Maltese FIFA Referee In China For FISU University World Cup Football 2023

Oct 24 2023

“FIFA Referee Ishmael Barbara is currently taking part in the FISU University World Cup Football 2023, which is underway in Jinjiang, China, in accordance with the guidance provided by FIFA and UEFA.

He was in charge of the tournament’s opening match, which pitted Hohai University (China) against the University of La Matanza (Argentina). The hosts managed to secure a 1-0 victory by converting a penalty in the 90th minute of the game.

This game unfolded in front of a packed audience of 8,000 spectators at the Jinjiang Football Training Centre in China.”

“Assisting him in his refereeing duties were Assistant Referees Sumanta Dutta (India) and Freiker Colmenarez (Venezuela), with Songkran Bunmeekiart (Thailand) acting as the 4th Official.

The FISU University World Cup Football started on the 21st and will end on the 31st October 2023. In the men’s tournament, 12 universities will vie for the title, while in the women’s competition, 8 universities will compete for the championship at the FISU University World Cup in Football.” Malta FA story here.

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Nationalist Party Demands Accountability For €400 Million Scandal

Oct 24 2023

“We will continue to insist every day for the Police Commissioner to do his job and hold those responsible for the lack of action. We will exert pressure for justice to be served, for political accountability to be investigated, and to reclaim the €400 million.

This was the message of the Leader of the Nationalist Party, Bernard Grech, to the media at the end of the meeting he had with Police Commissioner Angelo Gafà, where, together with Deputy Adrian Delia, they presented an official request for him to carry out his duty and investigate all those involved in the largest fraud – that of the hospitals – which cost €400 million, where the Court confirmed that Government officials as well as Vitals and Steward were implicated through a plea bargain to avoid trial.

Accompanied by Deputy Karol Aquilina, the Leader of the Nationalist Party insists that the Police Commissioner should meet with them after not being present at the Police Headquarters. After insistence, Angelo Gafà arrived and met with the three Deputies of the Nationalist Party.

On his part, Adrian Delia said that Angelo Gafà has the duty to investigate those who caused harm to the victims, where in this case, the victim is the Maltese and Gozitan population as a whole. He stressed that the Police Commissioner must start the investigation from himself and give this investigation absolute priority.

With journalists, the Leader of the Nationalist Party explained that a long and detailed discussion was held with the Police Commissioner, where Angelo Gafà confirmed that he is not conducting any separate investigation from the Magisterial Inquiry on the three hospital frauds.

On the other hand, he apologized to the present Deputies who, after a denunciation presented last May, did not feel the need to send any form of feedback to the Leader of the Nationalist Party and to Adrian Delia.

The Leader of the Nationalist Party said that pressure will continue to be exerted, as it is clear that there are those who have no interest in achieving justice despite the decision of the Court of Appeal.

Therefore, and in view of this institutional failure, the people are invited to join the Nationalist Party in the National Protest to continue exerting public pressure to recover the €400 million and hold political responsibilities accountable next Sunday.”

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Nominate Someone for the National Volunteer Award!

Oct 24 2023

Recognising the remarkable contributions of volunteers and volunteer organisations, the Malta Council for the Voluntary Sector is once again presenting the National Volunteer Award.

This prestigious award celebrates the unsung heroes and organisations that have made a profound impact in various fields, ranging from social and humanitarian causes to health, ecology, culture, education, and sports.

Now, it’s your chance to nominate someone for this distinguished honour.

The National Volunteer Award was introduced for the first time in 2011 with a noble purpose – to offer broad recognition to the invaluable service provided by volunteers and Voluntary Organisations within the Maltese community. It aimed to create awareness of the exemplary values demonstrated by these volunteers and organisations, with a clear mission to inspire young individuals and the wider society. The award was designed to acknowledge the significant contributions made across diverse sectors, highlighting the dedication and selflessness that drive positive change.

There are several award categories within the National Volunteer Award, ensuring that volunteers and organisations from various age groups and sectors are duly recognized for their outstanding contributions. Here are the award categories:

National Volunteer Award: This award recognizes individual volunteers who have made remarkable contributions to any field, including social, humanitarian, health, ecology, culture, education, and sports. To be eligible, the volunteer’s work must have had a positive impact on a specific field and should serve as an inspiration to others.

Youth Volunteer Award: The Youth Volunteer Award celebrates volunteers aged between 16 and 30 years. These young individuals share the same aims as the National Volunteer Award, and their primary goal is to promote volunteerism among their peers.

Volunteer Organisation Award: This award is granted to Voluntary Organisations that have shown exceptional dedication within their respective sectors. These organisations are recognised for their innovative approaches and services within the community, as well as their recruitment and support of volunteers.

Corporate Volunteering Award: This category acknowledges companies and organisations from the private sector that have made a significant impact on the Voluntary Sector. These organisations are recognised for their tangible support, both in direct contributions and by facilitating their employees’ participation in volunteering.

