Din l-Art Ħelwa and The Archaeological Society Malta have filed an appeal to the Environment and Planning Review Tribunal to overturn the approval of an apartment block that would overlook the Ġgantija Temples in Gozo, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The NGOs are now threatening to escalate the matter to UNESCO if their appeal is unsuccessful. The Ġgantija Temples are a megalithic temple complex from the Neolithic era (c. 3600–2500 BC) and are considered one of the most important archaeological sites in Malta.
The NGOs argue that the construction of the apartment block would compromise the integrity and authenticity of the site. UNESCO has a history of collaborating with NGOs to protect cultural and natural heritage sites, and the organization may intervene if it determines that the Maltese government is not adequately protecting the Ġgantija Temples.
