A book in Maltese on diplomacy for children was launched during an activity at St Nicholas College, Middle School, in Rabat, this week.
Diplomazija għat-Tfal, written by Kenneth Vella, the Maltese Ambassador for Estonia and Finland, contains a touch of history, geography and other interesting facts about the diplomatic spectrum. It gives children a better understanding of how an embassy works, the role of the ambassador, what a diplomatic strategy is and what a consulate is, among others.
Excerpts from the book were read out during the activity, which was attended by Minister for Foreign and European Affairs and Trade, Ian Borg and Permanent Secretary Christopher Cutajar.
While taking some questions from the children, Minister Borg said that this book was one of the first of its kind, offering a look at the diplomatic world through the eyes of children.
“Thanks to Ambassador Vella, for the first time, we are seeing that our children choose subjects that will form the basis of their studies in the coming years. We are showing them what the career of diplomacy has to offer,” he continued.
Borg said he believes that more young people are needed to approach this career, and that thanks to initiatives such as VOT16, young people were participating more in political developments.
Vella commented that the book complements themes discussed in other school subjects and encouraged children not to give up on starting a career in diplomacy and to be of service to Malta.
Diplomazija għat-Tfal, which is mainly aimed at children aged 11 to 13, also includes information about the credentials letter, how diplomacy started in the world, the European Union, the United Nations, and other information of interest, such as the first Maltese embassy that opened abroad, Napoleon Bonaparte and his relationship with Palazzo Parisio in Valletta, the foreign countries’ embassies in Malta, and the relationship between Malta and other EU countries.
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