Malta’s first anti-racism strategy launched

Malta’s first three year antiracism strategy was launched on Thursday as part of the EU’s antiracism action plan for 2020 to 2025.

The strategy comprises of twenty two measures that aim to confront and eliminate discrimination on an individual, systemic and societal level across Malta and Gozo.

So as to stimulate and support intercultural inclusion at all levels of society, discourse and research will take place and new infrastructure will be implemented.

Minister for Equality, Research and Innovation Owen Bonnici noted the importance of tackling racism at a grassroots level and how in light of this, the strategy has taken tackling racism amongst football players as one of the main initiatives for the implementation of this strategy.

“Sports is one of the key grassroots activities in societies...it breaks down all walls, embraces diversity and passes on key messages against racism,” he said.

Former Manchester United footballer Dwight Yorke was invited to be the project’s ambassador that will see a partnership in the efforts the Manchester Utd team are taking to tackle racism.

He spoke of the importance of eradicating the idea of judging people based on their skin colour.

“Maltese people are standing up to tackle racism,” he said.

In her address, European Commissioner for Equality Helena Dalli noted how the launch of this anti-racism strategy is not a one-time event but a “process of transformation.”

She remarked that Malta has “structural discrimination” and to “truly turn the tide,” active anti-racism policies must be mainstreamed at all levels of government.

“We must move away from any claims that we are not racist, and instead recognise our shortcomings and become truly antiracist,” she added.

“When we encounter racism, we must challenge it rather than appease our conscience by saying that we are not racist. We need to treat all racism as if it were a direct attack on ourselves,” she continued.

On his part, Minister for Tourism and Consumer Protection Clayton Bartolo spoke of the importance of educating children on discrimination.

“Our children should be the ambassadors of an anti-racist Malta,” he said.

Footballer Maya Lucia, who experienced racism on the pitch earlier this year, was also invited and spoke about being a victim of racism in Malta.

She said that this strategy was a “step in the right direction to stamp out racism.”

Both Lassana Cisse Souleymane, a migrant who was murdered in Ħal Far in 2019, as well as Jaiteh Lamin who was recently allegedly left on a road side by his contractor after having fallen when working on a construction site were mentioned by all speakers.

Minister Bartolo stated that Cisse Souleymane’s death “highlights the potential fatal consequences of passivity in the face of an alarming increase of hate speech.”

He went on to say how Lamin’s incident was “another urgent call to action” wherein “the ugly head of callous racist acts reared its head again.”

In his concluding remark, Minister Bonnici said that in having moved forward on LGBTQI+ rights and female employment, this anti-racism strategy is the next step for equal rights in Malta.