NGOs on Tuesday unveiled a statue to commemorate six years since the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia, and also announced the activities they shall be organising until 16 October, the day when she was killed. This statue will remain in front of the parliament near the capital’s entrance for a temporary period.

The statue – created by the Italian artist Gerald Moroder – is made from the debris of the car bomb that killed Judge Giovanni Falcone, his wife, and three of their police escorts in Capaci, Sicily in May 1992. “This debris is now serving as a reminder that the good will win in the end,” said Repubblika President Robert Aquilina.

The statue is named “Il risorto da combattimento” and was brought in through their collaboration with “Fondazione Giovanni Falcone”. Giovanni Falcone was described to be “the universal symbol against organised crime, specifically the mafia”.

During this unveiling, both Aquilina and Occupy Justice activist Ann Demarco spoke about the meaning behind the statue as well as the list of activities to be organised to commemorate the sixth anniversary since Caruana Galizia’s assassination.

The theme of this year’s activities, “For a Clean Republic”, was selected for four reasons: the institutions are not functioning and are facilitating organised crime in the country; the institutions are not adequately equipped to function appropriately in today’s climate; the institutions have been undermined and all but dismantled since Joseph Muscat was sworn in as Prime Minister; and because the country’s moral fibres have decayed.

They then referenced the two most recent scandals – the social benefits racket and the driving licence racket – as two recent examples of this “illness” that has taken over the Maltese islands. 

Aquilina announced that over the coming days, 20 concrete proposals shall be published with their aim being to strengthen and support national institutions.

The use of art as one of their means of expression in this year’s set of activities was opted for because “while the mafia kills, art gives life”. This statue was set up in front of the parliament, not just due to its salient location, but also because the Maltese Parliament, under the leadership of the reigning government, had rejected legal notices proposed by Repubblika dedicated to fight the mafia and mafiosi tactics. This was apparently rejected by the Prime Minister’s reasoning that accepting it would imply that the mafia exists in Malta – a point which these two figures disagree on.

Aquilina then appealed for Maltese and Gozitans to support Repubblika’s cause through an online fundraiser they set up. This can be found through the link: https://fundrazr.com/GhalRepubblikaNadifa.

Ann Demarco from Occupy Justice remarked that they have convened to take up the cause of justice for Daphne Caruana Galizia, for her stories, and for justice for the country. It was noted that these three parties all work with these aims in mind.

Demarco then listed the activities to be organised in Caruana Galizia’s memory. Following this sculpture’s unveiling, an art exhibition will be launched, filled with works submitted in her honour; this will be held at the Catholic Institute and will open on Thursday, 5 October.

Furthermore, PEN Malta will launch their book “Daphne – a memorial in verse” on 9 October. Two days later on 11 October, Julian Delia shall launch his website titled “A Virtual Library of a decade of corruption” at the Grand Hotel Excelsior.

On 13 October, Caroline Muscat will interview Karolina Farska – an organiser for the protests that followed the murder of Jan Kuciak and his fiancée Martina Kusnirova. This will then be followed by a roundtable discussion named “For a Cleaner Republic”. The final three events feature limited seating and require registration through [email protected].

On Daphne’s sixth anniversary, on 16 October, there will be a discussion on Facebook between the NGO’s President and Alessandro de Lisi from Fondazzjone Falcone. At 3pm on that day, a quiet commemoration shall be held at Bidnija, followed by a mass at 6pm at the St Francis of Assisi Church, which will then be followed by a march and the Vigil for Truth and Justice at 19:30.