Urban anthropologist Rachael Scicluna launches Labour Party candidature

Urban anthropologist Rachael Scicluna on Saturday launched her Labour Party candidature for the second and ninth districts, with social justice as the main principle at the heart of her vision.

“This,” she said, “is the foundation for a strong, resilient, and happy society."

To create this kind of policy, Scicluna said in a statement announcing her run, she is committing herself to put people at the centre of society proactively and compassionately where their needs, wants and aspirations are at the core of policies across all government sectors.

She stresses that, “In the spirit of solidarity, inclusion, and mutual learning, together we can foster social transformation that is created and delivered equitably to all people. Therefore, I am committed to seeking and creating a dialogue with all to represent the diverse voices and perspectives of Maltese society."

For Scicluna, “The crux of this kind of policy is rooted in the politics of kindness - listening carefully to people and understanding their needs and aspirations. But that is not enough. What equally counts is how these needs are woven and implemented into successful measures, results and policies that are grounded in local realities."

Apart from being passionate about social justice, Scicluna says she also enjoys spending time with people doing volunteer work.

In the UK, she volunteered with Opening Doors London, a non-governmental organisation offering her services to the older LGBTIQ community (50+).

The natural environment is also important to her, in fact while living in Kent, she worked for the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) Charity in forestry management.

Over the past three years, she was involved in voluntary work with the Parishes of Senglea and Cospicua.

She also organised several community meetings with other professionals, such as Breakfast on the Bridge, in Marsa, Hamrun and Msida.

Scicluna said she believes that change is possible through small steps that are part of a broad vision built on modern realities and everyday life: “given that my profession is to understand cultural behaviour by speaking and listening to people to understand larger social patterns, my goal is to develop and implement policies that reflect the needs and desires of diverse communities."