Prime Minister Joseph Muscat this evening called on his supporters to rally for the freedom from prejudice in a short speech at the foot of the Freedom Monument in Vittoriosa.

Describing it as the next big challenge, Dr Muscat said freedom from prejudice was a question of dignity.

He highlighted the plight of different families and migrant children, insisting that change was not just about enacting laws but fostering respect for those who are different.

Receiving muted applause, Dr Muscat said the place of migrant children was not in "prison".

He hinted that the government would be creating some form of structure to remove children from detention centres. He did not elaborate and failed to explain how migrant children were being kept in detention when it is policy to release minors from detention almost immediately.

"Can we sleep with our heads at rest when we know there are children living in camps.

"Would our forefathers have been proud of us had we told them that we keep children prisoners?"

While acknowledging that Malta had to have some form of deterrent, Dr Muscat said there had to be more focus on integration.

He called on the EU partners to help Malta manage the problem because "the numbers are big" but his politically tough talk was mellowed by a call for compassion.

"We understand this country needs some form of deterrent but this must not be an excuse to deny immigrants their basic rights," he said.

Dr Muscat also referred to different family forms and insisted it was not laws but love that determined what family was.

The Labour Party is this evening commemorating the 35th anniversary of Freedom Day in a slick ceremony with video clips of Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King and Mahatma Gandhi being played on a big screen.

One of the highlights was the speech of President-designate Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca, her last speech in public before her final address in Parliament on Tuesday.

She described Freedom Day as the culmination of a long political process.

"It was not just the closure of another military base. Malta at the time depended on the military base for its economic survival. Freedom Day represents economic and cultural freedom from a way of life that depended on others," she said.

She described independence as a national triumph "because it gave birth to a nation", Freedom Day as "the triumph of a mentality that cut loose its dependence on others".

All national events were links in the same chain, she said as she urged people to appreciate all political achievements.

Ms Coleiro Preca appealed to all people not to lose the historic opportunity this year when commemorating the various national events to unite as one nation.

She ended her speech with the words, "Viva Malta Maltija."

Labour deputy leader Toni Abela opened proceedings with a short but passionate speech in which he cautioned against a new form of colonial repression in the form of racial prejudice and "greed that impoverishes others".

Dr Abela said he hung his head in shame every morning whenever he saw the refuse truck with black immigrant workers taking orders from a Maltese driver and when he heard of children who go absent from school.

Poverty takes freedom away, he said, calling on society to take up arms against injustice.

The clips, all extolling the virtues of freedom, included a speech by Vaclav Havel, the Czech freedom leader, in 1989 when the Soviet occupation of Czechoslovakkia ended.

Singers also performed between one clip and another as the solemn ceremony proceeded under a fresh breeze.

They included Mary Spiteri, who sung Tema 79. She was recently snubbed by the organisers of Gensna from singing the song after they opted for Ira Losco. Foreign Minister George Vella was emotional, as a tear rolled down his cheek.

In a short comment to introduce a song dedicated to Joseph Muscat - it was specifically written for him - Ms Spiteri said this was a song from the heart, from someone who "was and will always remain a Labourite".

"Two years ago I made you a promise and here it is because we Labourites deliver on what we promise," she said as Dr Muscat smiled.

The audience included Labour Party functionaries, MPs and supporters. Former health minister Godfrey Farrugia, whose resignation led to the reshuffle being brought forward by a couple of days, and his partner Marlene Farrugia were also among the audience.