There is plenty to celebrate and be proud of as we look back to nearly six decades of Independence, President George Vella said during the commemoration of the National Day of Malta in Canberra, Australia. 

The President said that the Independence Day of Malta was a very momentous day for Malta as it was a significant step towards the achievement of statehood. Adding to that, it was one small step in the beginning of the long journey towards the country that Malta has become today, where all decisions about the Maltese nation’s future are in the hands of the Maltese people.

“Today, we salute and pay respect to all those who, in a way or another, have contributed to building the solid foundations of a sovereign and independent Malta”, added President Vella, while noting that this milestone is the first in a chain of three other closely linked episodes in our history that helped with the formation of modern Malta.

President Vella said that the success of one country is not just measured by the contentedness and wealth of its people; it is also measured by the number of lasting friendships it has forged over the years, as is the case for Malta and Australia. Relations between the two countries, said the President, date back farther than the formal establishment of diplomatic ties in 1964. Notwithstanding the travel difficulties, the long distance, the lack of means of communication, and the differences in their way of life, many Maltese flourished resiliently in their new adoptive home. The President saluted all those who were bold and courageous enough to take this step, most often out of necessity rather than choice.

In his speech, the President also remarked that “the world has never been more threatened and more divided”. He pointed out that the images of brutality, senseless destruction, and untold human suffering reaching us from Ukraine are testimony to the need to prioritise the interests of humanity over political and military aspirations, to cultivate a mentality of peace rather than one of war. The President also deplored the events in the Middle East following Hamas violence against Israeli citizens. He said this was “a massive flare-up in the long-simmering feud between Israelis and Palestinians, which has defied resolution for all these years.”

President Vella called for well-intentioned diplomatic negotiations with full respect to the rule of law and adherence to international legislation.

Earlier, President Vella, accompanied by Minister Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi, was received by the Prime Minister of Australia, Anthony Albanese, at Parliament House. Their discussions centred on the role of the Maltese community in Australia, with Prime Minister Albanese commending their perseverance, strong sense of community, and hard work.

Exchanges also focused on the war in Ukraine, the latest developments in the Middle East, and Australia’s concerns regarding the situation of Australians stuck in Gaza. Reference was also made to the Australia-European Union Free Trade Agreement, which is currently being drafted, and the role of Australia in the region in light of the EU Strategy for Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific, the Commonwealth, and Climate Change.

President Vella and Minister Zrinzo Azzopardi also met with Chris Bowen, the Minister for Climate Change and Energy of Australia.

During a wreath-laying ceremony at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra, the President paid tribute to the sacrifice of all those who lost their lives in war and those who served their nation in times of conflict.

President Vella also visited the High Commission of Malta in Canberra, where he met with the High Commission staff and the committee members of the Maltese Australian Association of Canberra and Queanbeyan. In commemoration of his visit to Australia, the President planted an Acer Platanoides tree on the High Commission’s grounds.