Extremist voices advocating fear and violence should not go unchallenged, President Marie Louise Coleiro Preca urged this morning.
Everybody has the responsibility to act in a way that encourages respectful dialogue while promoting peace and wellbeing, she said.
Ms Coleiro Preca was addressing the diplomatic corps on the occasion of the Exchange of New Year Greetings, where she asked them to not only be excellent diplomats, but to be active and effective agents of peace.
“The pursuit of peace is fundamental to your work as ambassadors. While you represent the best interests of your countries, the reality of peace must go beyond the physical boundaries of our nations. It is necessary to transcend across all borders.”
Peace should be the benchmark by which governments measured their success, she insisted.
The President noted that without peace there could never be social inclusion and sustainable prosperity. On the other hand, without wellbeing, there could be no effective economic or social development between nations.
She questioned discourse about meaningful peace at a time when there was no solution to “very obvious challenges”.
She questioned discourse about meaningful peace at a time when there was no solution to very obvious challenges
“How can we speak about effective and meaningful peace in a world experiencing unprecedented upheavals and violence?... when we are confronted by the suffering of the marginalised, the excluded and oppressed?... when there are entire families who do not have the necessary sustenance for their children?... when people live in fear, and are sometimes forced to flee from situations of extreme conflict?”
Ms Coleiro Preca expressed hope that Malta’s Presidency of the Council of the EU would provide a platform from where to address these challenges.
“For this reason, I believe that the active involvement of all stakeholders, in particular civil society, throughout Malta's Presidency, is crucial and necessary.”
Peace was the greatest need of our time, and as nations, we must never allow ourselves to become complacent about the gains and successes we have made, in terms of human rights, environmental justice and social inclusion.
Speaking on behalf of the Diplomatic Corps, Ambassador Umberto De Vito said Malta’s contribution to peace and the promotion of democratic values, the respect to human rights and universal principles of humanity were widely acknowledged.
He commended the President’s personal commitment to equity, unity and an inclusive Maltese society.
Mr De Vito recalled her speech on Republic Day, when the President said that Maltese were working harder, living longer, interacting with other people and exploring the world more so now than ever before. Malta’s success was witnessed by high rates of economic growth, reduction of unemployment and national debt and increasing participation of women in the workforce.
"At the same time, you also called for a mature society were due attention is given to the preservation of the environment, and historical heritage and the landscape," he said.
He also referred to her comments last week the inauguration of Malta’s EU Presidency that the economic strengthening of the EU must be reflected in the attention given to inclusive strategies. Economic growth was certainly crucial for the benefit of society, nonetheless, it should be accompanied by social justice across Europe, he insisted.
At the beginning of 2017, the international scenario was among others seeing brutal terrorist attacks spreading fear and a sense of uncertainty, people are being forced to flee their homes, while at the same time the global economy was growing.
"The challenges ahead of us could be better addressed thanks to democratic institutions and strong inclusive societies," he said, adding that the diplomatic corps admired Malta’s vocation to serve as a medium for intercultural dialogue and peace.