Human Dignity & Rights

Public Consultation on proposed regulations on the Contractor’s Licence

The Justice and Peace Commission welcomes this public consultation and believes that if it is robust enough and its implementation properly enforced, the proposed regulations on the Contractor’s licence can be a step in the right direction. Also, we are aware that measures concerning who can enter the construction market as a contractor on their own, while important, cannot provide a comprehensive solution to all the well-known problems affecting this industry… Read more »

4th Anniversary of the Racially Motivated Murder of Lassana Cisse in Malta

On April 6th, 2019, Lassana Cisse, a 42-year-old man from the Ivory Coast, was shot and killed in Birżebbuġa, Malta, in a racially motivated attack, where two other victims Ibrahim Bah and Mohammed Jallow were also left for dead. The two suspects were identified as off-duty Armed Forces of Malta (AFM) soldiers, who allegedly targeted the victims because of their skin colour. Just a few months before, the same two perpetrators deliberately ran over May Malimi, a young man from Chad, whilst he was also walking in Birżebbuġa… Read more »

The El Hiblu 3: Four years on

On 28 March 2019, Abdalla, Amara, and Kader, known as the El Hiblu 3, first set foot in Malta. They could have never imagined that, four years on, they would still be stuck in legal limbo. The nine preliminary charges against them, including hijacking a vessel, threatening its crew, and engaging in terrorist activities, still hang over them, preventing them from living dignified lives in freedom… Read more »

The foreigner and hospitality

Dan l-aħħar iltqajt mal-istorja ta’ Najib Nasary, refuġjat mill-Afganistan li ħalla art twelidu biex ifittex bidu ġdid fi Franza. Ma kellu xejn, ma kien jaf lil ħadd, u ffaċċja t-theddida ta’ deportazzjoni. Imma meta n-nies ta’ raħal fil-muntanji Cévennes ta’ Franza laqgħuh, fl-aħħar sab dar ġdida u skopra fih ukoll passjoni ġdida għall-ħajja.

It-triq ma kinetx facli ghal Najib. Wara li wasal Franza, Najib iffaċċja ħafna sfidi hekk kif ipprova jibni ħajja ġdida għalih innifsu f’pajjiż barrani… Read more »

Pope Benedict’s contribution to the Social Doctrine of the Church

A lot is being written these days about the figure of Benedict XVI, a pope of great intelligence, formation and humility, who will certainly go down in history books as a great theologian. In this brief article, I wish to summarize, what, in my opinion, were Benedict’s greatest contributions to the Social Doctrine of the Church.

When going through the writings of the different Popes, we will often notice quotes from their predecessors and or even from their previous writings… Read more »

aħseb u ara: Discussion guide

Il-Malta Catholic Youth Network u l-Kummissjoni Ġustizzja u Paċi ħejjew riżorsa ġdida biex takkumpanja is-serje ta’ podcasts aħseb u ara.

Din ir-riżorsa toffri gwida għal diskussjoni dwar it-temi mit-Tagħlim Soċjali tal-Knisja msemmija fil-podcast.

  1. Il-Polarizzazzjoni tad-Diskors
  2. Il-Prinċipji tat-Tagħlim Soċjali tal-Knisja
  3. L-Ambjent
  4. Il-Missjoni tal-Knisja
  5. Il-Familja
  6. L-Ekonomija
  7. Ix-Xogħol
  8. Il-Paċi

Ma’ kull tema ġew abbinati tliet jew erba’ filmati qosra, fejn ma’ kull filmat għandkom issibu:
• Kwotazzjoni mit-Tagħlim tal-Knisja jew diskorsi relevanti… Read more »

2022 Annual Report

In a year which was sadly marked by the return of war on European soil and daily reports of deadly injustices and senseless violence, the need to denounce situations of violent injustice, whilst proposing creative pathways which lead to more just and reconciled communities, has never been so urgently felt.

In this context, as a Commission, we make ours the words of the Holy Father who, whilst in Malta, highlighted the need to shore up the foundations of life in society, namely honesty, justice, a sense of duty and transparency… Read more »

The power of hospitality

On the 5th of March, 2002, 250 asylum seekers drifted into Xlendi Bay, Gozo. Their arrival marked what would later be considered as the first major disembarkation of asylum seekers on Maltese shores. Since then, the issue of migration has practically never disappeared from our socio-political agenda. Among friends and colleagues, the pros and cons of welcoming people in a multicultural society are discussed. Come election time, the success or otherwise of our “integration” programmes is debated… Read more »

Sejjaħli b’Ismi

After months of hard work during which a series of dialogue sessions were held between migrants and the host community, the exhibition Sejjaħli b’Ismi was launched on Sunday 11th December. This intercultural project is the result of a collaboration between the Sejjaħli b’Ismi team, the Justice and Peace Commission and JRS (Malta) and commemorates the 20th anniversary since the first major disembarkation of asylum seekers on our shores… Read more »

The not-so-beautiful game

Ever since FIFA chose Qatar to host the 2022 World Cup, this Gulf Kingdom has been the subject of sustained critical scrutiny. What ought to be a celebration of talent, diversity and healthy competition is instead turning out to be a tournament overshadowed by stories of exploitation, murky transactions, and prejudice. In this case, the exercise in “sportswashing”, whereby corporate sponsors and host-nations seek to improve their reputation by leveraging the powerful emotions evoked by sporting events, does not seem to be going according to plan… Read more »