The final session of Young Parliamentarians 2025 has been hosted in parliament, with a winning school and a runner-up having been declared.
The two schools that made it to the final of the event were Marija Immakulata Secondary School, Hamrun, and the Bishop's Conservatory Girls' Secondary School, Rabat Gozo. The Speaker's Office said that the two schools debated the motion of whether Maltese Sign Language should be made a compulsory subject in primary and secondary schools, with the Hamrun school arguing in favour, and the Gozo school arguing against.
The Speaker's Office said that Marija Immakulata Secondary School were ultimately the winners of Young Parliamentarians 2025. It added that at the end of the event, certificates were presented to the schools that reached the semi-finals as well as the winners, and trophies were presented to the two best speakers.
Deputy Speaker David Agius spoke of the importance of cherishing Maltese culture and the Maltese language. "This is what makes us unique as Maltese and Gozitans," he said as he spoke at the final of the sixth edition of the Young Parliamentarians activity.
The Speaker's Office stated that the programme is organsied by Aġenzija Żgħażagħ with the aim of giving young people a chance to have a hands-on experience with Malta's democratic and legislative system. It said that this year's edition saw around 160 young people from 23 schools receiving training from Aġenzija Żgħażagħ to prepare them to speak and discuss in public, present their ideas, write recommendations, and debate.
Deputy Speaker Agius said that programmes such as Young Parliamentarians help young people to have a broader education that they will find useful later in life, whatever path they take. He also said that as an extracurricular activity, youth participation requires a great deal of commitment from participants, but that this will help them acquire the skills they will need for their future.
The Parliamentary Secretary for Youth, Research and Innovation, Keith Azzopardi Tanti, and the Opposition Spokesperson for Primary Care and Mental Health Ian Vassallo, also addressed the event.