European Parliamentarian Francis Zammit Dimech has been shortlisted for an MEP Award for his work in the education, cultural and media spheres.

Dr Zammit Dimech, who has only formed part of the European Parliament for the past 18 months, has pushed for more EU funding for festivals and for partisan politics to be kept out of cultural spheres.

He has also pushed for visual literacy to form a bigger part of curricula and called for minority languages to be made more available on more online platforms and tabled various amendments on legislative reports concerning whistleblowers.

The veteran politician and former minister serves as EPP Group rapporteur on a New European Agenda for Culture and on a report into press freedom and pluralism.

“This shortlisting fills me with courage and determination to continue working to serve as the voice of the people at the European Parliament. I humbly thank all those supporting me throughout my work,” he said after being informed of his MEP Award nomination.

Dr Zammit Dimech is one of three shortlisted candidates in the category, with the other two being Polish S&D MEP Krystyna Łybacka and German S&D MEP Petra Kammerevert.

He is the only Maltese MEP to be shortlisted for an award.

The MEP Awards, handed out by The Parliament magazine, are given to recognise deputies who have contributed significantly to the legislative, supervisory or budgetary role of the European Parliament through their parliamentary activities.

The award ceremony will be held on March 20.