NEWS The Convention for Maltese Living Abroad commenced in Malta yesterday. It opened with a mass celebrated by Gozo Bishop Mario Grech at the Russian Chapel in San Anton Palace on Monday afternoon. This was followed by a reception at the palace grounds, hosted by the President of Malta H.E. Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca who welcomed the convention participants.
The convention is the fourth being organised by the government for the Maltese diaspora – the others took place in 1969, 2000 and 2010 – and it is being held in the backdrop of the centenary celebrations commemorating the Gallipoli campaign and ANZAC Day. Many Australian and New Zealand casualties in the Gallipoli campaign had been evacuated to Malta for medical treatment.
Over 100 diaspora Maltese residing in various countries – including Australia, Belgium, Canada, Egypt, France, Italy, Jordan, Luxembourg, the United Arab Emirates, the UK and the USA – have come to Malta to attend the conference.
The Convention is being chaired by the permanent secretary at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs. The Council for the Maltese Living Abroad had appointed Professor Maurice Cauchi as its representative on the organising committee.
In her address, Ms Coleiro Preca said that the delegates’ presence was a clear evidence of how the Maltese managed to succeed wherever they may be. She said that while Maltese people have ended up living in every corner of the globe, they remained united by culture and by common values.
She insisted that Malta and the Maltese diaspora could contribute to each other’s benefit, and pledged that the Presidency would remain close to Maltese people living overseas.
“You are a part of us, and we want to help you foster your Maltese identity. Malta still needs you,” she said.
The President said that any Maltese people living overseas who may wish to contribute to Malta could do so in various ways, including through the President’s Foundation for the Wellbeing of Society and the Malta Community Chest Fund, which will itself be transformed into a foundation in the near future.
She concluded by stating that she was proud to be the President of every Maltese person, including those living overseas, and encouraged the diaspora to continue to give visibility to their country of origin.
Mrs Coleiro Preca also augured that the Maltese living abroad would continue visiting Malta, stating that they will always find people ready to welcome them on their arrival.
Later in the evening Hon. Minister Owen Bonnici, Minister for Justice, Culture and Local Government inaugurated the Diaspora Arts Exhibition at Heritage Malta’s exhibition venue in Melita Street, Valletta. A number of Maltese living abroad are taking part in this diaspora art exhibition. A symposium for Maltese novelists and writers living abroad will be organised at the University of Malta building in Valletta on Wednesday 22 April.
Full text of the President’s speech
Merħba!
It is with pleasure that I welcome you all to the Russian Chapel at San Anton Palace, for the opening of this year’s Convention for Maltese Living Abroad.
I extend a warm welcome to you as Maltese and Gozitans, who, in actual fact, live far from home, but still call Malta and Gozo your home and your country.
I wish you all a pleasant stay in Malta, and hope that your re-union with your families and loved ones, is especially meaningful, and that you will have the opportunity to re-establish the bonds between you.
I will now revert to our mother tongue, our beautiful language that identifies us as a nation, wherever we are in the world, and that I hope you still embrace our language and pass it on to your children.
Il-preżenza tagħkom hawn hija prova ċara ta’ kemm aħna l-Maltin irnexxhielna nimirħu lil hinn minn pajjiżna, u nilħqu l-aspirazzjonijiet tagħna, inkunu fejn inkunu. Fil-fatt, il-Maltin u Għawdxin ħutna jinsabu f’kull rokna tad-dinja.
Jien konvint li din il-preżenza qawwija madwar id-dinja hija xi ħaġa li nistgħu nibnu fuqha, u li tista’ tiżviluppa aktar, għal ġid tal-komunità sħiħa Maltija, irrispettivament ta’ fejn tinsab.
Wara kollox, bħala komunità waħda, aħna marbutin flimkien b’kultura u l-valuri komuni, u li għandha twassalna biex nikkontribwixxu għal ġid ta’ xulxin.
Minn meta ħadt il-ġurament ta’ President ta’ Malta, sostnejt li rrid, matul il-proċess tal-Presidenza tiegħi, naħseb fil-Maltin u l-Għawdxin ħutna, li huma mxerrdin mal-erbat irjieħ tad-dinja.
Irrid insaħħaħ il-kuntatt magħhom. Irrid li flimkien inkabbru l-għarfien tagħkom l-ulied ta’ dan il-ġens.
Irrid nurikom li għalija, intom parti minna. Irrid ngħinkom biex tibqgħu tgħożżu l-identità Maltija.
Ix-xewqa tiegħi hija li kull minn minnkom jixtieq li jipparteċipa b’xi mod fil-ħajja ta’ pajjizna, isib l-opportunità li jagħmel dan fil-Presidenza.
Fil-Presidenza, waqqaft il-Fondazzjoni għall-Ġid tas-Soċjetà, li għandha l-għan li tagħmel riċerka relevanti, xierqa u f’waqtha, għaż-żminijiet soċjali tal-lum, u timpenja ruħha mas-soċjetà għall-promozzjoni tal-paċi u l-għaqda fost il-poplu tagħna, u kull min jinsab fostna.
Minbarra dan, il-Malta Community Chest Fund, fi ftit ġranet oħra, ukoll ser issir fondazzjoni, bil-għan li tkompli tqassam ‘il fuq minn 3.5 miljun ewro kull sena, biex tipprovdi appoġġ finanzjarju għall-kura ta’ nies Maltin li jkunu għaddejjin mill-marda kiefra tal-kanċer, jew mard terminali ieħor.
Din l-għajnuna tista’ tingħata biss permezz tal-ġenerożità tal-Maltin u l-Għawdxin kollha, jgħixu fejn jgħixu.
Jien ninkoraġġixxi lil kull minn jista’ joffri l-għajnuna tiegħu, kemm finanzjarja kif ukoll, b’kull mod ieħor, biex jagħmel dan minn qalbu.
Jien nemmen li, fid-dinja tal-lum, ħafna nies, inkluż iż-żgħażagħ, huma aktar motivati u għandhom sens ta’ parteċipazzjoni u entużjażmu kbir, biex jagħtu mill-ħin tagħhom, għall-ġid ta’ ħaddieħor.
Fl-aħħar, iżda mhux l-anqas, jiena kburija bil-fatt li jien il-President tal-Maltin u l-Għawdxin kollha, u għaldaqstant, il-President tagħkom ukoll.
Flimkien irridu niċċelebraw dak kollu li hu Malti, dak li jagħmilna poplu, ġens magħqud u li dejjem fittex il-paċi, lest li juri solidarjetà ma’ kull min ikollu bżonn, u fl-istess ħin, poplu ferrieħi u lest li jilqa’ lil kulħadd.
Nirringrazzjakom minn qalbi talli ġejtu u qed tipparteċipaw bis-sħiħ f’din il-konvenzjoni.
Nawguralkom suċċess f’din il-konferenza, u li tkompu d-djalogu li tibdew hawn għal ġid tal-Maltin u l-Għawdxin kolla.
Nawguralkom li tkomplu żżuru lil pajjiżkom kull meta tistgħu. Dejjem ser issibu minn jilqgħakom.
