President Marie Louise Colerio Preca penned this article in Prospect Magazine

Throughout my life, I have felt human suffering in its diverse forms: a mother holding her terminally-ill child; a father who cannot feed his family; a child who had just witnessed his whole family drown at sea in their quest for a better life; the abduction of girls and boys from their families for sexual exploitation; girls made to suffer the horrific practice of female genital mutilation; children becoming victims of violence and cruelty. The stories go on and on; this is the reality for many people today. And yet, why should it be so? Why are injustices and inequalities still being tolerated, even today?

Poverty brings about much suffering. I am under no illusion that poverty can be readily solved, given the society in which we live, the policies that inform it and the economic interests that drive these policies. However, poverty is not a matter of individual, family or community choice or deficiency, but is rooted in political, social and economic injustices. This is why governments must, and should, all act to address effectively this social threat. The required policies are international, since we are dealing with global phenomena.

Also of particular significance are the biblical numbers of displaced persons fleeing war-torn countries to journey towards mainland Europe, often via my country, Malta. My thoughts are constantly with these people, and especially with the thousands who lose their lives during the course of a difficult journey, one that was meant to give them a dignified and safe life. Our beautiful Mediterranean Sea has become a cemetery for thousands of people in search of a better life for themselves and their families.

This human devastation is further compounded by the fact that those who survive the ordeal are faced with a life of poverty, increased by racist narratives that portray them as a threat to jobs. Many find themselves exploited as a grossly underpaid, and possibly even non-paid, “reserve workforce.” The process of marginalisation breeds further poverty and becomes complete. The only outlet for most migrants seems to be the low paid and insecure informal economy that constitutes an important feature of a number of European countries. We need to shift the discourse, enabling people to understand why migrants leave their country, if we are even to attempt to change the lives of these persecuted people.

The commemorations of a century since the First World War, and 25 years since the fall of the Berlin Wall, should serve as a reminder that there are those who believe that wars and walls are still viable today. Much to my disappointment, bloodshed continues to spill in countries close to home, which I strongly condemn, with conflicts giving rise to the gruesome emergence of extremism resulting in mass atrocities against humanity.

The issues of the long-term unemployed and the “working poor” still exist in Europe. A solution must urgently be sought to this social scourge that is affecting the wellbeing of one in five Europeans, and 1.2bn people globally.

There cannot be any compromise where human life is concerned. We need to keep in mind that violence knows no social class, skin colour, sexuality, age, religion, ability or nationality. Those of us who enjoy freedom should make our voices heard, celebrating our differences. I would like my time as ruler of the world to be remembered for establishing lasting and peaceful dialogue between people of different cultures. This is an ongoing struggle, existing alongside the struggles for democracy, greater social justice and access to better education and health services for all.