Launched in 2005, the HSBC Cares For Malta's Heritage Fund has been set up through HSBC's initiative to help safeguard Malta's Heritage Sites. The HSBC bank shares a strong sense of social responsibility and appreciation of cultural heritage and is therefore collaborating with Heritage Malta and leading hotels in Malta to raise funds that will contribute in a tangible and lasting manner to the restoration and preservation of these priceless treasures for generations to come.

The scheme is simple yet innovative. Selected five star hotels have been approached to participate in this scheme. Guests staying at one of these hotels will be invited to make a voluntary contribution of one euro per room night. The choice to participate is entirely voluntary and there is no obligation whatsoever. On walking into their hotel rooms, guests will find a colourful leaflet with the relevant information on this scheme which seeks to raise funds for Malta's cultural heritage.

Another unique aspect of this scheme is that it is site-specific with a particular hotel being assigned a specific site. The five hotels that have joined this scheme are: the Intercontinental Malta, the Corinthia Hotels International, Radisson Hotels and Resorts, Hilton and The Xara Palace Relais and Chateaux.

The sites that fall under the care of Heritage Malta and that will benefit from this fund are the following:-

The Hagar Qim Temple: excavated in 1839, the temple dates back to the Tarxien phase (c.a. 3600-2500 BC). The Mnajdra Temples: with probably the most picturesque setting out of all the temple sites, Mnajdra is about 600m away from the Hagar Qim Temple. These temples date back to about 3500 BC.
The Hal Saflieni Hypogeum: dating to c.a. 4000 BC, this labyrinth complex of man-made chambers hewn out of the limestone to a depth of over 10 metres below street level was most probably used as a burial site and a ritual centre. St. Paul's Catacombs: the island's largest and most important early Christian burial site that was in use between the 4th and 8th centuries AD, the site represent the earliest archaeological evidence of Christianity in Malta.
The National Museum of Natural History (Vilhena Palace) formerly the seat of the Universita`, this Magisterial Palace was built by Grand Master Antonio Manwel de Vilhena on the plans of the French architect Francois de Mondion in 1722.

The above sites are open Monday to Sunday from 09:00 to 17:00 with the last admission being at 16:30. Bookings for the Hal Saflieni Hypogeum must be secured in advance via an on-line booking system available at www.heritagemaltashop.com