January 27 is International Holocaust Remembrance Day, which commemorates the victims of the Holocaust, one of the darkest periods in human history. On this day, many films relating to this most tragic of events were aired on TV. Some of these films, such as The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas and Naked Among Wolves, focused on the suffering of children and the atrocities they had to witness.

The first reaction of most viewers is often the same. How could this possibly have been allowed to happen? How could a human being do such things to another human being?

Decades later, humanity is again living in testing times.  Although the context is substantially different, the suffering of refugees fleeing from war, persecution and poverty is very real and needs to be dealt with. Save The Children, an international voluntary organisation, estimates that in 2015 alone, 26,000 children arrived in Europe with no family members. The UK recently announced that it will give sanctuary to unaccompanied refugee children; I hope other countries follow suit.

In Malta immigration has for many years been an important and challenging issue, and opinions on it vary deeply. However, I am sure that when the Maltese are faced with the suffering of children, the principles of humanity, solidarity and compassion always prevail.

I humbly appeal to the Maltese government, the voluntary sector and the Church to help save these children. Doing nothing is just not an option. As a famous Florentine Renaissance-era poet once said: “The darkest places in hell are reserved for those who maintain their neutrality in time of moral crisis.”