G100 Malta & Gozo Meetings, 16-19 May 2022

Tradition, Talent & Transformation: from Oasis to Opportunity

The sunny islands in the Maltese archipelago are replete with history and stunning architectural beauty. It’s three sites are already on the UNESCO World Heritage list, and many more can be! Tourism is among the main economic engines. People in Malta are passionately proud of their history and hospitable hosts. If Malta had direct flight arrangements with countries, it could treble its tourism and also become a hub for people going to the EU and even US (example: Iceland).

However, to service the tourism, even currently, Malta has Human Resource challenges. Among the fastest ageing countries in Europe, talent is and skills are imported so to say. Speaking to some of the people working in Malta, mostly men, we learned however that they didn’t plan to stay on in Malta and wanted to either move back to their home countries after couple of years of cumulative savings, or move ahead to another country for greener growth pastures in EU or beyond. Tax incentives apart, talent and immigration is an issue that confronts the country.

The policies overall are people friendly. Tax incentives and credits for women to return to work, free childcare and free education (including breakfast, post school tuition, and stipends for students) offer great support to families and especially shares the care-giving role shouldered otherwise by women. Even for businesses, especially during covid times, funding support via direct cash benefits helped businesses retain their employees, holding together the company and the economy. Notion of traditional gender roles and issues of gender pay gap however remain an issue, as is in the rest of the world.

Greening Malta with sustainable measures is a challenge and an opportunity. Currently the country imports most of its food. It could actually become a net exporter if it could use the available land for doubling up as urban greenhouses (example: Singapore, Netherlands).

Faith runs deep in the hearts of people. It was deeply stirring to spend precious peaceful moments with the most revered Fr. Dionysius Mintoff, brother of the former Prime Minister Dominic Mintoff, 8th Prime Minister of Malta, an iconic and most loved leader. Fr. Mintoff is supporting migrants coming to Malta with free food, shelter, education at his Laboratory of Peace (where the Pope visited him recently). He is also launching a project, where we offered our network’s support as well, that is to support the crafts community of Malta, largely women, with economic opportunities and market integration. He shared that to unite the world and remove all kinds of inequalities and address the gender gap, we need Education and Communication. Education with inclusion will lead to peace and prosperity for all. In his garden is installed the bust of Mahatma Gandhi, an eternal inspiration of peace for all for all times.

A moment of joy was the gala dinner at the Delta Valletta Waterfront restaurant. A special surprise was the generous offer by the owner, Mr. Chevalier Oswald Scicluna to allocate a free space of the conference room as permanent WICCI Malta headquarters, supporting all the G100 and WEF activities there, and of course discounted access to the food and services. An address plaque bearing our logos was also unveiled at the entrance of the restaurant. An MOU was signed to celebrate the collaboration.

Convenor & Navigator: We extend our deepest gratitude to Convenor of the meetings, Dame Jane Chircop, G100 Global Chair – Diplomacy & Negotiations, greatly supported in the mission by the WICCI Malta – India business council that she also leads as President. Despite her recent surgery, she led us through an incredibly rich program across Malta & Gozo.

Participating Delegates

G100 Secretariat Global Team

Dr. Harbeen Arora – Founder & President, G100 Club
Vinay Rai – Founder & President, G100 Denim Club

Global Chairs

Dame Jane Chircop – Diplomacy & Negotiations
Chantal Yelu Mulop – Human Rights

Global Denim Club Advisory Members

Count Chev. Anthony C. Coleiro

Along with team of Country Chairs and WICCI Malta – India council

Program

16 May

11.00am

Meeting with Count Chev. Tony C Coleiro, Global Advisory Council Member, G100 Diplomacy & Negotiations wing

1:30pm Meeting with the Mayor Mr. Peter Dei Conti Sant Manduca, Local Council of Mdina

Followed by South Tour of Malta visiting the 3 Cities ( Cospicua, Vittoriosa and Senglea), and Visiting Our Lady of Graces Sanctuary in Zabbar

5.00pm Visiting the Maria Mater Gratiae Band Club Committee in Zabbar (a historical open theatre under construction)

6.30pm Meeting with Fr. Dionysius Mintoff and visiting his Laboratory of Peace. Follow up meeting on 19 May for Peace Lab Crafts Center.

17 May

10.30am Visiting Palazzo Sapienti, Valletta, meeting the Grand Master of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem Knights Hospitaliers and its Councillors and Visiting Upper Barrakka Gardens, Valletta

1pm pm Lunch

3pm Visiting the Malta Experience and Mediterranean Conference Centre

7.30pm Meet & Greet with WICCI Malta Councillors and Malta Chamber

of Commerce, at the Valletta Waterfront for a Village Maltese Fiesta.

Launch of WICCI Malta office, G100 Awards and announcing Distribution of SHEconomy e-booklet to all families and each household (180,000) in Malta and Gozo

In presence of excellencies

H.E. Paul Mifsud, Ambassador of Malta to Oman, Iran and Morocco

Noel Farrugia, former State Minister & MP

Maltese, for Visually Impaired NGO Visual Non Visual Network visualnonvisualnetwork.org

18 May

10:00 am onwards

Meeting the press, interviews, business networking and way forward.

19 May

10.00 am Departure to Gozo from St. Paul’s Bay Pier

11.00am Arrival Gozo terminal by Seahorse cruises greeted by WICCI Malta Councillor Ms. Alda Bugeja

Along with the Mayor of Qala, Gozo, Paul Buttigieg

Followed by Gozo Tour – including visit to the private house of Frenc Tal-Gharb , Gozo Weaving Center and Dreams of Horses Farm