Guido de Marco’s busy year

That the legacy of the late President Emeritus Guido de Marco would be an enduring one was immediately clear from the profusion of sentiment and grief caused by his untimely death, at both the national and the international level.

One online commentator, originally but very aptly, said Malta had then witnessed its own Lady-Di “moment”, comparing it to when the whole of Britain had stopped at the news of the death of the world famous princess.

Yet, one can say Prof. de Marco remained with us all through what was for him a rather busy year nonetheless. Indeed, in true Guido de Marco style, he kept making an appearance in so many of the events held over the past year and very often when least expected, such as when a Ph.D. graduand, in an oration, felt it his duty to refer to the lasting contribution Prof. de Marco had made in international relations. It was not necessary but, yet, it happened.

His immense international stature also made an appearance during this busy year of his. Contributions in the newspapers by people “in-the-know” gave evidence that the former Foreign Minister had anticipated the Arab “spring of democracy”. He had seen very clearly the catatonic state in which many North African regimes had fossilised themselves into. He was certain such a situation was unsustainable.

Prof. de Marco was equally certain that, ultimately, peace in that region, in fact, in the world, depended on the question of Palestinian statehood being solved equitably.

Prof. de Marco’s vocation for peace and religious tolerance in the Middle-East was evident at the event organised by the Foreign Minister, Tonio Borg, in his honour and at which tribute was rendered to the statesman’s vocation for peace.

Three religious ministers from each of the three great monotheistic religious, prayed together as one for peace. Prof. de Marco’s presence was felt more than ever.

This timely tribute was the fruit of Prof. de Marco’s hard diplomatic efforts for peace. Of particular significance was the long-standing friendship he had cultivated with the historic leader of the Palestinians, Yasser Arafat. One immediately thinks of the joy Prof. de Marco felt when hearing midnight Mass in Palestine, in Mr Arafat’s presence, during an official visit as President of Malta.

Prof. de Marco was never one to give in when faced by the use of force. During an audience given to me when he was President of Malta, an aide had abruptly interrupted the meeting, telling him contact had finally been made by telephone with Mr Arafat. The urgency of the call lay in that Mr Arafat was practically cut off from the rest of the world, isolated in his office, surrounded and besieged by Israeli forces. The statesman in Prof. de Marco was expressed by the sincere concern at both the safety of a respected friend and at the danger the Middle-East peace process was facing at that very moment.

He clearly wanted to keep every possible line of diplomacy open even when all hell was breaking lose in the same manner he did when, together with his colleagues of the Nationalist Party, he fought for majority rule and democracy in Malta.

Even up to these past few weeks, Prof. de Marco remained very busy. Thanks to his love for music, we were given the delight of a solo piano concerto at a soiree organised by the Prime Minister in his honour. Mario de Marco explained the special significance of the evening in that Prof. de Marco’s very talented and young niece was the pianist for the occasion.

Another very significant appearance was during the inauguration of the premises of Progress Press only a couple of weeks ago. The speeches for the occasion highlighted his support to the Mrieħel project, which allows the expansion of the medium of the printed word that he loved so much.

The project became a reality, only one year from when he had wholeheartedly approved the project within the Allied Group.

Of course, we all miss his lovely, jovial personality expressed at all times by his engaging and ever-present smile, not to mention his incisive mind. Yet, we are equally sure we shall be encountering Prof. de Marco very often in the coming year and which promises to be as busy for him as the past one.