Malta has come a long way in the past 30 years or so in healing divisions. From two polar political extremes, we now have a healthy and maturing democracy. Yet, the attitude of us and them persists. It is uncanny, how in a nation as small as ours, small rocks poking out of the Mediterranean, we manage to persist in our dividing behaviour and attitudes.

You can see it everywhere. First of all, there is the political angle. Despite years of trying to bridge the divide – we, as a people, continue to stand divided. You are red or blue and there is no room for anything in between. This could be one of the reasons why many of the younger generations just do not care about politics, because they see it as such a dividing issue.

But it goes beyond politics. We are divided in the football teams we support – mostly Italy and England. Villages are divided and even come to blows over such things as rival band clubs.

Prime Minister Joseph Muscat yesterday announced the programme of activities to be held on four important anniversaries this year: the 50th anniversary of Independence, the 40th anniversary of the Republic, the 35th anniversary of Freedom Day and 10 years of EU accession.

The theme of these events is ‘Int, Jiena, Ahna Maltin’ (You, me, we are Maltese), and Dr Muscat urged all Maltese citizens to unite to mark these special occasions.

He said that he dreamed of the day when Nationalists would celebrate Freedom Day and that Labourites would celebrate Independence Day – as one united people. We could not agree more. But shouldn’t the political parties set a better example? No one can ever expect political parties to be chummy and pally, it doesn’t happen anywhere in the world. But in this legislature, both parties have displayed a confrontational style on more than a few occasions. What use is it to call on Maltese to band together and celebrate national days together, when you tune into parliament’s radio station and hear the sour, angry and aggressive tone that our politicians use? Soon after the March general election, Dr Muscat had been quoted as saying that the number of national days should be reduced from five to two. He had said so during a Labour Party activity held in Birgu to commemorate the 34th anniversary of Freedom Day. But would this really do anything to ameliorate matters? It could backfire and become a more divisive issue. In truth, both Independence Day and Freedom Day were massive events in our history as a people. The fact that we can’t celebrate them together makes us quite foolish.