PRESS RELEASE BY THE OFFICE OF THE SPEAKER Deputy Speaker of the House addresses the meeting of the committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination of the Parliamentary Assembly of the CoE

On 11 September 2025, the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, David Agius welcomed delegates participating in the Meeting of the Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.

The event brought together members appointed by the national delegations to the Assembly.

In his opening remarks, Deputy Speaker Agius reminded those present of the responsibility to uphold the principles of equality, dignity, and human rights across all member states. He spoke of the inequalities and challenges that still persist and said that these also come with opportunities to innovate and to collaborate in order for injustice to be prevented. 

Agius outlined Malta’s priorities during its fourth Presidency of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe and stated that “While these priorities have been put forward by Malta, they are not just ours. They are shared by all of us who believe in an inclusive and equal Europe. They are the priorities that bind us together in spite of our differences.”

Discussions and decisions of the Committee can affect citizens in their everyday life and the Deputy Speaker reminded those present of their responsibility: “The work that is done here is about more than policy; it has the potential to shape societies into ones where every individual can live with dignity, respect, and equal opportunity.”

Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives David Agius concluded with a call to use each and every opportunity to “inspire change, to set the ball rolling for whatever needs to be done and to contribute to a Europe where equality is not just an aspiration but a way of life.” 

The Committee meeting was also addressed by Dr Helena Dalli, Former European Commissioner for Equality, Ms Renee Laiviera, Commissioner of the National Commission for the Promotion of Equality, Ms Samantha Pace Gasan, Commissioner on Domestic and Gender-Based Violence, and Ms Miriam Teuma, Chief Executive Officer of Malta’s National Youth Agency. Naomi Cachia and Ramona Attard also participated in the meeting.