Malta’s Rock in the Forest concert was held at the Greek Amphitheatre at Ta’ Qali National Park on Friday, 21 August, with proceeds going to the SiGMA Foundation.
The open-air concert featured returning guest vocalists Gianni Zammit, Janice Debattista, and Thea Aquilina alongside the event’s resident band.
Rock in the Forest began as a backyard concert for friends and family before becoming an annual fundraising event. It officially launched in 2012 at Château Buskett and has since supported various Maltese causes, including YMCA Malta in 2024 and Inspire Malta in 2025.
This year marked the event’s move to the Greek Amphitheatre at Ta’ Qali National Park. The concert was sponsored by Festivals Malta and the Malta National Park.
All proceeds from this year’s concert supported the SiGMA Foundation, a Maltese-registered NGO focused on philanthropy, sustainable development and support for underprivileged communities.
“Forever appreciative to David Perotti and the team at Rock in the Forest for having chosen to support the SiGMA Foundation through this year’s concert,” said Keith Marshall, Chief Philanthropy Officer at the SiGMA Foundation. “It augurs well on all fronts.”
The Foundation supports projects across several countries. In Uganda, five classrooms are being built to replace temporary tents and expand a school serving up to 300 children. In Guatemala, the Foundation is planning clean water filtration systems and improved cooking facilities in Puerto Barrios. An ophthalmic operating theatre inaugurated in 2025 is also funding 150 eye operations throughout 2026.
Projects in Ethiopia include maternity waiting homes and medical facilities in Chiri, which are expected to serve more than 30,000 rural residents. A six-classroom school extension in Gimbo is also planned. In Kenya, a new kindergarten is being established at St. Peter’s Parish Kuinet in Eldoret. In Iquitos, Peru, a night shelter for homeless people and a river repository for people seeking medical support are planned for 2027.
The Ethiopian projects and Uganda classrooms are scheduled for inauguration in January 2027.
The concert featured songs from several popular artists, including Guns N’ Roses, Green Day, Ghost, Pink Floyd, Queen, Ozzy Osbourne and Foo Fighters. Zammit returned to the stage alongside Debattista, known for her work with RUG, and Aquilina. They performed with the resident band led by musical director Georgius Mifsud on guitar and vocals.
The lineup also included vocalists Jeanelle Newell, David Ellul Mercer and Sarah De’ Marco; guitarists Carl Tanti, Max Paget and Mario Saliba; bassist Cliff Smith; keyboardist Sergio Bellizzi; and drummers and percussionists Kristina Perotti and Franco Aloisio. Event founder David Perotti also made a brief appearance during a Pink Floyd song.
Original article: https://www.yogonet.com/international/news/2026/08/27/126059-malta-39s-rock-in-the-forest-raises-funds-for-sigma-foundation
