Former European Court of Human Rights judge Giovanni Bonello is the new chairman of the council of administration of the Strickland Foundation.

Dr Bonello served on the ECHR bench from November 1, 1998 until October 31, 2004. He is probably the only judge whose separate opinions were published during his tenure.

Judge (later Court President) Nicolas Bratza and leading authority on Human Rights Law Michael O'Boyle published them with Wolf Legal Publishers of the Netherlands. His separate opinions were also collected in the book When Judges Dissent, published in 2008.

Dr Bonello has published several history books.

The Strickland Foundation was officially set up by Mabel Strickland in August 1979.

The principal objectives of the Strickland Foundation are:

• To promote democratic principles, the observance of human rights, and the exercise of a free press;

• To uphold the European character of Malta and support Malta’s continued presence in the Commonwealth; and,

• To help improve the standard of Maltese journalism, and the preservation of its freedom and independence.

The foundation has organised, or helped organise or finance, a number of events aimed at furthering its aims. These have ranged from talks and seminars and courses, to the financing of scholarships for journalists and the sponsorship of studies by Maltese students at foreign universities.

The other members of the council of administration are: Ronald Agius, Frank Bonello, Mario de Marco and Marcel Cassar. The executive secretary is Peter Portelli.

The Strickland Foundation seat is 36, Villa Parisio, Lija.