Archbishop stresses importance of human dignity

Children carrying red candles and yellow carnations greeted Archbishop Paul Cremona when he visited the Eden Foundation premises to inaugurate and bless a new chapel yesterday.

The first Archbishop to visit the foundation since it was set up in 1992, Mgr Cremona stressed the importance of human dignity, pointing out that it is up to each and every one of us to ensure that people with a disability are treated with respect and to ensure that their rights are safeguarded.

He was welcomed by the Eku Tambur, the foundation's band that forms part of the therapy offered there.

In a brief message to people who gathered outside the Bulebel premises, Eden Foundation President Brother Martin Borg said he had always hoped Malta's spiritual leader would visit the foundation to see how people there worked with love.

"I believe it is part of my mission to go where I feel there is something good happening so that I can learn from it, thank those involved and encourage them," Mgr Cremona said.

Bro. Martin then showed Mgr Cremona round the premises and explained to him the workings of various programmes offered to cater for different disabilities. The programmes include the Step (structured training and education programme) programme for autistic young children; the Paces (parent and child educational services) programme for down syndrome children, the Style (specialised training for youths' lifestyle enhancement) programme for older autistic children and the conductive education and multi sensory programme for more severe cases of disability.

As he moved from one section to the other, Mgr Cremona spoke with members of staff and exchanged a few words with students, some of whom eagerly awaited his visit. A number of children even prepared small gifts and cards for Mgr Cremona who accepted them with his beaming smile.

The Eden Foundation is a non-governmental, non-profit organisation that caters for over 300 students with the purpose to provide partnership to people in Malta and Gozo with learning disabilities in order to help them achieve full inclusion to the best of their abilities by gaining access to mainstream education, employment and leisure activities.

www.theedenfoundation.com