The sad news of Lino Bugeja’s passing, although not unexpected, shocked me and others, notably my colleagues at the Tumas Fenech Foundation for Education in Journalism, who worked closely with Lino over the last 18 months.

Lino was keen to contribute ‘pro bono’ towards the successful execution of the newly established BA (Journalism) course at the Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology, and he was periodically consulted on the curriculum, drawn up by Andrew Azzopardi in close liaison with Mcast and the foundation.

In spite of having known Lino for more than four decades, it was this recent close cooperation that enabled me to experience his wonderful personality. So much so that I undertook to carry out full research into his extraordinary career with a view to nominating him for the 2016 Institute of Journalists’ Gold Award.

Here, I reproduce edited excerpts of my report to serve as my eulogy to this prolific writer, journalist and master educator, among his other attributes.

“Mr Bugeja’s prowess in essay writing and journalism spans more than half a century. He has on many occasions been awarded the JP Vassallo Prize for his essays on educational thought and practice, coupled with myriad other acknowledgements both at national and international levels.

This talented and seasoned professional ranks as a leader in education skills and the communication of thought and information. Gifted with this extraordinary ability, which must have served as a guiding light in his chequered career, Lino moved into the field of journalism, covering a variety of genres but specialising in sport, culture, history, education and protection of the environment.

His published features in the Times and Sunday Times of Malta provide a good insight into the character of this illustrious gentleman.

Sports journalism

Drawing on his extensive and distinguished sporting career – a national choice at the first Mediterranean Games held in Alexandria in 1951, a top division football player, a national youth coach, an administrator at the Malta Olympic Committee, a visiting lecturer at the International Olympic Academy in Greece, as well as lecturer with the International Olympic Committee Solidarity Movement specializing on Olympic Philosophy – Lino emerged as a renowned literary contributor on sports and culture. He secured the 1984 and 1988 International Olympic Committee Trophy, which is of world repute, for his literary contributions on these subjects. His published series of opinion articles on sport captured sizeable audiences and pushed his induction into the Hall of Fame of the Malta Olympic Committee.

Lino was unique and a gentleman of the first order, with a strong fighting spirit and a winning mentality all along

Besides being a finalist at the 2015 Institute of Journalists Awards in the categories of Opinion Articles and Environment Journalism, he secured a place in the finals in the Sports category with articles called ‘Sport is part of culture’, ‘War minus the shooting’ and ‘The sporting ethos in Homer’s epic poems’.

In 2012 he published a cultural history of sport – a collection of essays on sport from pre-history to the present day. Most of the topics featured in weekly programmes on Campus FM, thereby strengthening their journalistic value.

Historical and cultural journalism

Lino’s drive to promote Malta’s historical, cultural and environmental heritage is evidenced by his regular features in The Sunday Times of Malta and periodically in the Talking Point section of the Times.

In 1993 he coordinated and co-edited a two-volume publication called Birgu – A Maltese Maritime City, for Malta University Services. In 2000 he produced and edited a CD for the Vittoriosa local council on the historical, artistic and archaeological heritage of this ancient city. A few years later he was commissioned by Unesco in Malta to produce two CDs, namely ‘The Bibliotheca’ and ‘The Palace of the Grand Masters’.

Against this backdrop, in 2003 he was decorated with the Croce dell’ Ordine al Merito Melitense by the Sovereign Military Order of Malta in recognition of his literary contributions relating to the history of the Order.

His 2013 publication, Vittoriosa – Ancient City of Culture, not only enjoyed wide publicity but is a most remarkable souvenir, which the Vittoriosa mayor presents to visiting heads of state.

Education journalism

In addition, Lino, who received accolades from the Commonwealth, Edinburgh and London universities, published several papers in scholarly journals on various aspects of education and sport. They were reproduced on the local printed media and served as topics of discussion on radio and TV.

To demonstrate most tangibly the affinity between education and sport, Lino helped a pioneer of the sport and education concept, Father Hilary Tagliaferro, to set up the Educational Sports Centre.

In his earlier days, Lino had embarked on a national campaign instigating urgent reform to introduce secondary education for all, using his then hidden journalistic talents, through a series of articles in the Malta Union of Teachers’ quarterly journal.

Environment protection

Lino excelled in his contribution to environmental protection, spearheading the effective Ramblers’ Association lobby as its founder and honorary president. His well-researched pieces for The Sunday Times of Malta served not only to voice the concerns of many but to induce administrations to develop structures that enhance the articulation of shared values, missions and goals.

His predictive appreciation of the media’s role in the growth of awareness of this subject was evidenced by the prestigious medal Għall-Qadi tar-Repubblika which he received for his distinguished service to the welfare of the people of Malta.

Since the inception of the Tumas Fenech foundation in 2000, I have been in constant touch with members of the profession and have taken part in nearly all the annual award events organised by the Institute of Journalists. Lino, born on February 9, 1930, was omnipresent in many categories with well-structured articles, evoking strong emotions among those associated with the particular theme.

He also managed to carve a niche for himself in the patriotic sphere through his great personality and demeanor, ensuring Malta punches above its weight to register positive outcomes, thereby making an impact on the global landscape. For example, for the 2015 CHOGM, I collaborated with Lino in the production of a series of distinctive articles in The Sunday Times of Malta manifesting the strong links between Malta and the UK. They captured the attention of the Royal Family and a significant number of heads of government, thereby branding Malta as a truly avant-garde member of the Commonwealth.

Lino was unique and a gentleman of the first order, with a strong fighting spirit and a winning mentality all along. His new publication, A Maltese Odyssey, brings together all the features he wrote for The Sunday Times of Malta. It should be his legacy for generations, to appraise, value, appreciate and learn from. It is a milestone in the history of journalism in Malta.”

Malta has lost a gentleman of the first order.

The grief experienced by family and friends in the last years, seeing him suffer from his medical condition, does not mean that our grief will fade shortly. His loss will linger on in the years to come as we cherish and appreciate his impressive legacies in the various fields that he loved and excelled in, most significantly the well-being of society.

My deepest sympathies to Lino’s family.

Anthony De Bono is a founder member, board trustee and vice chairman of the Tumas Fenech Foundation for Education in Journalism and chairman emeritus of the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation.

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