PRESS RELEASE BY THE OFFICE OF THE SPEAKER “The Mediterranean must become the richest sea in peace, not in blood” — Carta Mediterranea della Pace proposed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives of Malta

Addressing participants at a conference held at the Università Kore di Enna, the Speaker of the House of Representatives of Malta, Anġlu Farrugia, proposed a Carta Mediterranea della Pace—a comprehensive Mediterranean Peace Charter aimed at anchoring the region in shared values of neutrality, intercultural understanding, ecological justice, and human dignity.

“The Mediterranean must become the richest sea in peace, not in blood," declared Speaker Farrugia, calling for renewed moral clarity and coherence in regional and European policy. He welcomed Malta's recognition of the State of Palestine as “an act of historical justice and moral coherence," and highlighted the urgent need for a humanitarian response to ongoing suffering in Gaza.

The proposed Carta outlines strategic commitments: active neutrality without militarisation, peace education across Mediterranean schools and universities, regional cooperation for sustainable development, and a dignified, rights-based approach to migration. “Neutrality is not a slogan—it is a foundation for moral leadership," Speaker Farrugia stated. “There can be no peace in Europe without peace in the Mediterranean."

Reflecting on recent challenges within the European Union, the Speaker underscored the importance of aligning declared values with policy actions, particularly in the context of international humanitarian law. He pointed to calls for greater accountability and dialogue in EU external relations and urged institutions to uphold the principles on which the Union was founded.

Calling on institutions like Kore di Enna to become “forges of vision," the Speaker urged Mediterranean universities to lead a new cultural transformation rooted in shared history and responsibility. He anchored his address in Malta's long-standing neutral foreign policy and historical leadership in Mediterranean diplomacy, referencing the 1975 Helsinki speech by Prime Minister Dom Mintoff as a foundational moment in positioning the region at the heart of Europe's peace architecture.