On Wednesday evening, Her Excellency Myriam Spiteri Debono, President of Malta, hosted representatives of various religions and faiths present in Malta at San Anton Palace, for an Interfaith event that celebrated and promoted dialogue, respect and unity.
In her message to those present, Her Excellency Myriam Spiteri Debono referred to the role of different religions as a collective tool for peace and harmony. “The major religions have similar underlying core principles, they share several ethical principles and precepts concerning peace, inclusivity, and the inherent dignity of every human being.”
The President emphasized there exists a divide between the enunciation of these rights, their insertion in legal documents, and their acceptance by people on the ground. “Prejudice still lurks in the background, unobtrusive but surfacing whenever these enunciated principles are tangibly manifested, evidence of a reality of mindset which seeks to exclude rather than include skeletons, always ready to re-assume corporeal form.”
While acknowledging Malta’s rich Christian heritage, deeply woven into our history and identity, the President highlighted the continuous evolvement of our society, making it home to people of many faiths, as well as to those who profess none, and reflected on our collective duty to ensure that every individual feels seen, respected, and valued.
In view of this, Her Excellency Myriam Spiteri Debono referred to this interfaith event held at her official residence as a gathering that carries a clear meaningful purpose, giving all those present a voice equal in dignity and expression, and which contributes to a shared message: a commitment to dialogue, to peace, and to genuine care for the other.
This event was organised by Professor John Anthony Berry, Professor of Fundamental and Dogmatic Theology at the University of Malta, and held alongside the International Religion and Society Conference which is being held later this month.
Professor Berry described the event held at San Anton Palace as one of the most representative gatherings of religious leaders and representatives ever held in Malta. The event brought together leaders and representatives from a wide range of faiths and denominations, including the Catholic Church in Malta, represented by His Grace Bishop Joseph Galea Curmi, alongside representatives from the Anglican Church, the Dhammakaya Malta International Foundation, the Evangelical Baptist Church, Infinity India-Malta Association, the Islamic Community Malta, Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat Malta, the Jewish Community of Malta, the Romanian Orthodox Church, the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, the Greek Orthodox Church the Ukrainian Orthodox Parish, the Coptic Orthodox Church, the Serbian Orthodox Church, the Georgian Orthodox Church, St. Andrews Scots Malta and the Pakistani Community in Malta. Messages on behalf of the Baha’i community and the Greek Catholic Church were also read during the event.
The Ambassador of Spain, H.E. Miriam Álvarez de la Rosa Rodríguez, the Ambassador of Greece, H.E. Stella Bezirtzoglou, the Ambassador of Türkiye, H.E. Ambassador Barkın Kayaoğlu and the British High Commissioner to Malta, H.E. Victoria Busby, also attended this event, alongside representatives of the Apostolic Nunciature to Malta and Embassy of the United States to Malta and Reverend Dr Joseph Ellul, Chairman of the Commission for Interreligious Dialogue within the Archidiocese of Malta.