Two 13-year-olds presented with Pope John XXIII Award for Kindness

Bernice Graham and Antoine Frendo were yesterday presented with this year's Pope John XXIII Award for Kindness organised by the Peace Lab.

The ceremony was held at the President's palace in Valletta and was attended by prime minister Eddie Fenech Adami and deputy prime minister Lawrence Gonzi. The awards were presented by President Guido de Marco.

The founder of the Peace Lab, Fr Dionysius Mintoff addressed the guests. The Peace Lab was set up in 1969.

Bernice, 13 a student at Canon Pullicino Secondary School in Rabat was nominated for the assistance she gives and the time she spends with her neighbour, James Baldacchino, 24, the victim of a traffic accident that left him unable to speak, walk or move his arms.

Before the accident, James used to work in a hotel and spent most of his spare time fishing. He lives at home with his parents.

At times, he understands and communicates with those close to him, particularly with Bernice. After school, Bernice does the shopping for James's mother and often feeds James and takes him videos about the sea.

She keeps James company when he is taken outside the house in a wheelchair. James attended the presentation of the award.

Antoine Frendo, 13 is a student at Furtu Selvatico Secondary School in Naxxar and plays the euphonium in the school band and with Sta Venera Band Club. He is a member of Klabb tat-Tisjir u Fjuri.

Antoine and his class mate Matthew Pace used to be bullied by one of the students in class. Instead of falling for the taunts of the bully, Antoine helped the bully in class, the report of the judges said.

Matthew needs a lot of help to follow lessons at school and Antoine has helped him learn to read and write.

After presenting the two students with the award, President de Marco said Bernice and Antoine displayed solidarity with others every day.

He said Fr Mintoff had brought to his attention that most of the students who were exempted from attending school came from families where the bread winner was serving time in prison.

These children were being visited by the crime of their fathers. Although nowadays, poverty from material things was not readily visible, there were members of society who were marginalised because of other forms of poverty that went deeper and hurt much more than material poverty, Professor de Marco said.