Patrick Calleja will be succeeding Alex Torpiano as Din l-Art Ħelwa Executive President, the NGO announced on Thursday (today).

An architect by profession, Mr Calleja is the eighth Executive President of the organisation since it was established by Judge Maurice Caruana Curran in 1965, to safeguard Malta’s heritage and the nautral environment.

Mr Calleja graduated from the University of Malta in 1989 as an architecture and civil engineer.

After working overseas and in Malta on various projects, he set up his own practice in 1995, as well as a partnership with Architects Studio.

Throughout the years, Mr Calleja was involved in different projects and was on the jury of the Din l-Art Ħelwa and Kamra tal-Periti Architectural Awards on multiple occasions.

Over the years he actively campaigned, personally and profesionally, against the degredation of Urban Conservation Areas (UCA) across Malta and Gozo, particularly around Għargħur.

Patrick Calleja with past presidents of Din l-Art Ħelwa. From left to right: Petra Caruana Dingli, MariaGrazia Cassar, Patrick Calleja, Alex Torpiano, Martin Scicluna, Martin Galea and Simone Mizzi.

On his appointment, Mr Calleja says that it’s an honour and privilege to follow in the footsteps of “some truly inspiring and hard-working leaders.”

Leaders who he describes as the agents “who have helped shape and guide Malta’s National Trust over the years, into a most respected guardian of our historic and cultural built heritage and natural environment.”

On behalf of the Council and the NGO’s members, Mr Calleja thanked Prof Torpiano “for the sterling work he did during his years as an executive president.”

Although Prof Torpiano stepped down at the end of his term in office he will remain on the Din l-Art Ħelwa Council as Vice-President, and also as the chair of the heritage and Environment Protection sub-committee.