Moviment Graffitti critical of hyper-consumerist Freshers’ Week

Studenti Graffitti, the student wing of Moviment Graffitti, has criticized the KSU Freshers’ Week at the University of Malta for being hyper-consumerist and company-centric.

In a statement, the student group said the week was centered around business interests, with private companies placed at the forefront instead of student organisations and other academic entities.

“We are very disappointed that despite the numerous statements and complaints put forward in previous years, Freshers’ Week remains a hyper-consumerist event centered around the business interests present at KSU and the University of Malta,” it said.

The group said that the main Quad, including a nearby parking area and the entrance to the Gateway building were crammed with major brands sponsoring KSU, making it hard to move around and creating a lot of noise during lectures and library hours.

Meanwhile, the tent set up for student organisations, while bigger compared to previous years, was a “sauna” due to poor ventilation and cooling measures.

Studenti Graffitti was also unhappy with the presence of anti-abortion group Life Netowkr Foundation at Freshers’ Week.

“This organisation intentionally presents misleading misinformation about abortion and actively pushes against family planning services in Malta. An educational institution such as the University of Malta should not promote such misinformation.”

“Moviment Graffitti’s fight for the students’ rightful spot at Freshers’ is a long-standing one. In 1997, we were not afraid to set up a stand on Quad despite being denied one. We will continue to put pressure on KSU as long as the KSU Freshers’ Week remains a corporate event that favours private companies, and not the students it claims to represent.”