Refugee Week Malta 2025: advocates call for visibility, shelter, and systemic reform (Watch)

As Malta kicks off Refugee Week 2025, , three leading voices have spoken out on the urgent need to rethink how refugees and migrants are treated, especially children, the homeless, and the undocumented.

Former President Emeritus Marie Louise Coleiro Preca, opened with a reminder of the vulnerability of displaced children. She said:

We need to give visibility to these children who many a time are put to the side and become very invisible,

Drawing attention to global crises like Gaza, she called for Refugee Week to be “a moment of reflection, a moment of resolve,” especially for a country like Malta, located at the crossroads of dangerous Mediterranean migration routes.

Christian Okiere, who works directly with homeless individuals, emphasized the tragic cycle many refugees face. “It’s double haunting,” he said.:

They seek refuge here but face systemic barriers that lead them to homelessness again.

Okiere highlighted how Malta’s story is increasingly shaped by migration and stressed that inclusive policies could empower refugees to contribute meaningfully to society.

Activist Christine Cassar from Moviment Graffitti added a deeply human perspective. She states:

Refugee Week is important because it shows that refugees and migrants are people like us,.

Cassar criticized policies that dehumanize migrants and underscored the need for legal reforms, including citizenship for second-generation migrant children. “These children do not have a nationality… every step in their life here is an extra burden,” she said.

Together, these three voices call on Malta not only to acknowledge the presence of refugees but to act, by offering protection, recognizing human dignity, and reshaping policy.