‘Even Now Your Voice Rings Out’: Tributes To Daphne Caruana Galizia Pour In On Her 57th Birthday
Tributes are coming in for assassinated journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia on what would have been her 57th birthday.
“They stole Daphne’s life, but they could never ‘steal’ her integrity or principles, nor can they ever take away the numerous happy memories of her or destroy her legacy, which will linger long after the crooks have long been gone and forgotten,” the late journalist’s sister Mandy Mallia said.
“Dearest Daphne – always much loved, always deeply missed, always at the heart of everything we do, and never, ever forgotten, especially today, her 57th birthday, when she had so much life left to live, and so much to live for. Justice for Daphne is a must. Anything less will not suffice.”
European Commission Vice-President for Values and Transparency Věra Jourová shared a photo of herself placing flowers at the Valletta memorial to Caruana Galizia.
“Today Daphne Caruana Galizia would have had her birthday,” she said. “My thoughts are with her family, friends, colleagues. When a journalist is assassinated, democracy gets hit too.”
She also noted that the EU Commission is working on recommendations to improve the safety of journalists.
Today #DaphneCaruanaGalizia would have had her birthday.
My thoughts are with her family, friends, colleagues.
When a journalist is assassinated, democracy gets hit too.
High time to act: @EU_Commission is working on recommendations to improve the safety of journalists. https://t.co/drdJfQzHmz— Věra Jourová (@VeraJourova) August 26, 2021
International press freedom group Reporters Without Borders used the occasion of Caruana Galizia’s birthday to insist that everyone involved in this heinous crime must be brought to full justice without further delay.
#DaphneCaruanaGalizia should have turned 57 today, but she was assassinated in Malta nearly four years ago. On her birthday, we call again for everyone involved in this heinous crime to be brought to full justice without further delay. pic.twitter.com/OM2KYa67fX
— RSF (@RSF_inter) August 26, 2021
Occupy Justice, a group set up following the journalit’s murder, urged people to remember Caruana Galizia by fighting for justice for her murder and her stories and by taking a stand against wrongdoing and injustice.
“Thank you Daphne. You never let anyone shut you up and even now your voice rings out, magnified by all the voices you inspired to speak up,” they said.
NGO Repubblika shared a video to pay ttibute to Caruana Galizia, while and Repubblika activist Alessandra Dee Crespo shared her personal recollections of the late journalist and her love for beauty.
“How you loved it when we, your readers, sent you our birthday wishes on the comments board of your website,” she said.
“How you used to enjoy describing the food you would have cooked, and regale us with your infinite knowledge of the culinary arts when some of us debated with you the merits of one gravy over another. Not me, I just read the comments!”
“But the crooks stole your life. They took you away from your loved ones, from all of us, because your work became inconvenient to their schemes and roadmaps.”
“Those among you who are rolling your eyes at our latest commemoration of this remarkable woman and journalist, stop and think: how would YOU feel if a member of YOUR family won’t be marking another milestone: a birthday, the birth of a grandchild, a wedding, a graduation… so many other events, big or small, because someone, somewhere, decided that your loved one does not deserve to live?”
“So YES, we will continue to remember Daphne Caruana Galizia, her sacrifice, her family’s sacrifice, every day, and on special days, because her assassination robbed us of a woman, wife, mother, daughter, aunt, journalist and an upstanding citizen of this country.”
“You should have been here today, Daphne. So we will make sure that people remember this today, your birthday. Rest easy. And thank you.”
PEN International published a set of poems in honour of Caruana Galizia following a call for submissions it had released three months ago.
“PEN International’s poetry memorial is a tribute to her courage and her fearlessness,” the group’s president Jennifer Clement said.
“As we continue to honour her memory and bravery, we are reminded of the shocking and relentless harassment and threats she and her family have had to endure, which continue to this day.”
“Daphne Caruana Galizia was targeted because of her work, because she dared to express her opinions, because she refused to be silenced. She stood up against the highest levels of corruption and paid the ultimate price. Her legacy lives on. We stand alongside her family in their fight for full justice and accountability.”
PEN Malta’s Immanuel Mifsud said they were humbled by the responses received.
“Each poem is a reminder of the impact that she continues to have not just in Malta, but across the world,” he said.
“We call on the Maltese authorities to act on the findings of a recently-concluded public inquiry into her killing and to urgently ensure better protection of journalists and freedom of expression in Malta.”
RIP Daphne Caruana Galizia
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