Malta is a unique destination, slap bang in the middle of the Mediterranean. Culture, history and architecture abounds. But we also supplement it with our welcoming attitude towards tourists and our ability to communicate in virtually any language that we come into contact with.

We also have plenty of sun, some of the cleanest bathing waters in the world, dive sites, beaches and good old night-time entertainment.

But one of our biggest failures is the cleanliness, or lack thereof, on our islands – particularly Malta. We have improved, but one of our major problems is littering. People still think nothing of just throwing away sweet wrappers, fast food packaging and cigarettes. And it makes our country look shabby. If one were to log into Tripadvisor – the traveller’s bible – many of the negative comments are in relation to the poor state of cleanliness that tourists encounter in Malta.

Air Malta staff donated €930 to Hospice Malta’s ‘Growing Kit’ campaign that encourages schoolchildren to grow sunflowers in public locations.

The sunflower is the logo of Hospice Malta, a symbol for patients in need surrounded by their carers. The aim of this campaign is to educate schoolchildren how to care for each other in order to support each other’s lives.

“We are extremely empowered by the response we received from the growing kit campaign,” General Manager of Hospice Malta, Kenneth Delia, said.

Hospice Malta provides free of charge palliative care to people suffering from cancer, motor neurone diseases and other terminal illnesses.

Malta has an important role to play in the rebuilding of Libya, it should retain a presence in the country as much as possible, show leadership and help in case of emergencies, Opposition leader Simon Busuttil said this evening.

Speaking in Parliament during a debate on a motion moved by Nationalist MP Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici, Dr Busuttil noted that in the first phase of the liberation of Libya., the government had kept the Opposition and its leader continuously informed of what was happening but the current Opposition was learning of things from the media.

He asked:

“Does Malta have a plan in case mass evacuations are needed... Is Malta keeping Libya on the EU’s agenda... Is Malta doing its utmost to give the Libyan people direct help... Has it understood well enough who are the Libyan factions fighting one another... How is it helping in Libya’s transition from a dictatorship to a democracy... Is the government prepared enough to address the situation as it is developing?”

The Duchess of Cambridge will take her first solo trip abroad for work when she heads to Malta later this year, Kensington Palace announced Monday.

Duchess Kate will visit Malta from September 20-21 on behalf of Queen Elizabeth to mark the 50th anniversary of the nation's independence from England. This will be her first trip to the Mediterranean island. 

If all you know about Malta is that it gave us some adorably fluffy pups, here are a few facts to bring you up to speed on this petite European nation:

1. Malta is located just below Italy, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya. 
   
2. John Cassar, director and producer of the first seven seasons of "24," was born in Malta.
3. "Captain Phillips," "The Da Vinci Code" and "World War Z" are among the many films that have scenes shot in Malta.
4. Malta is one of the world's smallest countries, covering only 122 square miles, but is a popular tourist destination because of its warm climate, sweeping views and various architectural and historical monuments. 
5. Malta was the 48th happiest country on earth, according to a report last fall by the United Nations. (The United States was 17th.)