Thursday, 19th June 2008

Year 4 students receive Kindness Award

Chanice Cassar and Justin Cassar receiving the 2008 Pope John XXIII Award for Kindness on behalf of their colleagues at St Benedict's College from President Eddie Fenech Adami, yesterday.

President Eddie Fenech Adami yesterday presented the 2008 Pope John XXIII Award for Kindness to Year 4 students of St Benedict's College in recognition of the attention and love they show to one of their peers, Felio, an eight-year-old with Down Syndrome. The President praised the collective effort of the students in helping Felio integrate and said that in today's globalised and fast-paced world it is important to take time to reflect on our lives and seek the true wisdom that gives our lives meaning.

Chanice Cassar and Justin Cassar received the award on behalf of the whole class at a ceremony which included a speech by Fr Dionysius Mintoff, director of the Peace Laboratory, which has been organising the granting of this award of goodwill for the past 45 years.

The aim of the award is to spread a culture of solidarity and to mark the anniversary of the death of Pope John XXIII.

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Article © Allied Newspapers Ltd., printed on Monday, November 23, 2009. This article is for personal use only, and should not be distributed.

Comments

Oliver Magro (on 19/6/08)

I am sorry, but I think this "Kindness" award is actually upsetting. These children are not being kind to their peer. They are simply behaving like we all should at all times. Why should we consider it "kindness" because they lavish one of their peers with "attention and love". If we treat our peers correctly, disabled or not, we've not done anything special - we've just given them the correct treatment. Felio should never have to be made to feel a subject of kindness.