The 1960s were the most exciting and creative decade of the 20th century.
Pope John XIII and the Vatican Council II brought a new lease of life to the Catholic Church. The spirit of the Council was put under pressure during these last two decades but Pope Francis is once more re-kindling it.
The 1960s were characterised by the Beatles, the hippies and the student protests all over Europe.
The geo-political front was characterised by the process of decolonialisation. We are today proudly recalling that Malta was part of that process.
I remember the scaremongering campaign. Malta could not be independent, the wet blankets said, since it is too small. The same argument was made prior to Malta’s accession to the European Union.
In the 1960s we were told that the Maltese would die of hunger if we became independent. Prior to EU accession we were told that we would be invaded by Sicilians and the Maltese would end up jobless.
These scaremongering campaigns had no effect on Borg Olivier in 1962 and Eddie Fenech Adami in 2003. Both believed in the fighting spirit of the Maltese, their creativity and ability not just to survive but to prosper.
The fear of the new could be so strong and could be so kindled easily as the pro-independence Scots could attest. The liberalisation of the economy, the pluralism of broadcasting and the introduction of the euro were also dreaded by those whose courage and trust in the Maltese are less that what befits leaders.
The 1960s also had the Mintoff factor and the fear spread by people close to the Church that if we become independent Mintoff would eventually become Prime Minister and Malta would become Cuba of the Mediterranean.
I vividly remember the notice board of the Church of St Paul in Birkirkara showing pictures of priests and nuns murdered during the Spanish civil war; the implication being that the same would happen in Malta if we become independent and let Mintoff become Prime Minister.
Malta did not become a Cuba in the Mediterranean. (I was always intrigued with the some politicians’ fixation of wanting to turn Malta into another country in the Mediterranean. Switzerland of the Mediterranean was the mantra of the 1960s while Dubai of the Mediterranean is the current mantra.)
I vividly remember the run-up to Independence including the referendum as well as the mid-night celebration, the presentation of the Constitutional document and the big rally for school children. I lived those events and till today I harbour the strong emotions they created; the great sense of expectation promised and the new era that beckoned our small country.
Fifty year on I do not only proudly say that I was there but also that we were right.