The year 2008 has now passed into the history books. 2008 was the seventh year that the ZAK website was online and it was by far the best year for the site. There were a lot of changes as the look was changed and the way it works was also changed. This was thanks to a team who came together to work on the website and bring more professionality and more ideas to it all.

It was also by far the best year where visits to the site are concerned as all the records which had been standing for a long time were smashed.

Visitors in one year has gone from 14300 in 2005 to 17500 in 2008.

Visitors in one month has gone from 1500 in June 2005 to 2100 in September 2008.

Visitors in one day has gone from 100 on 10 June 2005 to 150 on 9th September 2008. (The old record was broken 5 times during 2008).

The average daily number of visitors in one month has gone from 50 in June 2005 to 70 in September 2008. (The old record was also broken in October, November and December 2008).

So, all in all it was a very good year for the ZAK website. Congratulations to all the website team for the effort and thanks to all the visitors. For the continued success of the website, it is important to have help from ZAK members who can be 'reporters' for the ZAK website. All activity notices, write-ups and photos after the activity are most welcome. Together we can make 2009 an even better year.

The Christmas Activity is a 2 hour session which has been prepared by the EVS volunteers for ZAK groups. It is going to be done 13 times (so far) but most of the bookings have already been taken. Any ZAK group which has not yet booked should contact Josef on office@zakmalta.org by Sunday 14th December. I do recommend that you take up this opportunity which has been offered so as to experience something organised by volunteers who have lived their lives in a different culture to Malta and therefore have different and new experiences to offer ZAK. The list so far is as follows:

A new idea is for ZAK members to go and do Voluntary Work in the Holy Land as EVS volunteers. During summer 2008 there were 5 EVS volunteers who spent 2 months working with ZAK and at present there are 3 EVS volunteers who are spending a year with ZAK in Malta. ZAK members can also become EVS volunteers by going to another country.

About the project for the Holy Land. It is important that there are 10 ZAK members or more and they must be 18 years and older. The idea is that the advanced planning visit will be held in the summer of 2009 and the project itself in the summer of 2010. ZAK has got contacts in the Holy Land through visits, seminars and through the Catholic Action and it is these contacts that make the EVS possible. Finances are very favourable so it is not necessary for a large financial outlay. ZAK members interested in this project are to contact their leaders to let them know so that volunteers names will be gathered. More details will be given in the future.