‘Stay Angry And Don’t Grow Cynical’ – Andre Callus’ Speech After Receiving Honoris Causa
Moviment Graffitti activist Andre Callus urged people not to grow cynical after he was awarded an honorary degree by the University of Malta.
Callus shared the speech he delivered after he was awarded an Honoris Causa last week.
He said he considers the award to be less of a personal accomplishment and more of a recognition of the value of people and communities working together for the common good.
“Being an activist in favour of a fair society doesn’t mean that you must forget about yourself,” he said.
“It means being aware that your life and the lives of your loved ones are intrinsically bound to the lives of others.”
“We live in a system that often signals to us that life is a race between people and their respective dreams – who will win, who will lose, who will climb to the top and who will remain at the bottom?”
“And this isn’t a coincidence, because the beneficiaries of this type of messaging are the people who use us racing against each other to acquire more and more money and power.”
“Activism isn’t a profession, a talent or a vocation. We are all activists when we recognise our humanity and the humanity of others, when we feel angry and hurt at injustices out there, and when we try to leave a positive influence on our surroundings.”
Callus warned that the world and Malta are facing rising inequalities and unprecedented environmental problems. In particular, he spoke out against the war in Gaza, which he described as “two years of unprecedented heavyheartedness”.
“When you see wrongdoing – and when you’re in activism, you see and feel it all the time, there is a serious risk of becoming cynical, losing faith in humanity and believing that people are just opportunists and egoistical,” he said.
“Without a doubt, they can be – but that’s not all they can be and it’s not a given.”
“History has shown that whenever someone tries to hurt someone else, many others fight for justice. Whenever someone tries to seize power, many others fight back in favour of more equal distribution of power and wealth.”
“Therefore, despite all the harshness, injustice and ugly forms of power we can see and experience, we should never become cynical. Let us continue to feel hurt and angry, let us continue to care. Only then can we find the strength to build a society that is fairer for all.”
Cover photo: Andre Callus