At Castille Square, a monument in honour of former Prime Minister Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici was inaugurated.During the ceremony, Prime Minister Robert Abela noted that Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici was a lawyer and politician who always embraced the values of social justice, integrity, and humility. He said that Mifsud Bonnici gave us the most valuable thing of all, his time. Abela explained how Mifsud Bonnici’s availability to the people was something truly fascinating, adding that he was also a strong voice for workers.The monument, which commemorates this important figure in Malta’s political history, was crafted in Italy through a collaboration between Heritage Malta and the Ministry for Culture, Lands, and Local Government, under the auspices of the Office of the Prime Minister.Designed by Maltese artist Manuel Farrugia, the monument consists of a pedestal made from strong Maltese stone and a bronze statue. This realistic yet contemporary monument portrays Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici as the person he truly was, dedicated to his work, close to the people, and always ready to listen to what others had to say.The monument serves not only as a remembrance of the former Prime Minister but also as a point of reference for another important figure in Malta’s political history.During the ceremony that honoured this statesman and Malta’s history, Prime Minister Robert Abela emphasised that the legacy Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici left behind is still alive and relevant today.“As a politician, he thought about the future. He was formidable in his thinking and so determined to make a difference that, during a time of significant political developments, he insisted, and succeeded, in introducing the principle of neutrality, together with another change that we still live by today: the legal amendment ensuring that the will of the majority of the people is supreme. Through this, he strengthened democracy and brought about stability,” the Prime Minister said.Dr Abela continued that, for Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici, Malta was not just a small island but part of a larger reality, the Mediterranean. To him, the world was made up of diverse peoples who should be free to choose their own leaders and political or social systems.“When he introduced the principle of neutrality, he also insisted that, in conflicts between countries, we should seek specific means of resolution. That remains relevant to this very day,” said the Prime Minister, underscoring the enduring legacy left by the late Prime Minister.Minister for Culture, Lands and Local Government Owen Bonnici remarked that there was no “Karmenu the politician”, “Karmenu the lawyer”, or “Karmenu the private person”, there was only one authentic Karmenu, a man who gave his heart to the worker and to his country.Minister Bonnici described Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici as a gentleman, a man of principle who never compromised on what was right and just. He added that money never influenced him; as a lawyer, Mifsud Bonnici was always compassionate with his clients, and as a university lecturer, he would even share his own income with students in need.He added that this monument is the least the Maltese state can do to honour a gentleman who gave everything for a Malta he loved deeply.Heritage Malta Chairman Mario Cutajar said that Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici’s kindness, humanity, and humility are well known and widely recognised, though his political, legal, and intellectual legacy is perhaps less so. The impact he left behind is still felt today, in the stable democracy we live in and in the peace we enjoy despite the turmoil around us.Cutajar added that national monuments, also under Heritage Malta’s responsibility, should serve, just as the agency’s museums and heritage sites do, as reminders of the people’s experiences, helping us to understand ourselves better and look to the future with greater confidence.•