Discrimination against anyone because of their sexual identity goes against the core values of the Commonwealth, Secretary General Kamalesh Sharma told delegates yesterday at the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth People’s Forum, which is being held in Malta over the next few days.

“The Commonwealth is committed to respecting and understanding diversity and different identities. This is fundamental to what we believe in,” the secretary general said. He was briefly interrupted by a round of applause and cheers from the audience which was made up of civil society organisations within the Commonwealth, including LGBTQI organisations.

This year’s forum unites LGBTQI activists and advocates to discuss policies to ensure equality for everyone and will be discussing issues related to the theme of resilience within societies, in line with the general CHOGM theme ‘Adding global value’.

There cannot be talk of resilience without ensuring basic human rights are protected

Mr Sharma insisted there cannot be talk of resilience without ensuring that basic human rights are protected, adding that he opposed criminalisation of those within the LGBTQI community.

Prime Minister Joseph Muscat, who also spoke at the opening ceremony, said he was thrilled to hear Mr Sharma address the problem of sexual identity discrimination.

“I am also very much against this and I am very pleased that the People’s Forum will be discussing such themes,” Dr Muscat said. Resilience, he said, should be about change and not to be confused with conforming to status quo. “Each forum should serve as a platform for change. The shaping of the future should not just be the responsibility of the leaders.”

Dr Muscat also encouraged the delegates present to use their time at the forum to come up with ideas to challenge the status quo. “These views celebrate what the Commonwealth is truly about,” he said.

Also at the opening ceremony were Chair of the People’s Forum Jacqueline Micallef Grimaud and Chair of the Commonwealth Foundation Anand Satyanand. The People’s Forum is held biannually in the run-up to the CHOGM and will go on until Thursday.