Jean Paul Fabri of Attard has won the Youth of the Year Award for 2010 organised by the Kerŷgma Movement.

The award was announced by Fr. Charles Fenech, the director general of Kerŷgma. He was presented with a trophy by President George Abela at the end of a mass celebrated at St Dominic’s Church in Rabat this evening.

Jean Paul Fabri is a graduate in economics, who works in the Office of the Prime Minister and a part-time lecturer at the University. He is the vice-president of the Lourdes Voluntary Association.

Mr Fabri has been accompanying the sick to Lourdes every year for the past 11 years. He strives hard to raise an awareness of this voluntary work and to get other young people interested in this experience.

He took the initiative to write a children’s book both in Maltese and English about the rosary. The proceeds from the sale of this book will go towards paying the transportation costs of the sick children to Lourdes.

He is currently working with a group of volunteers which includes doctors and psychiatrists to try and introduce a group of “Clown Doctors” for sick children at Mater Dei Hospital. An exemplary young man who tries to instil harmony in every situation, Mr Fabri helps the needy and does his utmost to help the sick and the ailing especially where children are concerned.

The other nine finalists were Anne Marie Agius from Santa Lucia, the late Damian Agius from Qormi, Anne Marie Borg from Attard, Brendan Buttigieg from Munxar, Vanessa Caruana from Msida, Anton D’Amato from Zurrieq, Maria Pellicano from Siggiewi, Mario Sammut from Mgarr and Jonathan Zarb from Iklin.

The trophy is awarded every year in honour of the late Dr Rudolph Saliba who was Kerŷgma Movement’s first president.