European Parliament president Roberta Metsola will deliver a lecture on ‘Malta in a changing European landscape’ as the country marks the 20th anniversary of its historic referendum vote to join the EU.
Invited by the Strickland Foundation, Metsola will deliver the Mabel Strickland Memorial Lecture at the Casino Maltese in Valletta on Saturday.
Malta’s membership of the EU in 2004 ushered in new hope as the country navigated the challenging terrain of being one of the smallest member states and finding its place in the European fold.
The lecture also coincides with the first anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which is testing the resilience and unity of Europe. Metsola has been a strong voice in reiterating Europe’s unwavering support towards Ukraine.
It is within this evolving context that Metsola will be tackling Malta’s role and contribution to Europe during her lecture.
Metsola joins an illustrious list of speakers who have addressed the Mabel Strickland Memorial Lecture in the past. These include Prof. Charles Beckett, founder director of Polis, London School of Economics; Lord Judge Igor, former Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales; and Prof. Susan Mendus, Morrell Professor Emerita of Political Philosophy.
The Strickland Foundation is a public benefit organisation set up by Mabel Strickland in 1979 before retiring from public life.
The daughter of Lord Strickland, a former governor and prime minister of Malta, she co-founded the Times of Malta with her father in 1935 and also served as the newspaper’s editor, as well as embarking on a career in politics.
Mabel Strickland wanted the foundation “to be of service to the people of Malta by helping in the development of freedom of thought and expression which, through a free press, is essential to the maintenance of democracy and basic for the proper development of the country”.
Co-organised by Casino Maltese, Saturday's Mabel Strickland Memorial Lecture, which starts at 10.30am, is fully booked.
The event will be streamed live on Times of Malta.