“Il-volontarjat jgħinna nibnu soċjetà iktar b’saħħitha” – Il-President ta’ Malta waqt il-Premju Nazzjonali għall-Volontarjat 2023

Il-President George Vella qal li fil-ħajja mgħaġġla tal-lum, tajjeb li nħarsu sew madwarna u naraw xi rwol jaqdi l-volontarjat, ħafna drabi fis-silenzju, b’nies li jifhmu u japprezzaw l-importanza li jagħtu lura lis-soċjetà. “Il-volontarjat kien, għadu u jibqa’ wieħed mill-pilastri ewlenin fuq xiex iserraħ il-futur tal-poplu tagħna. Dan ngħidu għax nemmen bis-sħiħ li l-volontarjat jgħinna nibnu soċjetà iktar b’saħħitha,” qal il-President Vella waqt iċ-ċerimonja tal-Premju Nazzjonali għall-Volontarjat 2023.

“Mill-bidu ta’ din il-Presidenza, li issa qed toqrob lejn tmiemha, jiena ħassejt li għandi niffoka u nagħti importanza sħiħa lis-settur tal-volontarjat f’pajjiżna għaliex jgħin ikattar is-sens t’għaqda, solidarjetà u inklużjoni, ikabbar id-djalogu u t-tolleranza, u huwa ċentrali biex innaqqsu l-preġudizzju, il-faqar u l-esklużjoni soċjali,” qal il-President ta’ Malta waqt li semma l-kuntatt li hu u Miriam kellhom ma’ bosta għaqdiet volontarji li qed jagħmlu xogħol imprezzabbli.

Waqt li feraħ lir-rebbieħa u rringrazzja lil kull voluntier, il-President radd ħajr lill-Kunsill Malti għas-Settur tal-Volontarjat li qiegħed jiċċelebra l-ħmistax-il sena mit-twaqqif tiegħu. Dr Vella qal li l-Kunsill ħoloq ambjent li jiffaċilita l-involviment ta’ iktar nies f’dan il-qasam u nnota b’sodisfazzjon it-tema magħżula għal dan l-anniversarju, ‘Giving voice and visibility to the voluntary sector‘.

“Naqbel u nemmen li għandna nkomplu nagħmlu mezz sabiex ngħollu kemm nistgħu l-profil tal-volontarjat f’pajjiżna u nħeġġu iktar nies, fosthom tfal u anzjani, jersqu eqreb lejn dan is-settur,” qal il-President ta’ Malta.

Il-Ministru għall-Inklużjoni, il-Volontarjat u d-Drittijiet tal-Konsumatur Julia Farrugia Portelli fissret il-volontarjat bħala teżor nazzjonali li rridu ngħożżuh waqt li rreferiet għax-xogħol siewi tal-Kunsill Malti għas-Settur tal-Volontarjat tul l-aħħar 15-il sena.

Ir-rebbieħa huma:

Voluntier Żagħżugħ/a tas-sena: Marius Barbara, Karibu! Malta
Organizzazzjoni Volontarja tas-sena: Down Syndrome Association Malta
Premju Victor Calvagna – tfal fil-volontarjat: Jake Vella nominat mill-Malta Sports Journalists Association
Premju Speċjali għal ħidma volontarja minn individwu fil-komunità: Fr Hilary Tagliaferro

The entire National Volunteer Award 2023 ceremony was livestreamed on the MCVS Facebook page. Click HERE to watch it.

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“Volunteering helps us build a stronger society” – The President of Malta during the National Volunteer Award 2023

President George Vella said that in today’s fast-paced life, we should take a good look around us and see the role played by volunteering, often in silence, with people who understand and appreciate the importance of giving back to society. “Volunteering was, is, and will still be one of the main pillars on which the future of our people rests. I say this because I fully believe that volunteering helps us build a stronger society,” said President Vella during the award ceremony of the National Volunteer Award 2023.

“Since the beginning of this Presidency, which is now approaching its end, I felt that I should focus and give full importance to the voluntary sector in our country because it helps increase the sense of unity, solidarity and inclusion, it increases dialogue and tolerance, and is central to reducing prejudice, poverty and social exclusion,” said the President of Malta while mentioning the contact he and Miriam had with many voluntary organisations that are doing invaluable work.

While congratulating the winners and thanking all volunteers, the President thanked the Malta Council for the Voluntary Sector which is celebrating the fifteenth anniversary of its establishment. Dr Vella said that the Council has created an environment that facilitates the involvement of more people in this field and noted with satisfaction the theme chosen for this anniversary, “Giving voice and visibility to the voluntary sector“.

“I agree and believe that we should continue to try and raise as much as possible the profile of volunteering in our country and encourage more people, including children and the elderly, to get into this sector,” said the President of Malta.

The Minister for Inclusion, Voluntary Organisations and Consumer Rights Julia Farrugia Portelli, while referring to the valuable work of the Malta Council for the Voluntary Sector over the past 15 years, defined volunteering as a national treasure that we must cherish.

The winners are:

Youth Volunteer Award: Marius Barbara, Karibu! Malta
Volunteer Organisation Award: Down Syndrome Association Malta
Victor Calvagna Children Volunteer Award: Jake Vella nominated by the Malta Sports Journalists Association
Special Award for Voluntary Service: Fr Hilary Tagliaferro