Award for Guido de Marco's memoirs

Patience, insistence, persistence and consistence are the qualities President Emeritus Guido de Marco believes young people need if they seek a long career in politics.

"I spent my political career on the logic of persuasion, persuading people that there are other ways of reaching agreement and not necessarily through violence," he said.

This is what inspired the title of his book The Politics of Persuasion (Allied Publications), which claimed first prize in the category of Non-Fiction Prose in Maltese or Another Language during last Thursday's National Book Prize presentation ceremony at Auberge de Castille, Valletta.

Two books placed first in this category, the other being Natalino Fenech's Richard Ellis, The Photography Collection (BDL Publishing). Sitting back in an armchair in his study that is lined with books - one of his passions in life - Prof. de Marco said receiving a prize for his autobiography meant a lot to him.

The 77-year-old former President has authored a number of other publications, but The Politics of Persuasion has a special place in his heart because it charters his journey through his life as a politician and a lawyer, highlighting poignant and at times unhappy events.

The book is currently being translated into Maltese by Charles Abela Mizzi, and Prof. de Marco is pleased with the way the spirit of his autobiography is being captured in the translation.

"This book is different. It's my life as part of my relationship with the Maltese people."

"This is part of history - mine and the island's. When you leaf through the events of Tal-Barrani in the 1980s, this is not just my history, but Malta's. When we refer to the Constitutional changes, this is also part of our history," he said.

Prof. de Marco said he would encourage other politicians of a certain stature to put down their memories in writing, because their experience too formed part of Malta's history.

His literary ventures will not stop here. He plans to write a book on essays of diplomacy and another on the Maltese Criminal Code, which he feels will be useful for generations to come.

In fact, there is much he wants to do, though he said: "We have to leave this in the hands of God, who is the one who can permit us to live for more years."