A photographic exhibition commemorating journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, who was assassinated two years ago today, has opened at the European Parliament in Brussels.
Daphne – The Voice That Lives On presents the work of some of Malta’s best-known photographers – Darrin Zammit Lupi, Matthew Mirabelli, Paul Borg Olivier, Renè Rossignaud, Jonathan Borg, Daniel Cilia – as well as the European Parliament Photography Services, who have captured the way Daphne continues to be remembered as the Maltese keep on demanding justice.
“We must ensure that what happened to Daphne Caruana Galizia must never happen again. We will always remember Daphne Caruana Galizia, who sacrificed so much for our shared European values. And I have one message to the masterminds behind her murder: we will never give up and we will never surrender,” MEP David Casa, who organised the exhibition, told guests present at the exhibition’s opening.
He thanked civil society for keeping Daphne’s memory alive and also for standing for what she stood for.
Jonathan Borg
Scroll right to see more photos. Photo: Rene Rossignaud
Darrin Zammit Lupi
Darrin Zammit Lupi
Matthew Mirabelli
Paul Borg Olivier
Former European Parliament president and the current chairman of the Conference of Committee Chairs, Antonio Tajani insisted he would continue to work to ensure that the masterminds behind Daphne’s murder would be brought to justice.
“We want to know who decided that this murder should take place. We need to work together. It’s easy to remember but it’s more difficult to push in this direction. We will never be silenced. We will never leave this battle because this battle is in favour of freedom,” Mr Tajani said.
Scroll right to see more photos. Photo: Daniel Cilia
Photo: Darrin Zammit Lupi
Photo: Jonathan Borg
Former European Parliament president Antonio Tajani with the Caruana Galizia family. Photo%3A Jonathan Borg
Members of the European Parliament from different political groups also spoke at the opening of the exhibition.
Romanian MEP Cristian Tehreş, from the Socialists and Democrats Group, said that, besides being a journalist, Daphne was also a mother and a wife.
“People believed that by assassinating her, she will stop. They were wrong and that’s true. An army of people, more and more people now are aware of this issue and the importance of freedom of the media,” he said.
Greek MEP Stelios Kouloglou, from the European United Left Group, said that Daphne would remain in the memory of the European Parliament.
“In the five years to come, we are not going to stop one minute. We will raise the assassination at every opportunity. We will become the assassins’ and the perpetrators’ nightmare,” Mr Kouloglou said.
Thomas Gibson, from the Committee to Protect Journalists, said that Daphne’s legacy was the mobilisation of the international press freedom community in such a way that pressure on the case, even two years later, was continuing.
“Are we going to remain in a situation where there is impunity in an EU member state? We cannot allow this to happen and that is why on Wednesday [today], there are vigils all around the world: in Valletta, Berlin, Brussels, Vienna, Rome, Prague, and Sydney,” Mr Gibson pointed out.
Also present was Maltese activist and actress Pia Zammit, who said those who killed Daphne did not manage to silence her but they just activated her army.
“Her army will not rest until her family and her country have justice for her. Her army will not rest while corruption, impunity and terror rule. Her army will not rest,” she pledged.
A number of MEPs, European commissioners designate, activists as well as staff of the European Parliament attended the exhibition’s launch. It will remain open at the entrance of the European Parliament until Friday.