Successful focus week in Malta

Anti Poverty Forum Malta arranged a hearing with the Social Affairs Committee in the Maltese Parliament which was hosted by the speaker of the Parliament.

The Hearing was also the occasion to launch ’A Report about Poverty in Malta’ produced by Jesuit Centre for Faith and Justice. The report includes direct accounts from Maltese citizens and refugees in Malta about their experience of poverty and social exclusion.

Ms. Irene Schembri, President of EAPN Malta; and Mr. Louis Galea, speaker of the House of Representatives, hosted the Hearing.

Fintan Farrell, Director of EAPN took part in the Hearing and Gaza Gosztonyi brought messages from the Focus week in Hungary. The Hearing was also the occasion to ask the Parliamentarians to influence their Government to ensure support for the poverty reduction target in the Europe 2020 strategy.

Fintan Farrell, Director of EAPN, took part in the event.

If the input of Irene Schembri (President, Anti Poverty Forum Malta) didn’t convince the politicians of our arguments then her home baking served at the reception following the Hearing was bound to have won friends for the fight against poverty and social exclusion.

Over 300 participants from 30 countries took part in the Forum. The world forum of past pupils of sacred heart schools was organised on the theme of fighting poverty. Discussion took place on themes such as the link between climate change and poverty, migration and poverty, discrimination and poverty and the EU Year for the fight against poverty was also a topic for discussion. In addition, there was exchange on grass root projects in the fight against poverty and social exclusion.

Special TV programme on poverty. The media was also engaged in the focus week with media presence for the different events and a TV programme on poverty in Malta where the Anti Poverty Forum and Caritas Malta took part.

It is hoped that the Focus week marked a step forward in the fight against poverty in Malta and the suggestion from the Deputy speaker of the Maltese Parliament that a follow up meeting be arranged in the near future held out the hope that the week could have a lasting impact.