The third day of the MED25 – Bel Espoir Project in Malta began with a ferry trip from Valletta to the historic Three Cities. The group explored the narrow streets of Vittoriosa and Cospicua, ending their walk at the parish church in Senglea, where the final meeting of this edition of the project took place.
At Senglea Parish, Fr Jean Claude Attard, coordinator of the MED25 project in Malta, shared a reflection on the past three days and the broader spiritual moment the Church is experiencing following the death of Pope Francis. He spoke about this time of transition between two popes and compared it to the journey the young participants were in—between land and sea, between different countries, cultures, and experiences.
Fr Attard used the image of a door as a symbol of this transition. A door, he explained, marks the point between two spaces. It can be an ending or a new beginning, something we must choose to cross. In many traditions, doors also represent welcome, change and growth. To commemorate this moment, each young person was given a keychain with a traditional Maltese door, a small reminder of the journeys they’ve made and the ones still ahead.
The group took time to split into teams and reflect on questions and texts prepared for them throughout the MED 25 trip, using a daily logbook designed to support their individual and collective growth.
For lunch, Heritage Malta organised a ‘Taste History’ experience at Fort St. Angelo, where the group enjoyed traditional Maltese dishes such as baked rice, bragioli, and local desserts.
The event concluded with a powerful inter-religious meeting at the Mariam Al-Batool Mosque in Paola, where the participants met with Imam Mohammed Elsadi. The discussion emphasised the importance of interfaith dialogue, especially in a region as diverse as the Mediterranean, and several participants shared insights into their experiences as Muslims with the group. The meeting ended with a shared prayer for peace and understanding across the Mediterranean and the wider world.
In addition to the organised activities, the youths had some free time to wander through Valletta’s picturesque streets and discover its rich cultural treasures. On Monday, the ship set sail from the Grand Harbour, marking the beginning of the next chapter of the MED25 – Bel Espoir journey, as the group continues toward Crete to explore another facet of the Mediterranean’s diverse identity.
The MED25 – Bel Espoir Project in Malta was organised by the Archdiocese of Malta in collaboration with Heritage Malta and Valletta Cruise Port.