As a population, we are tainted with typical avoidance traits, looking the other way and diverting our attention from unimportant or irrelevant things.

We repeatedly ride over an extremist wave of frivolous arguments about immaterial matters that do not impact our lives and, at the same time, we are happy to let what really affects us, directly or indirectly, go unnoticed.

Some time ago, I came across what French writer and thinker Joseph Joubert wrote about the purpose behind discussion. I was surprised because, more often than not, our reason behind discussing is always the opposite of his theory. Joubert writes that “the aim of an argument or discussion should not be inspired by victory but by progress”.

We have so much to learn from this theory and realise how unfortunate we are that we hardly pay attention to progress. We want a progressive image  while we bombard our discussions with a political agenda that supposedly makes us modern.  We have not yet come to terms with the fact that our core as a society is not only based on today’s issues but on tomorrow’s.

This is why, therefore, we have the duty to build society on essential values ​​and, above all, on the value of subsidiarity. We must acknowledge today’s challenges and problems by recognising and observing our behaviour of the past in order  not to replicate the same mistakes in the future.

Andrew Azzopardi from the University’s Faculty of Social Well-being recently wrote about “trauma” and the importance of first comprehending how trauma impacts future generations, and being proactive enough to meet the needs of tomorrow’s society.

He states: “To my mind, in our country, trauma is a very complex issue, which is not taken seriously enough, especially where it affects children. International studies and experts in the field of childhood all point to evidence that, as a result of the trauma they have undergone, children are potentially affected for the rest of their lives...”

He is absolutely right.

But allow me to go back to my opening argument. We got used to continuously discussing irrelevant socio-political scenarios, which are taking up our energy and generating a toxic environment within which we have ceased to discern the most imperative values. Meanwhile, there are families whose children are suffering but these, in turn, also become a burden not only for the current society but also the future one.

We got used to continuously discussing irrelevant socio-political scenarios- Justin Schembri

In his published position paper, Azzopardi not only accurately analyses the causes behind children’s trauma, but also goes one step further and puts forward proposals to address it.

He argues that one would be wrong to believe children who go through troubled times are able to emerge from them unscathed on their own, without any support.

This is absolutely right and what is worse is that we do not invest enough in our educational institutions, especially at a time when families struggle to cope with the ‘progressive/fast’ pace of life and when they frequently fail to notice changes in their children, because they are blinded by current society’s mad rush.

We are also disregarding the after-effects of the pandemic. We need to use this as a springboard to open a discussion to express ourselves as Nationalists or Labourites, with the aim of finding solutions for our society.

That is why I agree with most points raised by Azzopardi, especially the need to raise the subject of trauma on a national platform for discussion and include it as part of the topics presented to schoolchildren (in the same way as bullying, substance abuse and gambling).

To reach this level, we must engage political willingness. I appeal for every one of us to believe that we can really make a difference in our children’s lives; that we can sensitise society to the real problems affecting it.

In parliament, I encouraged the education authorities to set up a conference, in conjunction with the Faculty of Social Well-being, to raise this issue at national level.

On my part, on behalf of the Nationalist Party, I hereby publicly offer my expertise, help and support. If we care about our future, we must address what is worrisome today.

Let us look at progress and not at victory. It is only at that point that we can celebrate victory!

Justin Schembri is the PN’s spokesperson on education.