Maltese and foreign personalities from various sectors have been honored with the MVINTAGE Pride Award for their distinguished and exceptional participation in the drive for respect and equality of the LGBTIQ+ community in Malta and on the international scene.
The European Commissioner for Equality Helena Dalli was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of her vision and determination to advance the equality agenda. Both as Minister of Equality in Malta and as the first European Commissioner for Equality, Dr Dalli left a distinct mark and a lasting legacy with a series of policies, laws and directives in the field of equality for LGBTIQ+ people – legacy which is recognized by several other awards that Commissioners Dalli has been honored with in recent years.
Singer Glen Vella won the Audience Award because he distinguished himself not only in his professional career but also in the way he always lived his identity. Sylvana Attard was honored because as a mother she showed unconditional love to her son Miles Alexander to live authentically his life as a trans person. Against all prejudice, Sylvana was a great example to defend her son and the rights of LGBTIQ+ people.
The presentation ceremony was organized by the Allied Rainbow Communities and took place in the Pride Village as part of EuroPride Valletta 2023, and it honored, among others, Michelle Cilia who is the Head Nurse at the Gender Wellbeing Clinic for the its contribution to equal access to health services.
The couple Glenn and Kurt Zammit Freeman won the award called ‘Influence and Impact’, because over the years they spread the message in favor of love, inclusion and diversity and were a living example of the celebration of love while offering a safe social space for LGBTIQ+ people.
The Hungarian activist Viktoria Radvanyi was awarded the prestigious honor ‘Excellence in LGBTIQ+ representation worldwide’, in recognition of her bravery to combat policies against the rights of the LGBTIQ+ community in her country.
In the sports field, the Australian footballer Joshua Cavallo was honored who at the peak of his career publicly stated his sexual orientation while stressing that gay people are welcomed and accepted in sports competitions.
Romeo Roxman Gatt was honored for his contribution in the artistic field with which he promoted the rights of LGBTIQ+ people both in Malta and in several European countries. He is the founder of Rosa Kwir which is a collection of stories and experiences of people from the community who over the years suffered discrimination and prejudice because they were marginalized.
The Parliamentary Secretary for Reforms and Equality Rebecca Buttigieg while congratulating people who were honored, said that in their various fields they were visionaries and pioneers in the movement for respect and civil rights of LGBTIQ+ people so that they rightfully enjoy the fundamental human rights like everyone else. She added that the winners of these honors were witnesses to the theme of EuroPride Valletta 2023 – Equality from the Heart which should continue to be at the center of political and social work until the prejudices against this are overcome once and for all the community.
At the end of the ceremony there was a concert by the first Maltese Choir. Directed by Luke Saydon and with musical arrangements by Matteo Depares, Kor Kwir provided a unique and safe space for queer individuals
