President Marie Louise Coleiro Preca this morning appealed to the people to defend the right to remain in contact with the natural environment.

Photo: Jason BorgPhoto: Jason Borg

Speaking during the Republic Day ceremony, she noted that Malta’s environment had changed radically that the last 40 years, with both children and adults confined to the built environment, away from contact with nature and with little spaces where they could roam.

“In this environment, it has become difficult to find internal peace, and be able to enjoy nature.

“Such an enclosed environment deprives people from the possibility of renewal and cause people to become introverts.

“Therefore, I appeal to us all to defend the right to remain in contact with the natural environment that sustains us.”

Mrs Coleiro Preca said there was a need to develop skills to build positive relationships “with everything that exists around us... we want people to know how to relate, not only with the rest of society, but also with the surroundings.”

Photo: Jason BorgPhoto: Jason Borg

The President also dedicated a part of her speech to migration saying her thoughts were with the thousands of people who lost their lives along a difficult journey, meant to give them a better life.

“A caring Republic should seek the refuge of international solidarity, so that the movement of people, so much a reality today, should be a quality experience, and not a tragic end to many hopes and lives...”

She said there was the need to seek international collaboration in this regard and not depend only on the national context.

She said that her Presidency would serve as a bridge so that people with diverse aspirations, desires and visions, would come together and translate their differences into collaboration based on dialogue and true respect for each other.

The prime objective of her Presidency, she said, was and would always be to bring unity.

During this morning's ceremony, the President appointed 10 Maltese nationals to The National Order of Merit and awarded the Midalja għall-Qadi tar-Repubblika to 10 individuals. Two of these awards were made posthumously.

Two foreign nationals - Saudi Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal bin Abdulaziz al Saud and New York businessman Frank G. Zarb - were appointed to ‘The National Order of Merit’ on an honorary basis.

A total 37 members of the Armed Forces of Malta were awarded the ‘Distinguished Service Medal’ in recognition of their distinguished and exceptional role in dangerous operations in the Central Mediterranean Sea to save lives and rescue people.

The investiture followed the customary Ceremonial Parade at St George’s Square.

The full list of recipients' is in the pdf link below.

Attached files

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