I am always deeply moved when I hear or read about the courage and resilience of the Maltese people during the horrors of World War II – truly “a heroism and devotion that will long be famous in history”.

As our leaders, with every appearance of solemnity and respect, place their wreaths at the forthcoming Remembrance Day commemorations, can we hope that the thought of the sacrifices, near-starvation and huge losses their grandparents and great-grandparents suffered on Malta’s behalf will inspire them to resolve afresh to create a country those heroes would have been proud of and not one, as now, of which they would very likely be ashamed?

As history repeatedly shows, a nation is brought down not so much through the force of enemies from without as by the gradual erosion of its faith, moral values and civil structures from within.

If there is no such resolve, then the tribute at the war memorial will be a sham and the high price paid to secure Malta’s democratic freedom (including a much more recent tragic death) will have been belittled rather than honoured.