Freedom Day, 31 March marks the withdrawal of British troops and the Royal Navy from Malta in 1979. This annual feast which usually features a variety of activities, such as the traditional regatta race was cancelled due to the situation of COVID-19.

Says Malta’s Prime Minister Robert Abela, “This is the modern Freedom Day we are fighting now – freedom from a pandemic… and, once we succeed in this, we can keep dreaming and achieving things for our country.” Abela added that he was convinced that the country would emerge victorious from “this period of collective sacrifice.”

Once again Malta’s resilience in times of trouble is evident in showing a robust health system and leadership which lead by Public Health Superintendent Charmaine Gauci has been acclaimed by WHO European regional director Hans Kluge who says Malta is a ‘country to follow’ as he praises the measures introduced to fight the spread of Coronavirus in Malta.

As a country that welcomes people from around the world for work, investment, retirement and tourism this island of around 450,000 population are vulnerable to a fast spread of the virus without stringent measures. First diagnosed around 3 weeks ago, there have been no deaths related to the virus and a number of recoveries have been recorded. In true Maltese spirit, people have rallied to assist each other, the elderly and those in service to the country. In collaboration with the government, a volunteer group of chefs are #feedingheroes.

Photo Credit: The Malta Weather Page