Malta and Egypt have entered into an agreement aimed at strengthening support for people with disabilities and young people, while offering opportunities to voluntary organisations. With the main purpose of promoting inclusiveness, the two countries signed a Memorandum of Understanding to collaborate on several key initiatives.
This agreement was signed by the Minister for Inclusion and Volunteering Julia Farrugia Portelli and the Minister for Solidarity of the Arab Republic of Egypt Nivine El-Qabbage in Cairo.
One of the main projects that the two countries will be collaborating on is the implementation of the concept of Autism Friendly Spaces, which has been remarkably successful in our country. Egypt intends to implement the same model used in our country, with Malta offering expertise and assistance throughout the implementation process. The two countries are also committing to include exchanges of experiences in social rehabilitation for individuals on the autism spectrum.
Minister Julia Farrugia Portelli described this agreement as one that will continue to promote Malta’s excellence in the disability sector. “Our country has managed to implement in a very good way the concept of Autism Friendly Spaces, so much so that many companies are seeing to incorporate spaces of this nature in their buildings. Through this agreement, the work we have done together will be recognized and implemented in Egypt for the benefit of more people on the spectrum. This agreement will also be important so that together with the series of schemes and opportunities already offered to voluntary organizations in our country, they will be in a position to continue to increase their experiences abroad,” concluded the Minister Farrugia Portelli.
Through collaborative efforts, Malta and Egypt are seeking to improve support for the visually impaired, while exploiting the latest aids and technologies to help these individuals live in the best possible way within the -society.
The Agreement also introduces exchanges for young volunteers and twinning for voluntary organizations working in the disability sector to foster mutual learning and collaboration between the voluntary sectors of the two countries.
Accompanied by the Maltese Ambassador to Egypt Roberto Pace, the Maltese delegation visited the headquarters of the voluntary association Egyptian Red Crescent which is managing and coordinating humanitarian work in Gaza. Last December, the Maltese Government contributed to the humanitarian work that this association is carrying out in Gaza. The delegation also visited the Life Makers foundation which focuses its work on social, education and health.
Present for the signing was the Permanent Secretary Nancy Caruana, the Chief Executive of the Maltese Council for the Voluntary Sector Mauro Pace Parascandolo and Margaret White from Prisms Malta who worked on Autism Friendly Spaces projects in our country.
Photos: MIV
