Neutrality is not indifference, Speaker tells peace conference

Speaker Anġlu Farrugia stressed neutrality does not signify indifference in the face of ongoing global conflicts, such as in Iran and Ukraine, but represents a commitment to building bridges and cooperation.

“The message is clear: sustainable regional security in the Mediterranean will not be achieved through declarations alone, but when parliament is seen as a place that can shape meaningful decisions,” Farrugia said.

On Thursday, a meeting for Peace and Dialogue in the Mediterranean Space, held in the Chamber of Parliament in Malta, saw the discussion of the way forward in ensuring peace in the Mediterranean.

Farrugia continued by highlighting the rich history of the Mediterranean, as more than a geographical space, but a meeting place for civilisations that have shaped the direction of the world. 

However, he also noted that it is also a place where geographical struggles and disparities converge.

“History will not judge us by our number of meetings,” he said, “but by whether we had the courage to turn dialogue into direction.”

Malta has a particular significance in this, added Farrugia, who said that the country has learned through its own history not to let its future be dictated by the designs of others. He echoed the words of former prime minister Dom Mintoff, saying that “there can be no security in Europe if insecurity in the Mediterranean persists.”

“Prevention through dialogue is always less costly than responding to conflict after violence has erupted,” insisted Farrugia. “The true strength of a nation lies not in its service to conflict but in its courage to stand for peace.”

Farrugia reflected on how the Mediterranean has witnessed a sea of creativity, knowledge, and exchange, watching great civilizations rise and fall.

He described it as a region which has known greatness, but has also known conflict and division, concluding that “it is the responsibility of our generation to ensure that the Mediterranean once again becomes a sea that unites rather than divides.”