A friendship built on mutual respect and affection between two 11-year-old strangers was on Friday afternoon commended by the John XIII Peace Lab.
Owen Vassallo and Jake Jones met at the Naxxar Maria Regina College Middle School at the beginning of this scholastic year, and bonded immediately. Their friendship, which started with a simple hello, earned Owen this year’s Pope John XXIII Award for Kindness.
“I realised that Jake was a bit lonely, so one day I just went over to introduce myself. Although he could not communicate verbally, I knew, from the look on his face, that he was feeling a bit low,” Owen told the Times of Malta.
Since then, Owen started accompanying Jake, who has cerebral palsy, from one class to another, making sure the places that he has to be at are accessible, especially when he needs to use a wheelchair.
The two hang out during their lunch breaks, and whenever possible, Owen accompanies Jake on short walks to make sure his friend gets his daily dose of physical exercise.
They communicate with gestures and short phrases, and with Owen by his side, Jake finds it easier to converse with his peers.
His parents Joanna Attard and Adam Jones noted that when Jake started middle school, the experience was a bit overwhelming, but Owen has managed to make it more pleasant for him.
“Jake loves going to school and in Owen he has found a friend who provided him with a sense of dignity. From his end, Jake reciprocates with a lot of affection.”
Headmaster Lino Borg told Times of Malta that the school had nominated Owen not only because of his support to Jake, but also for instilling a sense of responsibility and social awareness among his peers.
The simplest things – even just making sure that Jake was all right – were the best part of their beautiful friendship, he said, adding that through the award, the school will promote inclusion and hopefully encourage other students to make sure their peers were not being left out.
President Marie Louise Coleiro Preca, who presented Owen with a gold medal, meanwhile called on Maltese youths to become activists of inclusion, justice and peace.
“Help build resilient communities… I believe that the young generations should be vociferous and favour positive initiatives to help develop a sustainable future for all those living in Malta,” she urged.
Our communities include people living in poverty, those experiencing social exclusion, people who are scared of speaking up because of discrimination and prejudice among others. Young people should follow in Owen’s footsteps and empower voiceless people around them, the President added.