Victor Calvagna Children Volunteer Award: This unique award is dedicated to young volunteers between the ages of 10 and 15. Like the Youth Volunteer Award, these children strive to promote volunteering among their peers and inspire a spirit of selflessness and compassion from an early age.

Nominating someone for the National Volunteer Award is a straightforward process. The Malta Council for the Voluntary Sector is currently accepting nominations, and the deadline for submissions is Friday, 27th October at noon. To nominate an individual or organization, visit this link and follow the provided instructions. Your nomination could be the catalyst for recognizing the tireless efforts of those who have made a positive impact on the Maltese community.

The National Volunteer Award serves as a powerful reminder that volunteerism is not just about giving one’s time and effort but about creating lasting change and inspiring others to do the same. By nominating someone for this award, you have the opportunity to celebrate the unsung heroes who work tirelessly to make Malta a better place for everyone. Don’t miss the chance to shine a light on their incredible contributions.

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Malta In Gender Equality Index 2023: Progress And Challenges

Oct 24 2023

In the recently published Gender Equality Index (GEI) 2023, Malta ranks 14th among the 27 EU Member States, scoring 67.8 points out of 100. While this marks an improvement from the previous year’s score of 65.6 points, Malta’s overall ranking has slipped by one place from 13th place to 14th place, now standing 2.4 points below the EU average.

Since 2010, Malta has made commendable progress, with a remarkable increase of 13.4 points in its GEI score, one of the highest among EU Member States. Notably, since 2020, Malta’s overall score has risen by 2.2 points, driven primarily by improvements in the domains of knowledge (+ 4.9 points) and power (+ 4.9 points).

The GEI is a critical tool for monitoring gender equality progress across the EU over time. It measures gender gaps in six core domains: work, money, knowledge, time, power, and health, using a scale from 1 (total inequality) to 100 (total equality).

Malta’s standout performance comes in the domain of work, where the country secures a remarkable 3rd place among all EU Member States, with a score of 80.0 points. Malta’s performance in the sub-domain of segregation and quality of work is particularly noteworthy, where it ranks 2nd among all EU countries since 2010.

Gender disparities persist in the domain of money. Women not only remain less likely to participate in the labour market than men, but they also earn less when in employment. Malta scores 83.3 points in this domain, slightly lower than in 2020 but 0.7 points higher than the EU average. The recent adoption of the new Pay Transparency Directive, requiring employers to disclose pay information, represents a significant step toward addressing these gender pay and pension gaps in the EU.

A remarkable improvement for Malta was registered in the domain of knowledge which increased by 4.9 points, elevating Malta’s ranking for this domain from 9th place to 4th. The key driver behind this change is the sub-domain of segregation, where Malta gained 5.7 points. The country also improved in the sub-domain of attainment and participation, scoring 72.3 points and holding the 14th position since 2020.

This year’s index introduces a critical update in the domain of time, based on the EIGE survey on gender gaps in unpaid care and social activities. Malta’s score in this domain has experienced a drop of 4.8 points since 2020, resulting in a ranking drop from 13th to 24th place, with a significant decline in the sub-domain of social activities. Nevertheless, a substantial increase of 8.6 points was registered in the sub-domain of care activities.

Malta is not without its challenges in the domain of power, where it scores 45.3 points and ranks 19th. Although the country has made progress, increasing its score by 4.9 points since 2020, other Member States have advanced more rapidly, keeping Malta’s ranking the same. Notably, the sub-domain of political decision-making offers the most room for improvement, where Malta scores 39.8 points, ranking 22nd. As stated last year, the National Commission for the Promotion of Equality (NCPE) eagerly anticipates future Indexes in this domain, which should duly acknowledge the rise in the number of women in parliament following the implementation of the gender corrective mechanism during the 2022 general election.

With a focus on the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, the GEI shows that Malta scores highest in the domain of health, with 87.4 points, slightly below the EU average.

In the domain of violence, Malta recorded the lowest rate of femicide in the EU, with zero women victims of intentional homicide by an intimate partner or family member in 2021. In Malta, 26% of women who have ever been in a relationship have experienced violence by an intimate partner during their adult life, whilst over a quarter of women who have ever worked have experienced sexual harassment at work.

The GEI 2023 has a thematic focus on the socially fair transposition of the European Green Deal, focusing on gender differences in unpaid care, including links to transport, the environment and personal consumption and behaviour.

Notably, in 2022, Maltese women (42%) demonstrated a higher tendency than men (28%) to choose environmentally friendly options in childcare activities. This includes avoiding single-use items, buying second-hand goods, and educating the children under their care about environmental issues. However, it is observed that people in Malta are less likely to opt for low carbon-emission transport modes compared to their EU counterparts.

The NCPE acknowledges and closely monitors Malta’s position in the GEI 2023. While it has witnessed commendable progress in certain domains, it also recognises the persistent challenges that require our collective attention and commitment.

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