Through the funds raised during this year's edition of A Night at the Palace, Special Olympics Malta will be launching the Strong Minds programme, as part of a new phase of health-related services and support for athletes with intellectual disabilities, Lydia Abela, the Prime Minister's wife, said.

"The generosity of the Maltese public will give a new hope for the mental wellbeing of hundreds of persons with intellectual disabilities," she said, noting that mental health care and prevention are just as important as physical health care.

Abela highlighted that, like everyone else, individuals with intellectual disabilities and Special Olympics Malta athletes experience moments of pressure and challenges, including when representing our country in competitions abroad. Therefore, Strong Minds will serve as an essential tool to help athletes approach life with greater optimism and resilience, she said.

Abela showed her gratitude to the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra for their outstanding performance, as well as the Maltese and Gozitans who attended and generously donated. She also expressed gratitude to Clinical Director Mariella Dimech, Anna Calleja, and Special Olympics Sports Director Christabel D'Amato, whose dedication and commitment are transforming this dream into a reality.

Anna Calleja, National Director of Special Olympics Malta stated: "This was a dream that we wanted to deliver for many years." She emphasized that this step is a historic milestone for the NGO, especially as this year marks its 25th anniversary. Calleja also expressed that the organization's goal is to support the holistic development of persons with intellectual disabilities, with sport being at the heart of all initiatives. 

Strong Minds is a programme designed by specialized professionals that will provide free screening and interactive practices to help athletes to better adapt to challenging life situations such as stress, anxiety, and personal or family difficulties, a statement by Abela read. Furthermore, the program aims to help athletes prepare mentally for competitions both in Malta and abroad. "This programme will be integrated as one of six screening services under the holistic Healthy Athletes program, which provides medical support and preventive care to hundreds of children and youth with intellectual disabilities."