Two student cohorts from the EkoSkola Committees of St Augustine College (Pietà) and St Michael’s School (Santa Venera) have presented their solutions for more inclusive and people-friendly streets to the mayors of the two localities, representatives from the Local Councils’ Association, Nature Trust – FEE Malta, Researchers at University of Malta and Friends of the Earth Malta.

The event, part of the MYMOBILITY project, funded by the ERASMUS+ programme aims to address the negative impacts of car-centric development and culture in Malta, which contributes to air and noise pollution, road safety risks, and transport inequalities, particularly for vulnerable road users.
Led by Project Aegle Foundation with the support of Walk21, an international NGO advocating for safe, comfortable and enjoyable walking around the world, the project also aims to raise awareness among students about sustainable mobility, urban design and walking experiences.
Between January and April 2025, the two student cohorts, aged 12 to 15, took part in a series of interactive workshops during which they mapped and assessed their school surroundings, and collected data on street environments. Using digital tools, they used the data collected to reimagine the streets surrounding their schools with safety and sustainability in mind.
Both the Mayors of Pietà and Santa Venera actively participated in the event, sharing their perspectives and responding thoughtfully to all the points raised by the students during their presentations. Gianluca Falzon, Mayor of Santa Venera highlighted the importance of balancing the needs of all road users and expressed interest in continuing the conversation with the school. He showed support for a student proposal to re-route school minivan drop-offs and pick-ups to enhance safety for students. Meanwhile, Pietà Mayor Stefano Savo acknowledged several issues raised by the students, including the current lack of signage and crossings indicating the school’s proximity and the need to implement traffic-calming measures in certain areas.
Nature Trust – FEE Malta praised the initiative, highlighting the educational value of involving students in sustainable mobility as part of their EkoSkola Green Flag portfolio. “It fostered critical thinking, teamwork, digital and public speaking skills—while giving students a real opportunity to be heard by decision-makers”, said EkoSkola Coordinator Cynthia Caruana.
As a result of this project, Walk21 published a report (https://walk21.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/My-Mobility-Malta-Walkability-Report-Walk21.pdf) to inform policy and propose interventions to improve the walkability around schools in Malta. In view of the future national walking strategy, part of the Transport Ministry’s recently announced measures to reshape mobility, this initiative could serve as a successful example to obtain people-centred data and knowledge about the walkability of Malta, from school students and other communities.
Concluding, Camille Bon, MYMOBILITY project leader, said, “The MYMOBILITY project demonstrates how education can foster civic engagement and meaningful dialogue, empowering young people to contribute to a better mobility future—where their voices are not only heard but help drive real change.”