Students who took part in the ‘Active and Responsible Citizenship’ competition organised during the last scholastic year by NGO Repubblika were recently hosted to a ‘Democracy evening’ in the grounds of St Aloysius’ College, Birkirkara.

During the evening, students who won the competition’s respective categories were given the opportunity to read or present their winning essays and posters, which dealt with various themes related to the competition, such as democratic rights, freedom of the press and the right to information. The winners were then presented with a selection of books as their prizes by Repubblika president Robert Aquilina, and the evening’s special guest speaker, Fr Joe Borg.

In his opening speech, St Aloysius’ College rector Fr Jimmy Bartolo expressed satisfaction that so many youths had taken part in the competition, adding that such participation would have a strong effect on them. He presented three challenges to youths who wished to embrace true values: the protection of human embryos, which cannot defend themselves; the protection of the environment from development that was ruining the country’s beauty; and the search and fight for truth. On the latter point, Fr Bartolo said that while everyone had the right to their political views, it was fundamental that truth came foremost, even if this meant going against one’s political views.

Fr Bartolo also referred to the brutal killing of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, which he said was a blot and a great dishonour for Malta. He said this was more so when one realised that despite the fact that the public inquiry had found the state responsible for this macabre murder and had proposed a series of recommendations, nothing had happened since. He said the government was duty-bound to implement the recommendations, adding that youths needed to raise their voices and call for justice to be served.

Youths needed to raise their voices and call for justice to be served- St Aloysius’ College rector Fr Jimmy Bartolo

Fr Joe Borg said that while he had initially come to the event with a sense of scepticism, he felt encouraged after hearing the students reading their winning essays. He spoke about what he said was the most important element for the media – the audience. He said everything depended on how much and in what way the audience reacted to the means of communication. People will have the media they deserve, he said, and while everyone has a right to full and free information, this also involves responsibilities. He appealed to youths to express themselves, to react to the information they receive, and to be wise enough to recognise whether they are being given the whole truth or not.

Fr Borg added that the worst thing that could happen to the media is if the audience shows no reaction, or worse, does not accept criticism and considers those who criticise constructively as ‘the enemy’, as was often happening, leading to crusades to demonise those who raise their voices. At the same time, he said journalists should be accountable and everyone is duty-bound to criticise intelligently. It is only in this way that we can form active citizens who work in favour of a society that embraces true democratic values, he said. 

Repubblika president Robert Aquilina said that a country cannot have democracy if it did not have journalism. For democracy to function properly, people needed to be well informed and all the facts need to be known. He added that if we do not let every voice be heard, even if we are uncomfortable or do not agree with what that voice is saying, democracy would be threatened.

Aquilina said that for this reason it is important that Freedom of Information questions are answered as soon as possible, not months or years later, or not at all. He added that whenever journalists revealed potential abuse, the country’s institutions should be allowed to act immediately, to investigate, and if need be, legal proceedings should be launched against suspects without delay; otherwise, a climate of impunity would be created in which journalists’ work is dismissed and their lives threatened, as had happened to Caruana Galizia.

Journalism was facing a struggle for both financial and human resources, he said. Many investigative journalists were leaving the profession because they were disheartened by constant attacks on social media where character assassinations were conducted so that their stories would not be believed. He added that the island’s politicians and leaders needed to move from fancy words to concrete actions to protect independent journalists and their work as the fourth pillar of democracy.

Aquilina ended his speech with an appeal to students not to take democracy for granted. “There are rich people and people in power whose interest is that independent journalism no longer exists, so that you will not get to know the truth. Do not let them blind you or buy you! Do not give in to pressure! Stand up to them to defend healthy and independent journalism,” he said.

St Aloysius College rector Fr Jimmy Bartolo (right) and teacher Denise Galea Pirotta received an award for the highest number of competition entries.

St Aloysius' College Year 11 student Andrew Mifsud receiving a prize from Repubblika president Robert Aquilina and Fr Joe Borg.

Penelope Stapleton from Newark School, Gżira, receiving her participation prize from Repubblika president Robert Aquilina and Fr Joe Borg.

Raquel Buhagiar, a Year 7 pupil at Our Lady Immaculate School, Ħamrun, who placed second in the posters category 1 section.

Rachel Sciberras from Our Lady Immaculate School, Ħamrun, who placed second with her essay in the category 1 section.

For more information regarding the ‘Active and Responsible Citizenship’ competition, visit https://repubblika.org/active-responsible-citizenship/