President Eddie Fenech Adami yesterday presented the Pope John XXIII prize for 2008 to the fourth year class at Kirkop primary school.
The eight-year-old children were awarded the prize for helping one of their classmates, Felio Debono, who has Down syndrome.
Chanice and Justin Cassar received the Prize for Goodness in the name of their class, in front of President Emeritus Ugo Mifsud Bonnici, the Speaker of the House of Representatives and Members of Parliament from both sides of the House of Representatives.
Later on Felio proudly held the prize while all children and teachers gathered happily for a group photo. The smiles on the eight-year-olds’ faces reflected an inner contentment comparable to having got full marks in their end of year exam.
“Pope John, whom we today are remembering by means of this medal, reminds us that goodness and a generous heart is the universal language understood by all countries in all times,” said the director of the Peace Laboratory, Fr Dionisius Mintoff. “Justice and truth lie upon deeds and actions towards those needing special attention,” he continued.
The Peace Laboratory started awarding the Prize for Goodness with the aim of spreading a culture of solidarity. The occasion also marks the death of Pope John XXIII, which happened in the month of June.
“Even though they may not fully understand the value of their deeds, these children are a clear example of acting through knowledge and understanding,” President Fenech Adami said. “These children treat their classmate as one of them and help him in all his needs, even by walking with him to doctrine classes outside school hours,” he continued.
The President urged all to reflect on their lifestyles, which are much influenced by today’s world of globalisation and in particularly the “globalisation of information”.
He explained that globalisation on its own is far from the meaning of knowledge which he described as “the whole being of oneself – who we are and what each one of us should reach. It is the value that makes us human beings and gives meaning to life”.
President Fenech Adami thanked St Benedict’s College, of which the Kirkop Primary School forms part, and the teachers who deliver their education with dedication. He said that teachers share good values for Maltese children to grow up with sound principles.