President Of Malta Meets Members Of The Council For Maltese Living Abroad

Her Excellency Myriam Spiteri Debono, President of Malta, welcomed members of the Council for Maltese Living Abroad during a courtesy visit held at San Anton Palace.

Following recent amendments to Act XX of 2011, which regulates the Council, the number of members has increased from 15 to 21. This expansion ensures, for the first time, representation of the Maltese diaspora from every continent. The members are currently in Malta to attend the 17th Annual Meeting of the Council.

During the meeting held on Thursday morning, the President observed that the Council members, who reside in various countries, come from diverse professional backgrounds including education, medicine, business, sports, law, banking, pharmacy, and the arts.

In her address, Her Excellency encouraged the Council members to continue nurturing and strengthening the bond between Malta and the Maltese diaspora in their respective countries. She remarked that many Maltese living abroad both those born in Malta and their descendants continue to cherish the Maltese language and take active roles in initiatives that preserve Maltese culture, traditions, and values, even thousands of kilometres from their homeland.

The Council members also shared with the President a number of challenges they face in their respective countries. Her Excellency encouraged them to continue collaborating to discuss and address common concerns.

President Spiteri Debono also highlighted Malta’s strong international reputation, attributing it in part to the positive image projected by the Maltese communities abroad. She expressed her sincere gratitude to the members for their ongoing contribution to this reputation.

During the meeting, Ms Chirelle Ellul Sciberras, Director for Consular Services and Maltese Living Abroad, discussed ongoing initiatives to address the needs of Maltese citizens overseas. She announced that during the Council’s Annual General Meeting, it was decided to establish subcommittees dedicated to issues of interest to the Maltese diaspora.

Among the initiatives discussed is a new programme for young people aged 18 to 30 who are of Maltese descent and live abroad. The scheme will enable them to apply for a work-and-holiday visa in Malta, providing an opportunity to work, travel, and explore their Maltese roots.

Those attending included:

Mr Joseph A. Xerri (Secretary), Ms Amie Cardona, Ms Judith Buhagiar, Mr Antoine Mangion, Ms Miriam Friggieri, Ms Alexandra Micallef, Dr Edgar Brincat, Mr James N. Casha, Dr Loredana Gatt, Ms Sarah Meli, Ms Giselle Sherri-Migliore, Mr Bernard Portelli, Mr Philip Mamo, Mr Matthew Ciantar, Mr Umberto D’Amico, Mr David Galea, Ms Doreen Gatt, and Ms Debbie Gatt Ghiglieri.

Also present for the courtesy visit were Ms Chirelle Ellul Sciberras, accompanied by her team from the Department, and Dr Rachel Powell, Coordinator within the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign and European Affairs and Trade.

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