Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi's visit to Australia shows the commitment of the Maltese government to continue strengthening relations with countries outside of the European Union. These relations are not only limited to political activities but are aimed to bring our people closer.
The aim of boosting relations, not only with Australian authorities but also with Maltese immigrant communities, tops the Prime Minister's agenda. The visit coincides with the introduction of the new amendments to the dual citizenship regulations. The Maltese communities down under received the news with satisfaction.
The amended citizenship law will permit second, third and future generations of migrants to obtain a Maltese passport if they are direct descendants of Maltese.
It will be possible for second-generation Maltese persons born abroad to acquire Maltese citizenship through a simple registration procedure, while still residing outside Malta. Their children shall also have this possibility if the parent has acquired Maltese citizenship and the applicant can prove that he is a Maltese descendent.
The link between Malta and Maltese communities abroad should be aided also in the fields of culture with a special focus on linguistic traditions. In this regard, the government is to set up a specialist unit based in Malta to ensure that linguistic and cultural links among the Maltese community in Australia are maintained and developed.
There are currently 100 students learning Maltese up to matriculation level in the state of Victoria.
The Maltese language is recognised as an accredited foreign language at the local university. Numbers have been declining in recent years but great efforts are being made to rekindle the interest in our language.
The rapid progress made in information technology is an important tool in ensuring that the strong ties that exist are strengthened and information may be shared in the cultural and education sectors. With the lack of Maltese-language teachers, using ICT to provide distance-learning courses by the University of Malta for those interested in the subject is surely a good initiative.
The subject of knowledge-sharing between institutions was also discussed with John Brumby, the new Premier for Victoria. Methods of collaboration in the educational and tourism sectors were also broached.
An interesting episode during the Prime Minister's visit was the meeting with a Maltese-Aborigine community in Adelaide. Josie and Bob Agius are descendants of Charles, a Maltese migrant thought to be from Valletta who managed to create a community of about 700 Maltese-Aborigines.
Decades have passed since the first Maltese migrants set foot on the distant land of Australia. We certainly must recognise what these child migrants went through, but we also have to come to terms with it by appreciating that, through their sacrifices, many of them have gone on to succeed and build a future for their own children. Time has brought change and nowadays, the younger generation is changing the reputation of the traditional migrant, which was predominantly poor and working class - these days they are making great strides down under.
Today, parents are giving their children support to obtain the highest qualifications possible and have an impact in the Australian community. Although there are no accurate statistics, according to one estimate there are over 300,000 people with Maltese blood in Australia.
Like the lyrics in the Australian anthem, Malta too is "young and free". Many of the migrants left Malta before it became independent. Today, Malta sits alongside other EU countries and has the same equal voice as much bigger nations.
Malta's accession to the European Union is offering further opportunities to consolidate relations with other countries. With Maltese migrants spread all over the globe, it is important that relations be strengthened. These contacts must be spread to other countries were Maltese communities may be found so that local traditions, culture and products are publicised abroad.
We must continue to promote our traditions and invest in the Maltese product as a whole. Tradition, culture and language all form part of our story, a story of people that have come a long way from being a colony to becoming a respectable member of a Union with worldwide political influence.
Once again, Alfred Sant has been proved wrong; the relations with countries not forming part of the European Union have not been lost but have, instead, been considerably strengthened.
david.casa@europarl.europa.eu
www.davidcasa.eu