The Labour Party conference last weekend was all about renewal.
Minister Ian Borg is now Deputy Leader for Parliamentary Affairs, and consequently, Deputy Prime Minister. MEP Alex Agius Saliba is the new Deputy Leader for Party Affairs. Alex Sciberras is Party President, and John Grech is International Secretary.
12 new members have been elected to the party's executive committee.
It was all about positive vibes, energy, confidence, and the determination to make peoples' lives better.
As I had the occasion of writing last week, the June MEP and Local Council elections sent a clear and unequivocal message: People want Labour, but they want a better version of it. Last weekends' conference will do just that.
Prime Minister Robert Abela's speech, at the conclusion of the conference, explained in detail Labour's vision for a better and stronger Malta.
He described a vision for Malta that gives people reason to keep trusting Labour for the future.
I salute outgoing deputy leaders Chris Fearne and Daniel Micallef and party President Ramona Attard.
They did an excellent job and gave their all to the party and country. They have so much more to offer.
No dream is too big
11-year-old Zac Bugeja swam from Marfa jetty in Ċirkewwa to Gozo and back. He did so in 4 hours and 23 minutes. Zac was joined by fellow swimmer Sabrina, aged 18.
He is the youngest person to achieve this. It is no mean feat.
It requires courage, stamina, perseverance, and belief. Zac is adorned with all these qualities.
He believed, and he achieved. He stood out. He set a goal and achieved it. Zac is an inspiration to us all.
He taught us that no dream is too big to be achieved.
There is nothing that can stop us from achieving our goals.
Perhaps, the fact that Zac was coached by former Olympian Neil Agius, a man of steel, a hero, and an inspirational athlete inspired Zac to think big and achieve.
Fuq il-Festa 2024
I am looking forward to 19 October. A special event, on a large scale, at Pjazza Tritoni, Valletta, shall be held to celebrate the Maltese Festa.
Earlier this week, at the launch of the event, Fuq il-Festa 2024, I said that now that the Maltese Festa is part of UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, our festas are no longer just local tradition but an essential part of the world's shared cultural heritage.
This recognition requires us to ensure that we continue to celebrate, preserve, and promote these traditions in ways that honour their deep cultural significance.
Fuq il-Festa 2024is not just a celebration but also a significant step towards ongoing conversations about the future of Maltese festas.
The organizers hope that this annual event will provide an opportunity for reflection, discussion, and the continued growth of one of Malta's most treasured cultural traditions.
19 October shall be an occasion to be remembered.
MED9: Reflection and Change
This week, I took part in the MED9 Meeting with 'Cultural Rights in times of crisis: Contemporary challenges and Perspective' as its working title.
MED9 is an alliance of nine Mediterranean and Southern European Union member states: Malta; Italy; France; Cyprus; Spain; Croatia; Portugal, Slovenia and Greece.
In my address, I expressed my concern that cultural rights are coming under pressure from different directions all over the world. Some seek to define culture by focusing on one aspect overriding everything else, such as religion, ethnicity, or political belief, whilst others still try to define culture through a tunnel visioned view of history. The Mediterranean basin is not immune from these currents since, from time immemorial, it has served as an arena for competing cultures and beliefs.
I explained how to meet these and other challenges faced by the cultural sphere, Malta issued the National Cultural Policy in 2021, which is the latest in a sequence of such policies.
Malta envisions MED9 as a space for reflection, reassessment, and transformative change, addressing both challenges and opportunities.
The EUNIC Film Festival
At the launch of the festival, held at Spazju Kreattiv, Valletta, I stated that it fosters diversity, builds bridges, and opens the door to peace.
It is an effective way to promote this year's theme "United in Diversity", the motto of the European Union.
Referring to the local context, I explained how in the span of less than a decade, Malta became Europe's leader in LGBTIQ+ rights.
That was an extraordinary achievement that did not come easily. The status quo was challenged and defeated. It took courage and perseverance.
This is a special year for Malta, with regards to EUNIC, since Arts Council Malta Director of Funding & Strategy Mary Ann Cauchi has been appointed board director for EUNIC.
In my speech, I singled out outgoing European Equality Commissioner Helena Dalli for her extraordinary work and unprecedented achievements in the field of equality.
Helena made Malta proud.
The EUNIC Film Festival is held over six days, 24 - 29 September.