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maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 16 SEptEmbEr 2015 News Magna Carta comes to Malta in November the magna Carta, key document in the history of democracy, will be displayed at the National Library of malta on 28 and 29 November as it goes on a 'world tour' The British high Commission has announced that the Magna Carta will be coming to Malta as part of a global tour in Novem- ber 2015. The highly important document will be on display at the National Library of Malta on 28 and 29 November. Foreign Office Minister hu- go Swire has announced that Magna Carta will begin a glo- bal tour next week, in a part- nership between hereford Ca- thedral and the GReAT Britain Campaign. An original version of the document and the only surviving King's Writ from Runnymede in 1215, will pass through seven countries, across four continents, travelling a total of approximately 65,000 miles. The magna carta, the Great Charter, established for the first time the principle that eve- rybody, including the king, was subject to the law. It was drawn up to make peace between the unpopular King John of eng- land and rebel barons and was issued on 15 June, 1215. Thousands of people across the world will benefit from a unique opportunity to see the document – an internationally recognised symbol of the rule of law – first hand, and ref lect on how the principles of Magna Carta remain more relevant than ever in today's world. The hereford Cathedral Magna Carta is one of only 18 believed to be in existence. As part of the tour it will leave the United Kingdom and f ly to New York, followed by Luxembourg, China (including hong Kong), Singapore, Malta and Portugal, where it will be displayed at a number of public venues. The programme is being run in part- nership with hereford Cathe- dral. The Magna Carta has played a key role in the history of democ- racy around the world and still forms part of British law today. This year marks the 800th anni- versary of the sealing of this im- portant document. The tour will demonstrate its international resonance whilst also show- casing British inf luence across trade, law, international values and democracy. Minister hugo Swire wel- comed the tour and said: "The Magna Carta is a hugely im- portant part of our history and stands as a beacon for our val- ues today. The tour is a fantas- tic way of enabling people from America to europe to see it first hand, and to ref lect on all that it stands for." Canon Chris Pullin, Chancel- lor of hereford Cathedral said: "I am delighted that our copy of Magna Carta is embarking on this global tour, which will enable more people than ever from across the world a unique and exciting opportunity to see the document close up and learn about what it represents." At the same time, Baroness Anelay has announced a new £100,000 fund to enable other countries to benefit from the UK's legal expertise, marking the International Day of Democ- racy. At an event held at Gray's Inn – at the heart of the UK's world-leading legal scene – the Minister launched the 'Magna Carta Partnerships' fund. The pilot fund will facilitate sharing practical UK experience to help guide parliamentarians, judges and lawyers overseas along their own path to democracy. The pilot fund is worth £100,000 and will be distributed in small grants via a bidding process. Labour MP calls for free public transport Outspoken mp marlene Farrugia says public transport is a 'disaster and getting worse' LABOUR MP Marlene Farrugia called for free public transport, which she claimed is "a disaster and getting worse." Reacting to MaltaToday's sur- vey which showed that traffic is the top concern of the Maltese, Farrugia said "Public transport in Malta should be punctual, efficient, adequately routed and FRee." She added that if public trans- port is funded by taxpayer mon- ey, this would translate into bet- ter air quality, increased hours of productivity "rather than bit- ing our nails in traffic jams and sharp decrease in stress levels." The outspoken MP said that former operators Arriva "de- stroyed " the public's faith in public transport and the current Spanish operators Autobus de Leon "has so far failed to restore trust in the service in spite of subsidies and higher fares." Despite a marked improve- ment in terms of new buses and new routes, the service has been plagued with inefficiencies since its privatisation in 2011. Traffic had already emerged as Malta's top concern in Mal- taToday's survey in November 2014, but the latest survey, car- ried out in August before the traffic chaos that will mark the re-opening of schools, suggests that the problem has aggravated in the past months. The Magna Carta issued in 1215 is considered to be the foundation of modern democracy