provide, for free, legal information and advice to persons who are are unable to pay a private lawyer or who are unable to obtain a Government Legal Aid Lawyer;
file cases before the Courts of Law. Your donation will allow one of our lawyers to prepare, file and follow up the Court application;
pay interpreters to allow us to communicate with some of our clients;
seek sources of funding that require us to provide a share of the total project amount (so-called ‘co-financing requirement’);
pay our monthly office rent, without which we’d be a homeless NGO!
keep our staff and interns warm in winter, cool in summer!
remain connected to the Internet…and over the phone!
When issuing licenses for teams to participate in European competitions, the Malta Football Association must ensure that football clubs comply with a number of standards issued by the Union of European Football Association (UEFA). One of these requirements is that clubs actively combat racism. David Abulafia, an English historian, refers to the Mediterranean as “probably the most vigorous place of interaction between different societies on the face of this planet” which highlights the importance of such initiatives.
A 2017 study conducted by Johann Caruana questioned whether footballers experience racism in Malta. He found that “Malta is another Mediterranean country in which football racism is present”. He interviewed ten athletes, nine of whom confirmed this reality. One of the respondents claimed that racism in Maltese football is subtle and labelled it, “not a nice nothing”, while other respondents described it as being, “something disturbing”.
On 6 April Malta FA teamed up with us to conduct a session discussing racism in football with local football clubs. The session started with Peter Busuttil, representing Malta FA, giving an overview of the various initiatives and projects implemented by Malta FA, such as All In – All for Football. Peter also underlined how some of Malta FA’s previous initiatives have also been recognised by UEFA for best practice amongst all the other European football associations.
The most prominent football teams on the island were present. Their representatives came with a positive attitude showcasing their goodwill and genuine love for the sport. In fact, they participated wholeheartedly in the conversation showing that such opportunities to voice their opinions are sorely needed.
Although everyone recognised the fact that racism is present in Maltese football, they held that such an attitude is not coming from within the administration of the respective football teams. They commented that racism in football is simply a reflection of a wider sentiment present in today’s society.
The discussion then veered towards establishing a proper definition of racism and what practices should be prohibited with club premises and activities. Some argued that jokes in the locker-rooms should not be considered racist as they are endemic to every team and necessary in order to have a united group of players.
Our Director (Neil), acting as discussion facilitator, recognised such dynamics whilst explaining typical minority/majority power dynamics, cautioning that a player might choose not to show his true emotions in order to avoid being alienated from the group. Most representatives agreed with this point and highlighted the fact that it should be the manager’s responsibility to make sure that players respect each other.
Another interesting point was raised by a representative of the Maltese Youth FA. She pointed out that there are a number of conditions which a young player must satisfy before being allowed to participate in a competitive match. This might result in excluding some youth players from taking part in the sport, particularly young people from disadvantaged contexts such as refugees and migrants.
During the session we learnt that, in Malta, we also have a Match Observer role with a number of responsibilities. One of these is to note and report any racial discrimination or abuse occurring during the match. The Match Observer present during our discussion stated that, whilst during last year’s season there were five reported incidents, this year there was only one reported incident. However, the Match Observer clearly expressed the fact that racism in Maltese stadiums is present, claiming that “ir-razziżmu huwa lampanti”.
It was clear throughout the sessions that both the Malta FA and local football clubs firmly oppose all forms of racism and recognise that it is in their interests for such attitudes to be abolished. Enforcement remained a disputed issue, with the clubs underlining the challenges posed by a system that requires them to monitor their fans’ behaviour during a football match. They also pointed out that identifying the perpetrators of racial chants is complicated since in most cases fans from different clubs sit in the same stands.
We are extremely happy to have collaborated with Malta FA on this important initiative.
It underlined the need for all stakeholders to continue this dialogue in order identify the best way to prevent and tackle racism in football.
We look forward to maintaining this engagement with Malta FA, as we believe in the power of football to bring about social change and to foster refugee and migrant integration.
On the evening of the 6th
April, Lassana Cisse Souleymane was
murdered in Hal Far. Two other men were also victims in this attack.
Lassana’s life mattered. He mattered to his
family, to his friends, and he mattered to us. Such brutal acts of violence cannot
and must not be ignored or silenced.
Together, we remember Lassana Cisse Souleymane,
whose life was so callously taken away.
We stand in solidarity with our brothers and
sisters who continue to experience violence, who do not feel safe.
