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Address delivered by Her Excellency, Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca, President of Malta, at the Parliament in Palermo, following the conferment of Honorary Membership to the Societa' Italiana di Storia della Medicina, 11 June 2018

Honourable Gianfranco Miccichè, President of the Sicilian Regional Assembly Honourable Members of the Sicilian Regional Assembly Distinguished guests Dear friends

I feel truly honoured to be welcomed to the prestigious parliament of Palermo, which was once also historically, so connected to my country.

I would like to show my deep appreciation to all of you for attending this memorable occasion. Be- ing a parliamentarian myself for many years, I know how much your time is precious, and hence, I really appreciate the time you are sparing to welcome me to your parliamentary chambers.

I also feel a deep of sense of connection with all of you and all the people of Sicily.

The Sicilians and the Maltese share the same sea, share the same climate, share the same challenges and share the same successes. This has been our story since our formation.

Our history is interlinked. Our human stories have brought us many a time together.

Above all, nature made us so near to each other, in a most geostrategic position in the midst of our Mediterranean Sea. Together we form this natural bridge that brings together two most important continents.

Both of our countries played important roles in the history of the diverse civilisations and cultures which made the Mediterranean Sea such an enriched region in the world.

At a time when unfortunately the world seems so uncertain, when many of us feel suspicious and wary of one another, we have a most important role to play.

We are countries dedicated to universal human rights and fundamental freedoms. Malta and Sicily are best placed to be a model for positive peace by continuing to enhance our respect towards each other and towards others.

I would also like to take this opportunity to express my deep admiration for all Sicilians for putting into practise our shared values of solidarity and respect towards humankind. This is evidenced by the fact that in spite of the challenges that migration causes, you continue to demonstrate your hu- manity above all.

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Sicily is a true example to all of Europe and the world.

I consider the Maltese and the Sicilians more of an extended family. We are not just bound by ex- cellent diplomatic and political relations, but our countries are bound by a deep sense of friendship.

A friendship that has been developed by our continuous connection between our peoples.

This deep friendship between our peoples gives me and the many Maltese who visit Sicily, a sense of belonging, as the many Sicilians surely feel when they visit Malta.

I am proud to see that our relations have continued to grow deeper and have developed into tangible connections and collaborations.

The interconnector to the European grid and the imminent gas pipeline between our two Islands are major examples of such important collaborations.

Yesterday, we were also in Catania, where the Deputy Prime Minister of Malta, the Honourable Chris Fearne, signed an important Memorandum of Understanding between our health authorities.

Our trust in you is profound. This is evidenced by the fact that a number of Maltese Patients come regularly to Sicilian hospitals for specialised care.

I must now thank the Societa' Italiana di Storia della Medicina, and the University of Catania, for the conferment of this honorary membership, to their distinguished community of researchers and academics.

I feel privileged to receive this prestigious honour. I consider this honour as an expression of our shared commitment, to give the much-needed visibility, to those who are most vulnerable and most in need of support within our respective communities and societies.

As legislators and policy makers, I wish to share some remarks with you, about my own beliefs in the area of medical ethics.

During my work as former Minister for the Family and Social Solidarity, and now, as President of Malta, I have met with countless individuals and families, who are confronted by challenging medi- cal choices.

I am convinced that we would all agree that an ethical commitment to the dignity of one another is the essential cornerstone, for all humane and respectful healthcare systems.

Our commitment to human dignity is an expression of our shared duty to uphold universal human rights and fundamental freedoms of all the individuals within our society, especially the most vul- nerable; the most voiceless; and the most defenceless.

However, as our nations grow and diversify through natural processes of globalization, it is clear that the many groups and communities, who share our societies, will not always have a unified per- spective on many issues of bioethical importance.

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For this reason, I believe that we must continue to create safe and respectful spaces for dialogue, where the views of all people can be heard, and where a shared consensus can be reached, which will be subsequently reflected also in our social policy.

I also believe that, in order to ensure the greatest benefit for all of our respective peoples, it is essen- tial for us to take an inclusive approach.

We cannot allow individuals who are socio-economically disadvantaged, or who are suffering from poverty or precarity, for whatever reasons, to be excluded from the full advantages of good health care.

Each and every community, family, and individual in our countries deserve access to the latest de- velopments in medical knowledge and care.

I believe that working together to promote, disseminate and share scientific knowledge is most im- portant. For this reason, I would like to encourage you, our authorities, civil society activists, and expert professionals, to continue working together across Europe, to share their valuable knowledge with one another, for the benefit of our entire Euro-Mediterranean region and the World.

In this way, we can make a real difference in the lives of our communities and our families.

We must also ensure that the people of Malta and Sicily are well equipped to face a changing world, in the healthiest and most dignified ways possible.

We owe it to our nations to continue collaborating, and to effectively and efficiently promote the holistic wellbeing of all our peoples and to our future generations.

Thank you for your attention.