[SLIDESHOW] MOAS, young hero among those honoured on Republic Day

Young hero Karl Curmi was awarded with a Midalja ghall-Qlubija • All photos: Omar Camilleri/DOI

ALS Malta founder Bjorn Formosa and President Marie Louise Coleiro Preca.

Philantrophist Christopher Catrambone received the Midalja ghall-Qadi tar-Repubblika on behalf of Migrant Offshore Aid Station (MOAS)

A ten-year-old boy who saved a baby from drowning and MOAS, the migrant offshore aid station who has saved thousands of asylum-seekers and refugees adrift in the Mediterranean Sea, were amongst those who were awarded this year’s Republic Day honours.

Presiding over the Investiture Ceremony at The Palace, Valletta, President of the Republic Marie Louise Coleiro Preca paid public tribute to a number of Maltese citizens who distinguished themselves in different fields of endeaviour, by appointing them to The National Order of Merit or to the Xirka Ġieħ ir-Repubblika, or by awarding them the Midalja għall-Qadi tar-Repubblika. 

Nationals of other countries may be conferred with honorary membership of the Order or of the Xirka or awarded the Midalja għall-Qadi tar-Repubblika on an honorary basis.

Former General Workers’ Union (GWU) Secretary General Tony Zarb was appointed as a Member of the National Order of Merit after leading the union for 16 years. Members of the winning team of this year’s Junior Eurovision were among 11 personalities who were awarded the Midalja għall-Qadi tar-Repubblika. The medal was awarded to singer Destiny Chukunyere and her accompanying team, including Maria Abdilla, Roberta Debono, Matthew Mercieca and Elton Zarb.

Philanthropist Christoher Catrambone, one of the founders of the migrant offshore aid station (MOAS); Lord Jonathan Marland, the Chairman of Commwealth’s Enterprise and Investment Council; ALS Malta founder Bjorn Formosa; and half-Maltese animator and director Kyle Balda were among those who received an award.

Karl Curmi, the ten-year-old boy who in July saved a 20-month-old baby from drowning in Marsalforn, was awarded the Midalja għall-Qadi tar-Repubblika.

During the Ceremony, twelve members were appointed to The National Order of Merit, two of whom received the award on an honorary basis. One person was awarded the Midalja għall-Qlubija and eleven other individuals and groups were awarded the Midalja għall-Qadi tar-Repubblika.  Two of the latter were awarded posthumously, one of whom was awarded on an honorary basis.

In terms of the Ġieħ ir-Repubblika Act, the President of Malta, acting on the advice of the Prime Minister, has made the following appointments to The National Order of Merit as well as the following awards of the Midalja għall-Qadi tar-Repubblika:

Member of the National Order of Merit:

Mr Kyle Balda

Mr Benny Borg Bonello

Prof Roger Ellul Micallef

Prof Hector Galea

Prof Peter Vassallo

Mr Tony Zarb

Mr Pierfrancesco Vago

Officer of the National Order of Merit:

Mr Joseph Sammut

Lord Jonathan Marland

Midalja għall-Qlubija:

Karl Curmi

Midalji għall-Qadi tar-Repubblika:

Mr Charles Coleiro

Mr Bjorn Formosa

Mr Vitorin Galea*

Michael Grech

Ms Joyce Guillaumier

Mr Charles N Mifsud

Migrant Offshore Aid Station (MOAS)

Dr Mario Scerri

Winning team of the Junior Eurovision 2015

Mr Alfred Zarb