Over 100 participants from Australia, Belgium, Canada, Egypt, France, Italy, Jordan, Luxembourg, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and the United States are attending the fourth Convention for the Maltese Living Abroad, which will come to end Thursday.

The first convention was held in the late 1960s.

Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said the convention should not serve as nostalgia for the past, but rather a vision for the future.

He said that migration today has changed. In the past, it was a one way ticket, where as today, some Maltese emigrate more than once or decide to return home after a few years.

He urged representatives of different entities  across the world to unite, adding that convergence allows for better management  of resources.

Minister for Foreign Affairs George Vella said that the event serves as a focal point  for Maltese living at all ends of the world to share their aspirations, concerns and ideas. This consultation process will allow for assistance projects to be planned and implemented.

The Council for Maltese Living Abroad, launched in 2012, surveils the standards of those living abroad, allowing for collaboration between them and authorities in their home of origin.

Mr Vella said that the government its doing its utmost to ensure that capabilities of those living abroad are used to the fullest. 

Maltese living abroad can serve as a powerful advert for Malta, triggering tourism and investment, he said.

He added that one can't forget the 700 Maltese missionaries spread across the world, who are putting their lives in danger for the safety of others.

Leader of the Opposition Simon Busuttil said that every Maltese family living abroad serves as an embassy for all that is Maltese.

He  said authorities should assist elderly citizens living abroad to communicate using their national language.

For the past ten years, the Council for the Maltese Language has strived to protect the national language, and citizens living abroad do their utmost to promote the language.

Dr Busuttil said that  the acquiring of  Maltese passport has today become highly liberal who have the best interest for their country of origin. There are still however difficulties that some face, and these need to be sorted out.

He noted that between 2004 and 2020, Malta would have benefitted €2.5 billion of funds from the European Union and these allow for infrastructural  as well as cultural projects.  Maltese living abroad should also benefit from such funds, he said.

Secondary school students will also be participating in the convention.

Migrants who lost their lives at sea remembered

A minute of silence was held in memory of those who lost their lives at sea in the past few days.

"It is shocking to witness so many deaths, to the point that it has almost made us immune to hearing such news. We must attack the criminal network and we must do out utmost to prevent more lives from being lost at sea," Dr Busuttil said.

"It is quite ironic that we are celebrating Maltese migration history at the same time of such tragedies. We should not only engage in humanitarian projects to save lives, but we need to attack the criminal racket, which is allowing traffickers to make anything between €1 and €5 million for one trip, "Dr Muscat said.