The President of Malta George Vella said that the elderly should be provided every space and opportunity to continue using their knowledge and abilities for their own good and for the good of the community. “We cannot lose this wisdom and experience. These are not something old or superfluous, but a necessity in every modern society. Everyone has a role to play in this process”, stated the President during the ‘Active Ageing Award’ event, which this year was won by Father Marcellino Micallef.
The President said that age should not impede a person from continuing to get involved and play a civic role in the community. He noted that entities such as Local Councils, government entities and non-governmental organisations can offer various opportunities to encourage the elderly to learn and share their knowledge, their experience in the world of work, their traditions and values and much more between themselves and with other generations.
Today’s event, said the President, is a celebration of work, commitment, and dedication in the active ageing sector. In his speech, the President fully welcomed the idea of this annual event dedicated to the elderly which clearly shows the appreciation towards those who over the years have contributed to Maltese society.
The President remarked that this year’s event presents new elements because in addition to awards for the elderly who stayed active, there are also categories for projects or initiatives, that could have been carried out by individuals of all ages, entities or organisations, that facilitated active ageing. He mentioned, among others, areas such as innovation, technology, and solidarity between generations.
The Minister for Active Ageing Jo Etienne Abela thanked all the elderly for their great contribution throughout their lives. He said that the life we are enjoying today is the result of the work and efforts of those who came before us. While describing the Active Ageing Award as a celebration of work, commitment, and dedication in this sector, Minister Abela stated that it is great that there is still a good number of participants for this award.
The winners are:
Active Ageing Award – Fr Marcellino Micallef
Innovation and Technology in Active Ageing Award – Project CLIVE
Sports Active Ageing Award – Mr Carmel Mizzi
Volunteering Award in Active Ageing – Mr Joseph Vella
Intergenerational Solidarity Award – Xewkija Primary School and Xewkija Local Council for the Intergenerational Project on trades
Cultural Award – Mr Charles Bellia
