It is a pleasure to welcome you this evening as we come together to celebrate the National Day of Malta. It is a celebration of our people, our journey, and the values we proudly share with the Council of Europe.
This year we are marking 61 years since Malta gained independence, 51 years as a Republic, and 60 years of membership in the Council of Europe.
Each milestone tells a part of Malta’s story. It is a story of courage, resilience, transformation, and an unwavering commitment to democracy, peace, and human dignity.
This celebration takes on added significance as Malta currently holds the Presidency of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe. It is a unique moment, not only to reflect on our national journey, but to share with you the values that continue to guide us and bind us together as Europeans.
I speak to you not as Head of State, but as someone who lived through those early years of our independence. I remember the dreams and hopes, at times also the insecurities of a country taking its first independent steps: the optimism, the challenges, and the determination to succeed as part of the international community of States.
Malta’s independence 61 years ago has resulted in a firm belief by our own people in their worth and resilience, determination and ability to forge an improved way of life and decent standards of living for themselves and future generations. As far as our chosen international path is concerned, this later materialised into a policy of actively pursuing peace.
However, independence brought with it a profound responsibility: the responsibility to build a democracy worthy of us as a people. We in Malta are conscious that this is a perennial responsibility, entailing not only the reforms which have been effected to institutions and organs of the State in order to better safeguard the rule of law and transparency in governance, but also creating a space for more participation by the populace in day-to-day decision-making: the very essence of democracy.
Joining the Council of Europe soon after independence further anchored Malta’s path. It was a clear choice: to walk alongside fellow nations committed to the rule of law, fundamental rights, and democratic values. It is a choice we continue to honour, and one we celebrate with all of you here tonight.
Moreover, tonight is also a celebration of our culture and our heritage. A celebration of our music, our traditions, our food, and our community, the very things that give colour and soul to our national identity.
We have brought with us a taste of the Maltese festa, that vibrant celebration of life which year after year bursts into a living expression of community during the time of the village feasts.
Our festa has been recognised by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, but I can assure you that the sheer exuberance and outpouring of joy, colour, and goodwill generated by the village festa is far from intangible.
It is in this spirit that we gather here at the beautiful Pavillon Joséphine, where I invite you to get a glimpse of Malta’s soul. Because when we share our culture, we share our humanity, and in times of global division and uncertainty, this kind of exchange becomes more vital and meaningful than ever. On behalf of the people of Malta, I thank you for joining us.