A Message from Dr Francis Zammit Dimech, Minister of Foreign Affairs, to the Maltese Living outside Malta
My dear friends,
This is my first message to you as Minister of Foreign Affairs and I convey it to you with my best wishes.
Undoubtedly this time of happiness and joy in which we remember the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ draws us closer to each other because it reminds us of the traditions and customs that have formed and given us our identity as Maltese. Even you, even though you live so far from our birthplace you continued to cherish the Maltese traditions and, I am pleased to hear, with almost more enthusiasm than us living in Malta.
I appreciate that you, who are living in distant lands, feel the separation from your dear ones more at this time than at other times of the year. I also know that the same happens to your families living in Malta.
However, I have no doubt that even you in these days join with your families, your friends and the Maltese communities to celebrate these feasts and renew the traditions which you took with you and over time you pass on to your younger ones.
In this legislature my predecessor, Dr Tonio Borg, worked tirelessly to establish a more active contact with you, so much so that this year Act XX of 2011 came into effect, establishing the Council for Maltese living outside Malta. With satisfaction I say that in September the first meeting of this Council was held, when all the appointed members met here in Malta and discussed issues that affect you, the Maltese living outside Malta.
It is my pleasure that now as the Minister of Foreign Affairs I am also the Chairman of this Council and this I will have more direct contact with your representatives who I know are keen to discuss and work on your behalf on this Council.
On my behalf and that of all the staff of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs I send you my best wishes for a Happy Christmas with your family and friends and a New Year 2013 that it full of what your heart desires.
Francis Zammit Dimech
Ministru tal-Affarijiet Barranin
10/12/2012
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Messaġġ Ta’ Dr Francis Zammit Dimech, Ministru Tal-Affarijiet Barranin Ta’ Malta Lill-Maltin Li Jgħixu Barra Minn Malta
Għeżież ħbieb tiegħi
Dan l-ewwel messaġġ tiegħi lilkom bħala Ministru tal-Affarijiet Barranin, qed ngħaddihulkom bl-isbaħ xewqat.
Bla dubju dan iż-żmien ta’ ferħ u hena li fih infakkru t-twelid ta’ Sidna Ġesu Kristu jqarribna wkoll aktar lejn xulxin għax ifakkarna fi tradizzjonijiet u drawwiet li sawruna u tawna l-identità tagħna bħala Maltin. Intom ukoll minkejja li tinsabu ‘l bogħod minn art twelidna bqajtu tħaddnu t-tradizzjonijiet Maltin u nieħu gost nisma’ li intom kważi kważi b’aktar entużjażmu minna f’Malta .
Nifhem li intom li tgħixu f’artijiet imbegħda tħossu l-firda mill-għeżież tagħkom aktar milli tħossuha fi żminijiet oħra tas-sena. Naf ukoll li l-istess jiġrilhom il-familji tagħkom li jinsabu hawn Malta.
Iżda m’għandix dubju li anke intom f’dawn il-jiem tingħaqdu mal-familji, l-ħbieb u l-komunitajiet Maltin biex tiċċelebraw dawn il-festi u ġġeddu t-tradizzjonijiet li ħadtu magħkom u li biż-żmien qed tgħadduhom liż-żgħar tagħkom.
F’din il-leġislatura l-predeċessur tiegħi Dr Tonio Borg, ħadem bis-sħiħ sabiex jkun stabbilit aktar kuntatt ħaj magħkom, tant hu hekk li din is-sena ġie fis-seħħ l-Att XX 2011 li permezz tiegħu ġie mwaqqaf il-Kunsill għall-Maltin li jgħixu barra minn Malta. B’sodisfazzjon ngħid li f’Settembru saret l-ewwel seduta ta’ dan il-Kunsill fejn il-membri kollha maħtura ltaqgħu hawn Malta u iddiskutew diversi temi li jolqtu lilkom Maltin li tgħixu barra minn Malta.
Huwa ta’ pjaċir għalija li issa bħala Ministru tal-Affarijiet Barranin jiena wkoll iċ-Ċermen ta’ dan il-Kunsill u b’hekk se jkolli aktar kuntatt dirett mar-rapprezentanti tagħkom li naf li jinsabu ħerqan li permezz tiegħu ser jiddiskutu u jaħdmu aktar għan-nom tagħkom.
F’ismi u f’isem l-istaff kollu tal-Ministeru tal-Affarjiet Barranin nawguralkom l-isbaħ xewqat għal Milied hieni mal-familji u ħbieb tagħkom u sena 2013 mimlija b’dak kollu li tixtieq qalbkom.
Francis Zammit Dimech
Ministru tal-Affarijiet Barranin
10/12/2012
