Co-founder of Cana Movement

Born in Corfù, Greece from a Maltese father and Italian mother, Emilio was educated at the school of Luigi Borg in Senglea, the Seminary, Floriana, and the Dockyard School.  

 Having started working as shipwright apprentice at HM Dockyard, in 1936 he joined the civil service as a sanitary inspector and served as port sanitary inspector during the war. He later served as school health educational officer until he retired in March 1960.

Camilleri was involved in several governmental, cultural, and religious committees and organizations, besides political associations. A member of the Labour Party executive committee of the (1921-1923), he was elected to the legislative assembly on behalf of the CWP in 1962.

Camilleri was founder-member (1955), (with Fr Charles Vella), vice-president (1955-1962), and honorary life president of the Cana Movement and also a member of the Diocesan Council for Lay Apostolate (1970) and the Marian Cultural Group (1970).

Camilleri was member of the UM council (1962), the Advisory Board of Education (1963), the Malta Arbitration Tribunal (1964), the Malta Society of Arts, Manufactures, and Commerce Council (1964-1970), St Philip Neri School Board (1966-1969), and the United Nations Association of executive committee, Malta (1972).

Camilleri was hon. secretary (1921-1923) and president (1928-1951), De Paule Band Club, secretary (1934-1938) and president (1948) of the Boy Scouts, Paola Group, president of the Paola-Tarxien Civic Committee (1949-1951), and vice-president (1952) and chairman (1954-1965) of the Paola-Tarxien Playing Fields Association.

Camilleri was also treasurer (1938-1943) and president (1944, 1953-1954) of the Malta Football Association, council-member and chairman of the disciplinary and referees board (1952-1953), chairman of the appeals board (1969-1972), and winner of the CONI trophy as best sports administrator (1970).

Camilleri was also a prolific writer.

In 1923 Camilleri married Marianna Busuttil and they had six children: Olga, Mary, Frankie, Guido, Giuseppe, known as ‘Beppe’ and Irene.

Emilio was still attending for liturgy at the Damascena church in Archbishop Street, Valletta, a week before his demise.

This biography is part of the collection created by Michael Schiavone over a 30-year period. Read more about Schiavone and his initiative here.

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