A once-in-a-lifetime experience

Robert Zammit and Yvette Buttigieg were the lucky young people chosen to represent Malta at the European Parliament in Strasbourg for an exchange of the Malta and EU flags.

Robert, an 18-year-old university student, and Yvette, a 25-year-old teacher, had been nominated for the exchange by the National Youth Council.

Both Robert and Yvette had been asked to send their curriculum vitae to the NYC. About a week after doing so, they were informed they would be going to Strasbourg within a fortnight.

Accompanied by the Youth Ministry's permanent secretary, Charles Mizzi, they flew to Frankfurt and continued by bus to Strasbourg on April 19.

The following day, they went to the European Parliament in Strasbourg where they met Maltese MPs Mario Demarco, Jason Azzopardi and George Vella, with whom they had an informal meeting.

The MPs explained to them how the parliament and the European Council functioned.

They explained the problems of having a European Parliament meeting in both Brussels and Strasbourg with all the travelling this involved.

This meeting was followed by another with European Parliament president Pat Cox, which was very informal and lasted about 20 minutes. The flags were exchanged during this meeting.

Mr Cox explained the significance of the EU flag, saying that the stars were in the form of a circle because this was ever continuous and the EU was continuously open to new members.

There were 12 stars to represent the 12 hours of the clock and the blue background represented the Northern sky.

Mr Cox asked Robert and Yvette about their life in general. He also pointed out that Malta was the only country to be exchanging flags with the EU and he praised the country for its extra effort. They then presented Mr Cox with the Maltese flag and he in turn handed them the EU flag.

Robert and Yvette gave Mr Cox a copy of the book Malta Before History, which included a personal message for him from President Eddie Fenech Adami. Mr Cox sent his regards to Dr Fenech Adami.

Coming down from Mr Cox's office on the 15th floor, Robert and Yvette shared the lift with Italian liberal MEP Francesco Rutelli.

Yvette and Robert returned to Malta on April 21 and on arrival at the airport they had a car waiting for them to take them direct to the Palace. They were accompanied by a group of some 40 cyclists and a police escort.

Their car dropped them off at City Gate from where they walked to the Palace for their meeting with Dr Fenech Adami and the handing over of the EU flag to the President.

Yvette and Robert said they were only now realising the significance of their experience. It was a once in a lifetime occasion and other people made them realise how important it had been.