Watch: Din l-Art Ħelwa Slams Burger Advert Projected Onto Valletta Bastions

Environmental NGO Din l-Art Ħelwa has criticised the projection of a commercial advert onto Valletta’s historic bastion walls, warning that one of Malta’s most iconic monuments is being turned into a billboard.

In a statement, the NGO said the projections, which advertised hamburgers on the St John Bastion, are difficult to reconcile with the principles that govern UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

It stressed that UNESCO guidelines require heritage sites such as Valletta to be protected not only in terms of their physical fabric but also their authenticity, integrity, setting, important views and overall sense of place.

“Temporary does not mean harmless,” the NGO said, calling on the authorities to explain who authorised the projection and whether any heritage impact assessment was carried out before the advert was displayed.

Din l-Art Ħelwa pointed to similar international controversies, including plans to project horse-racing advertisements onto the Sydney Opera House in Australia and a drone-based Adidas campaign near Greece’s Acropolis, both UNESCO World Heritage Sites that sparked widespread criticism.

The NGO questioned why Malta was allowing commercial advertising to be projected onto Valletta’s fortifications, arguing that the country is already saturated with billboards.

“Is it not enough that the entire island is already plastered with commercial billboards?” the organisation asked, warning against extending advertising to the capital’s historic bastions.

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Video credits to Din L-Art Ħelwa

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Gabriel Falzon

Gabriel Falzon is a social media executive at Lovin Malta, with a keen interest in digital media, local businesses, and the natural world. Outside of work, you’ll often find him baking up a storm, diving into video games, or exploring the endless corners of YouTube.