On September 13 KNZ organised a leadership seminar on the role of Maltese youth and that of local youth organisations in the context of Malta's Euro-Mediterranean indentiy. This seminar was chaired by Karol Aquilina, KNZ president.
The speakers were Paul Radmilli, KNZ international secretary; Dr Alex Sceberras Trigona, former Foreign Minister; Rev. Professor Peter Serracino Inglott, Malta Government delegate at the Convention on the Future of Europe; and Giovanni Buttigieg, international co-ordinator of the Euro-Med Youth Platform.
The seminar was well-attended and and all those present contributed to workshops on the three themes chosen. These workshops were the Mediterranean dimension, chaired by Rosette Xuereb, neutrality and mediation, chaired by Keith Grech, and small states, chaired by Marius Caruana.
Mr Radmilli pointed out the active involvement in international fora of Maltese youth active in local organisations. He stressed the need to have the three themes of the seminar underlying the international work done by Maltese youth.
Dr Sceberras Trigona pointed out that just as, in his youth, youth organisations were instrumental in breaking down the East-West divide created by the Iron Curtain, the same is happening today with youth organisations having the potential to play a vital role in a Euro-Med dialogue. He gave an overview of Malta's status of neutrality enshrined in our Constitution.
Dr Sceberras Trigona went on to mention Malta's international efforts, particularly Malta's proposal for the seabed as the common heritage of mankind at the United Nations, as well as Malta's initiative to include a commitment to peace in the Mediterranean at the inaugural conference of the CSCE in 1975.
He urged Maltese youth to actively participate in the UN Geneva conference on the Information Society and that we put forward initiatives to local authorities to offer our good offices for disputes in the Euro-Med region.
Professor Serracino Inglott said that any initiatives contributing to a Euro-Med dialogue should take account of our limitations and our status in the international society of states. He questioned the validity of the claim that the Maltese are equipped to mediate between Mediterranean states when few of us are knowledgable of Arab culture and up to date with political developments in the Arab world.
This lack of awareness of the Arab world is further accentuated by a lack of interest among the younger generations in learning Arabic.
He asked whether dialogue between Mediterranean states should take place in a Euro-Mediterranean forum or in a strictly Mediterranean one. He maintained that both alternatives are beneficial. The ideal method for discussion in these fora is for them to be thematic with the representatives from the states hailing from civil society and not from the political elite with their claim to represent their country being their field of expertise.
Mr Buttigieg gave an overview of youth initiatives for the Euro-Mediterranean. The latest initiative on the part of the EU is the creation of a Euro-Med Youth Platform based in Malta which will help networking among Euro-Mediterranean youth organisations and capacity-building in Mediterranean states.