Renowned artist Maurice Tanti Burlò, a cartoonist with The Times and The Sunday Times, scooped an award for his cartoon Stairway to Heaven which promotes accessibility for the disabled.

The competition was held as part of the campaign For Diversity Against Discrimination (FDAD), initiated by the European Commission's Directorate General for Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities.

Mr Tanti Burlò's cartoon, which placed first, now forms part of an exhibition that opened on Wednesday night at St James Cavalier, Valletta, and will run until Wednesday.

Twenty-two original works were submitted for the competition and the second prize was awarded to Marisa Attard for her entry Peas in a Pod.

Showcasing positive aspects of race, sexual orientation, age, religion, and disability, the drawings are intended to create awareness on the diversity issue.

The selection panel was chaired by media specialist Carmen Sammut and included publisher Michael Schiavone and Anthony J. Tabone, national campaign correspondent.

The exhibition was inaugurated by Joanna Drake, head of the EC Representation Office in Malta.

Dr Sammut said that, while in the Maltese journalistic context all established cartoonists were male, this competition had a very high female representation, where five out of nine participants were women.

They all presented valid work and the panel noted an encouraging trend that could lead to a greater role for women as cartoon artists in Malta.