President calls for personal initiative to end social inequalities

President Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca called on every individual to take action against social injustices in order to achieve the global goals for sustainable development.

Addressing a seminar by the President's Foundation for the Wellbeing of Society, Coleiro Preca lamented over the lack of attention given to social inequalities.

"Social inequalities and social injustices aren't a sexy subject. You don't hear too much about them. But together we can address these issues,” she said.

The President referred to last year’s United Nations summit which addressed such issues.

“This time last year, I addressed the UN Summit on Sustainable Development Goals in New York, where global leaders responded to the calls which were then translated into the sustainable development goals," she said, adding that the three main goals were to end poverty, combat climate change and fight against social injustices.

The 17 sustainable development goals are part of a wider agenda for sustainable development to be reached by 2030.

Coleiro Preca explained that the President's Foundation was set up in order to create and environment of dialogue, and awareness and respect of diversity.

The President reiterated that the centre of discussions has to be action.

"Sustainable development goals are the framework for global, regional, and national policies. However, it is the responsibility of the individual to implement them. We must take it upon ourselves to become advocates for the peace and wellbeing of all, consistently fighting for human dignity, integrity and freedom,” she said.

Referring to the theme of the seminar, Coleiro Preca said that food shortage and poverty were the two biggest social inequalities faced by humans.

“These issues create social exclusion that eat away at social solidarity and at human dignity. The global targets are known and approved and it's our turn to focus on implementing them. I call on you all to be part of global change by making these global targets our personal targets. These are not issues we can afford not to take seriously,” she reiterated.