President George Vella Celebrates His 77th Birthday And Stops By A Wheelchair Basketball Match
The new President of the Republic, President George Vella, is celebrating his 77th birthday today! After being sworn in just 20 days ago, the president made his first public appearance at the This Time I’m Voting for Sports event at the Basketball Complex in Ta’ Qali.
The event was being organised by The European Parliament Office in Malta, who teamed up with the Malta Basketball Association, Malta Wheelchair Basketball, Aġenzija Żgħażagħ, and the Malta Paralympic Committee to raise awareness about the upcoming European Elections on 25 May 2019.
The event saw basketball athletes from different walks of life compete against each other in a friendly 5×5 mini-tournament
Athletes with mixed abilities, para-olympic athletes, their coaches and other basketball fans came together to raise awareness and remind people about the importance of voting during next month’s MEP elections.
The President delivered the opening dress at 10am, and later handed out awards and trophies when the friendly match was over.
George Vella is the oldest serving president Malta has ever had, having previously served as deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister in Alfred Sant’s Cabinet between 1996 and 1998.
He was then re-appointed Foreign Affairs Minister when Labour won the 2013 election. He retired from politics ahead of the 2017 election, until being appointed as President of Malta in 2-19, following the end of Marie Louise Coleiro Preca’s term.