We stand in condemnation of racism and wanton
acts of hatred.
We encourage everyone to come together to
denounce this act of violence.
We call upon the Maltese Police Force to commit
all necessary resources to bring the perpetrators to justice.
We call upon Maltese authorities to ensure that all members of Maltese society feel respected, safe and protected.
Statement endorsed by:
aditus foundation
African Media Association
Allied Rainbow Communities
ARTfuLIFE
Association des Ivoiriens a Malte
Blue Door English
Catholic Voices Malta
Caritas Malta
Chaplaincy, University of Malta
Church Homes for the Elderly
Christian Life Community (CLC) Malta
Cross Culture International Foundation
Dar Hosea
Dar tal-Providenza
Department for Inclusion and Access to Learning, University of Malta
Department of Social Policy and Social Work, University of Malta
Drachma LGBTI
Drachma Parents Group
Eritrean Community, Malta
Fondazzjoni Paci u Gid – Peace and Good Foundation
Fondazzjoni Sebh
Foundation for Shelter and Support to Migrants
International Association For Refugees
International Integrity Foundation
Isles of the Left
Hal Far Outreach
Integra Foundation
Jesuit Refugee Service Malta
Kopin
Kummissjoni Ġustizzja u Paċi
Malta Emigrants Commission
Malta Humanist Association
Malta Microfinance
Malta Association for the Counselling Profession
Malta LGBTIQ Rights Movement
Malta Street Art Collective
Maltese Association of Social Workers
Men Against Violence
Migrant Offshore Aid Station
Migrant Women Association Malta
Millennium Chapel
Mina Tolu
Moviment Graffitti
Paolo Freire Institute
People for Change Foundation
Pete Farrugia
Platform for Human Rights Organizations in Malta
Prof. Andrew Azzopardi, Office of the Dean of the Faculty for Social Wellbeing
Department of Youth and Community Studies
Richmond Foundation
Salesians of Don Bosco
Segratarjat Assistenza Socjali tal-Azzjoni Kattolika Maltija
Society of Jesus Malta (Jesuits)
Solidarity with Migrants
SOS Malta
Spark 15
St. Jeanne Antide Foundation
Sudanese Community Malta
The Association for Justice, Equality and Peace
The Critical Institute
The Good Shepherd Sisters – Dar Merhba Bik Foundation
There are circumstances you find yourself in that absolutely strip you of all human dignity. It is a painful thing.
When people look at refugees…sometimes they’ve been through so much, just let them be. They don’t want to trouble you. They just want to fit in.
I know the feeling because that’s what I have always wanted, just a place I can say, “Look, I’m home.”
Nicky
Our Island II: Personal Accounts of Refugees in Malta gives space to 12 refugee and migrant stories to speak for themselves. It presents stories reflecting differences in the time spent in Malta, cultural and national background, gender, sexual orientation and gender identity, age, education and profession and family composition, here and away.
Our Island II also attempts to span a wide range of emotions and experiences: the anxiety caused by being locked up, surprise at a Maltese woman’s flirtatiousness, peer pressure within one’s own ethnic community, helplessness at being perpetually undocumented, pure joy at being united with family members, stress due to the constant need to ‘integrate’.
So when we said we were going to get married, some people were thinking, “An African marriage? How could it be nice?” But as soon as they arrived at our wedding, they were surprised at how people were, and at how people dressed…
People wore traditional clothes, and just like my boss, they were all dancing! When African music is put on, you not only want to listen, you want to move!
That’s why it was so much fun.
Ousman
12 stories: Nicky, Adil, Farah, Michael, Mary, Sekou, Agnes, Omar, Emad, Dursa, Hana, Ousman. Well, 11 stories and Emad’s poem. As you read through the stories, you will be invited into 12 very different worlds. You will get to know our contributors and be given a glimpse of their lives in Malta. They are indeed very different worlds, yet united by possibly two significant elements: the relationship between Malta and all narrators is based on otherness; and their protagonists are, quite honestly, regular people.
Our Island II will be launched on the 10th May 2019 at the Casino Maltese, Valletta. For more information email: info@aditus.org.mt.
The project will focus on supporting newly-arrived asylum-seekers. The rationale for this stems from an understanding that providing this group with sufficient information and guidance as soon as possible not only seeks to empower individuals and support their self-reliance, but it also reduces the administrative workload of government entities in dealing with subsequent queries and misinformed applicants.
This project is partially funded by the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF).