Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi this evening reiterated his view that Independence Day should be Malta's National Day.
Independence Day marked the birth of this country, he said at a dialogue meeting held by the PN on the granaries in Floriana.
"I do not say this with a sense imposition, but with humility because I have respect for every national day of our country, being all important chapters in our history.
"But everything was born from Independence. And every country recognises that their independence marked the birth of their nation," he said.
Dr Gonzi said he was sure that it was possible to remove the divide between the Maltese on certain political issues.
"Sometimes, we need to swallow our pride and accept that the country has different chapters of political history."
In his address Dr Gonzi also underlined the need to invest more in education and to achieve sustainable development which protected the environment.
The dialogue meeting was first addressed by people from various walks of life, including artists, authors, TV presenters, sportsmen and students, who spoke about where they saw and wished to see Malta in five years, on the 50th anniversary of its independence.