The Grupp Flimkien Naslu is this year’s winner of the Mons Mikiel Azzopardi Award. This was announced by Mgr Martin Micallef, Director of Id-Dar tal-Providenza, during a vocal and instrumental concert by the band of the Armed Forces of Malta on Friday 28th November 2025. H.E. the President of Malta, Dr Myriam Spiteri Debono, in the presence of Auxiliary Bishop, Mgr Joseph Galea-Curmi, presented the award to Mrs Lourdes Camilleri Farrugia, Chairperson of the Grupp Flimkien Naslu.
In Europe, 2003 was dedicated to persons with disability. In Malta the slogan used was Flimkien Naslu. (Together We Succeed). This was kept alive by the name of the Grupp Flimkien Naslu, a registered voluntary organisation which is led by persons with intellectual disability with the support of others. The main objective of the group is to help persons with disability, be their voice, getting them to help each other and become integrated into society whilst enjoying the opportunity to meet with each other.
The Group is made up of adults with different age groups. Whilst members have the opportunity to socialise with friends, colleagues and members of their own families, they are also very active in all activities of the Grupp Flimkien Naslu because it also gives them the opportunity to share experiences.
In an address for the occasion, Mgr Martin Micallef, Director of Id-Dar tal-Providenza, appealed for our society to believe in a truly concrete way that every person with disability is first and foremost endowed with fundamental human rights and a citizen with total rights and responsibilities and it is our role to open up the doors for a life they themselves wish to live and not one that we define for them. Citizenship is not something that is given but something that we all make happen together.
He added that Id-Dar tal-Providenza, that is celebrating its 60th birthday, remains committed that together with persons with disability, their families, stakeholders in this sector as well as our communities, will continue to strive to see that persons with disability will have the opportunity by right to live a life of their own choice; to have the opportunity to be fully part of the community, build relationships, contribute with their talents, capabilities and creativity, and enjoy equal opportunities with access for resources, places, homes and roles that allow for full participation in society and no to inferior accommodations or marginalised environments.
Mgr Micallef concluded by saying that the founder of Id-Dar tal-Providenza, Mgr Mikiel Azzopardi and other pioneers made much more than set up an institution. They called for a cultural rebirth, shattered prejudices and established disability within a structure based on rights not pity. Today, sixty years later, it is up to us all to see that we continue building on this legacy.
In her closing address, the President Dr Myriam Spiteri Debono referred to the seed sown by Dun Mikiel sixty years ago which characterised a better Maltese society that embraced a new and much needed acceptance of persons with disability.
The concert was held at the Metropolitan Cathedral in Imdina by the band of the Armed Forces of Malta under the baton of its Director of Music, Major Jonathan Borg with Amanda Ciappara Mizzi and Charles Saliba presenting. In this event, Id-Dar tal-Providenza commemorated the 60th anniversary of its founding by Mgr Mikiel Azzopardi as well as the International Day for Persons with Disability celebrated every year on 3rd December.
The concert included two compositions that were written specifically for the 60th anniversary of the Home by Maestros Nicholas Vella and Antoine Mercieca and premiered during the evening. Other vocal and instrumental pieces were works by Johann Sebastian Bach, Richard Wagner, Frank Erickson, Lowell Mason, Morten Lauridsen, Pietro A. Yon, Stephen Adams, Carl Boberg and another Maltese composer, Tano Monseigneur.
The Mons Mikiel Azzopardi award, that was given out for the first time in 1995, is awarded every year in recognition of contributions made by persons in the disability sector in Malta and Gozo as well as to persons and organisations that help out Id-Dar tal-Providenza in its mission.
