So far this year it has been difficult to find positive news. We saw the collapse of Greece, the resurfacing of the priest sex abuse issue, the ongoing eurozone worries and a fair amount of deaths on the road, among many other sad and worrying pieces of news.
All in all, it has not been a very positive year. But once in a while, a small piece of news turns all that on its head. Malta’s flag was flown at the top of Mount Everest on Sunday. Three Maltese men managed to scale to the summit of the mountain and plant the Maltese flag there.
It has not been easy for them, even going back to the night which they spent in a blast freezer to get a taste of the weather that awaited them in the Himalayas.
For weeks, they scaled and acclimatised and finally picked a day when they would get to the top. Weather was a worry, but their choice was a good one and they made it to the top. Not only, but reports are filtering through of the Maltese team helping another team which found itself in difficulty in the much feared death zone.
The death zone is not to be trifled with, its name speaks for itself and it truly is a risk to go and help anyone else. It was not the first expedition that the team has made, they conquered Cho Oyu the last time round, but there is something special in conquering the highest peak of them all, Mount Everest.
Sure, it has all been done before by thousands of climbers, but these men are a credit to our little nation. As we have said, in times of economic and political strife, it is sometimes hard to see the positives in life and these fellows have given us something to cheer about. And in cheering them, it makes a very welcome change from cheering foreign football teams, local politics, the EU and all we get out of it. It gives us a chance to cheer for something of our own, three Maltese men who scaled Mount Everest and planted our flag there.
It is insignificant if one looks at it literally. But when one thinks of what was achieved by three men from little Malta – which always holds one step back wary of its small size and lack of clout – it suddenly means much more.
It really goes to show that anyone can do anything provided they work hard for it and approach their task with the right mindset. Perhaps it really is time for the Maltese to rally and unite. We are not facing an invading army, but we are facing ever increasing challenges from outside our boundaries – immigration, the economic crisis and ever shifting market forces. In times like these, we need to roll up our sleeves and work hard – together. The three men who scaled Everest should be an example to us all. Congratulations to Gregory Attard, Marco Cremona and Robert Gatt. We wish you a safe return.