl’s health as well as Malta’s. They were even denounced as conspirators of the Nationalist Party.

It is important that those in the new movement are able to rise above it.

One of the many Facebook comments insulting Sasha Vella

One of the many Facebook comments insulting Sasha Vella

Likes a good conversation while drinking coffee. Frequently reads a book or binge-watches a series when relaxing.

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