Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/433160
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 14 DECEMBER 2014 16 News 'Catholic religion no longer central MIRIAM DALLI IN a speech characterised by chal- lenging ideas, President Marie Louise Coleiro Preca yesterday argued that the Catholic religion was no longer central to cultural activity because of the vast changes in our society. "On such an important day, we should be questioning what is the secular process and religious diver- sity and how to act in this context," she said. The President was addressing the award ceremony marking Malta's 40th anniversary of becoming a Re- public. She said that elsewhere, the debate on the secular process and cultural change had provoked extreme re- actions from fundamentalists who felt threatened and at the same time close enough to power to impose their values. "I believe that any positive purpose, whatever its origin, should be given space in the public sphere. This is the kind of democracy I want to see flourish in our country; democracy without intrusion, based on diversi- ty, to be able to dialogue openly and where everyone may have the oppor- tunity to prosper." Turning to the phenomenon of ir- regular migration, Coleiro Preca said that a caring republic should seek the refuge of international solidarity, so that the movement of people be- comes a quality experience, and not a tragic end to many hopes and lives. "I quote Pope Francis who said, I wonder if Europe is weary under the pressures of today's challenges," she said, adding that her thoughts were with the thousands of people who lost their lives along a difficult jour- ney, which was meant to give them a better life. She reiterated the need to seek international collaboration in this regard and not depend only on the national context: "History has shown negative outcomes when some coun- tries put emphasis on the second type of solidarity." In terms of the Ġieħ ir-Repubblika Act, the Presi- dent of Malta, acting on the advice of the Prime Minister, has made the following appointments to The National Order of Merit as well as the following awards of the Midalja għall-Qadi tar-Repubblika: The National Order of Merit Honorary Companion His Royal Highness Prince Alwaleed bin Talal bin Ab- dulaziz Alsaud Officer Mr Anġlu Camilleri (Posthumous) – Ceremony at- tended by Mr Clint Camilleri Mr Alfred Pisani Fr Marius J Zerafa OP Honorary Officer Mr Frank G Zarb Member Eng Marco Cremona Mr Sammy Galea Mr Anthony Edward Guillaumier Mr Maurice Micallef Dr Immanuel Mifsud Dr Lillian Sciberras Dr Alan Tua Midalja għall-Qadi tar-Repubblika Ms Maria Attard Mr Paul P Borg Mr Andrew Coleiro Ms Josette Falzon Fr Alberto Gauci OFM - Ceremony attended by Mr Salv Gauci Mr Alfie Guillaumier Dr Gejtu Pace Mr Francis Henry Said Mr Marc Storace Mr Karl Vella (Posthumous) - Ceremony attended by Ms Rose Vella Distinguished Service Medal Major James Louis Grech Major Etienne Scicluna Captain Joseph Gatt Lieutenant Mark Mercieca Warrant Office 1 Daniel Mifsud (85913) Staff Sergeant Jason Nappa (86232) Staff Sergeant Alexander Galea (85996) Sergeant Edward Santillo (86296) Sergeant Pierre Magro (86151) Sergeant Glenn Xuereb (86377) Sergeant Antoine Caruana (86569) Sergeant David Zammit (86778) Sergeant Rohan Paul Dalli (86856) Bombardier Anthony Vella (86827) Lance Bombardier Peter Baldacchino (86821) Lance Bombardier Christopher Attard (86962) Lance Bombardier Matthew Musu (86991) Lance Bombardier Matthew Saliba (86997) Lance Bombardier Clint Muscat (86998) Lance Bombardier James Grima (87070) Lance Bombardier Kirsten Schembri (87076) Gunner Josef Parnis (87131) Gunner Adam Sammut (87158) Gunner Roderick Cuschieri (87189) Gunner David Mangion (87205) Gunner Clayton Gatt (87212) Gunner Andrew Vella Gregory (87287) Gunner Clint Xuereb (87337) Gunner Karl Doublet (87359) Gunner Melchoir Grech (87370) Gunner Luke Manduca (87388) Gunner Stanley Muscat (87456) Gunner Kenneth Ciantar (87523) Gunner Christian Attard (87531) Gunner Joseph Vella (87535) Gunner Warren Ciappara (87579) Gunner Christopher Xerri (87585) Republic Day Honours | The full list President Marie Louise Coleiro Preca inspecting an AFM guard of honour at the Republic Day ceremony yesterday PHOTOGRAPHY BY RAY ATTARD