Malta yesterday marked the 33rd anniversary of Republic Day with an Armed Forces of Malta parade followed by the traditional award ceremony during which people who distinguished themselves in their respective fields were honoured by the country.

In his address during the awards ceremony, President Eddie Fenech Adami said parliament was correct 33 years ago in deciding that “the best form of Government for Malta was a democratic Republican Constitution, updated from time to time in the best interests of the Maltese people”.

He held that the Republic of Malta honours a number of persons who gave outstanding witness of values for which the Republic stands. Such values include the provision and the dignity of work, care of the Maltese cultural identity, education, respect of human rights, solidarity, protection of the environment and the family.

“Such values are not to be taken for granted,” said the President.

He expounded on the “need to be constantly sustained not only by the State but also through individual and personal endeavours: each and everyone of us should consider it their duty to practise and uphold these values.”

President Fenech Adami held that the promotion of values has become much harder in today’s globalised environment. He said that the number of gainfully occupied is on the increase while trade unions strongly defend working conditions and dialogue among social partners has become a fruitful exercise. He called for those deemed to be unemployable to be given the chance by employers to prove themselves and appealed to them to take up all offers of training.

He referred to the increasing number of students at tertiary level, which proves that education is available at all levels. However, he also referred to the danger of marginalisation that young people face if they fail to reach the level education necessary to guarantee them a decent living.

The President condemned “acts of vandalism and pressures for development of land and buildings not consonant with the preservation of the environment” that “still take place.”

According to President Fenech Adami, family values are being eroded year in year out and quoted official statistics which show that in 2006 the number of children born out of wedlock reached more than 21 per cent of all births.

Speaking about human rights and their enforcement, Dr Fenech Adami said, “we too are under pressure to invoke human rights, as has already happened in other countries, to justify the introduction of abortion and euthanasia, among other things, in our legislation. Malta has had to deal with such ethical and moral issues in the two international conferences held in Cairo and Beijing respectively in 1994 and 1995 which dealt with the Rights of Women.”

He quoted late Pope John Paul II who wrote that “It is legitimate and necessary to ask whether this is not the work of another ideology of evil, more subtle and hidden, perhaps, intent upon exploiting human rights themselves against man and against the family”.

Afterwards, Dr Fenech Adami conferred the Republic Day honours to a number of personalities who distinguished themselves over the years. (See story on pages 4 and 5).

The events started when contingents from the Armed Forces of Malta Band including the army band marched from Christ the King’s monument in Floriana, through Republic Street and performed a ceremonial parade at Palace Square with President Eddie Fenech Adami and Acting Prime Minister Tonio Borg in attendance.

In the afternoon, Valletta’s La Vallette Band Club and Birkirkara’s St Anthony Band Club played band marches along Republic Street, Merchants Street and St John Street.

On Wednesday morning the Kumitat Festi Nazzjonali laid wreaths at the foot of monuments dedicated to late Presidents Anton Buttigieg in Blata l-Bajda and Agatha Barbara in her hometown Zabbar.