Mini European Assembly Gives Maltese Youths A Chance In Strengthening Of Democracy And European Values
The Parliament of Malta recently hosted the Final Session of the Mini European Assembly, an event organised annually by the National Student Travel Foundation (NSTF).
The event, chaired by MP David Agius, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, saw young participants convene to discuss ways to strengthen democracy in Europe.
During the session, Agius explained the role that democracy advocates play in using the art of persuasion to lead their country in the right direction.
He highlighted the necessary qualities that individuals who wish to serve society must possess, emphasising the importance of being altruistic, and reliable, considering the common good before personal interests, instilling trust in those around them, and upholding good principles and values.
They also referenced the European values in Article 2 of the Treaty of the European Union, Lisbon, 2007.
These values, which include “respect for human dignity, the strengthening of human rights and fundamental freedoms, equality, democracy, and the rule of law,” ought to be upheld and preserved, especially given the current global circumstances.
The Mini-European Assembly’s final plenary session will feature international teams of students from Malta and those on an Erasmus project coordinated by VisMedNet.
The project, called Pros4Democracy, aims to provide youth with values education, communication skills, and confidence to become positive players in their community and Europe.
The project also offers cross-border debate environments such as the MEA final plenary session happening soon. The program meets the needs of youths, their leaders, their communities, and Europe as a whole.
The Deputy Speaker urged the European people to work together to reinforce these values and build confidence in the European integration project. Doing so would not only strengthen democracy but also ensure economic and social stability across the continent, resulting in peaceful coexistence between the European nations.
Would you like to see more input from the youth in the parliament?