BirdLife: Hunting exhibition a ‘greenwashing exercise’

Environment NGO BirdLife have labelled a hunting exhibition in all of Gozo’s primary schools a “greenwashing” exercise.

“It is indeed a shame and embarrassing that Minister for Education Clifton Grima is allowing the use of our schools with our children, to try and help in greenwashing the reality of hunting in Malta,” they said.

It was recently revealed that the Gozo ministry is financing a roving exhibition by hunters’ fraternity Kaċċaturi San Ubertu in all primary schools on Gozo, in a controversial move that has attracted the condemnation of conservationists.

After backlash from BirdLife Malta, whose CEO Mark Sultana called the exhibition “unethical”, Kaċċaturi San Ubertu asked the government to take note of Birdlife Malta's “extremism” and act accordingly to ensure children's unbiased education on hunting.

The NGO said the world needs a future which respects nature “not kills it”.

“There are no conservation efforts in Malta that need hunting. There is no need for one person to kill a bird in order to plant a tree or build a rubble wall. The act of hunting in Malta is immoral, irrespective whether you do it in the company of a dog, or while building a rubble wall or even planting trees. In a developed European country like ours, there is no need for, or any rational justification for hunting,” BirdLife said.

They said the exhibition is only a greenwashing tactic to lessen the image of the real consequences of hunting.

“We hope that the education administrators within the Ministry and Department of Education understand our arguments along with those of all the people who have spoken out. We urge all educators across the nation to stand up against this exhibition and declare their position. Finally, we urge the hunting lobbies to put their efforts in educating and controlling their members, first and foremost,” it said.