Each time there is a manifestation similar to the one we are experiencing right now – the Olympic Games being held in London – it is easy to see how much the world has changed and is changing.

Just take a look at the faces of the participants, or see what their names and surnames are, to realise how much the immigration phenomenon has grown.

There are many athletes with names that are typical of certain continents or regions who are representing countries situated in other continents and regions. And there are many other athletes who have features and skin colour that leads one to think they come from a particular region, but whose facial features and colour of skin betray their origin.

All this shows that over many years people have moved around from country to country, from continent to continent, and they have now settled far away from the place they were born in. It could also be that they are the sons and daughters of people who settled in other countries in search of a better life two or three generations ago, if not more.

Some people may be led to think that the immigration phenomenon started when boatloads of immigrants started arriving in Malta from Africa a few years ago, or when some time before people were escaping from Albania and ending up in Malta as they drifted away from Italy.

This is not the case. Yes, Malta is at the receiving end of this phenomenon we are experiencing, but we must remember that, not so long ago, many Maltese left Malta soon after the end of World War Two to seek better pastures, in particular in Australia. Some say that the number of people of Maltese origin who live in Australia today is as high as the whole Maltese population.

It is not only in the Olympic Games that we are seeing this. It was evident in the Euro 2012 campaign too. For example, the German national team had players like Khedira, Ozil, Gomez, Boateng and Podolski – names that are certainly not German.

We should all remember this when we often take racist approaches towards people who end up in Malta as they escape difficult situations in their own country or simply because they want to seek a new experience.