Join us on the 27th of April, from 09:00 to 12:30 at Gonzi Hall (Catholic Institute), for a thought-provoking half-day seminar titled “A Society Transformed: Exploring Malta’s Evolution.”
Hosted by the Justice and Peace Commission and Malta Catholic Youth Network, this seminar delves into the profound changes shaping Maltese society over the past seventy to eighty years.
From changes in the economy and urban landscapes to evolving demographics and values, Malta has undergone significant transformation.
However, not all changes are readily quantifiable; some are deeply transformative despite being less measurable.
During this seminar, we will be discussing the following topics
The evolving role of the Church
In an increasingly secularized Malta, how has the relationship between the Church, the State, and society transformed over the decades?
Political parties’ changing landscape
Have political entities lost significance in Maltese society?
How are they adapting to their evolving role?
Shifting ideals and values
How have the values embraced by Maltese citizens evolved, and what impact do these changes have on our collective well-being?
Meet your speakers
Born in 1984, Fr D’Amato grew up in Żurrieq and obtained a law degree at the University of Malta in 2009.
He began studying for the priesthood two years later at the Archbishop’s Seminary and was ordained as a priest in April 2018.
He obtained a Licentiate in Theology a year later, with his dissertation focusing on the Church’s 1961 interdiction against the Malta Labour Party.
Fr D’Amato began his pastoral work in the Mqabba parish and became the chaplain of the Junior College in 2019.
Since 2021, he has been serving as the Archbishop’s Delegate for Migrants and as director of the Archdiocese of Malta’s Migrants Commission. Last year Archbishop Scicluna also appointed Fr Anton as the new parish priest for the Parish of the Assumption of Mary in Għaxaq.
He began studying for the priesthood two years later at the Archbishop’s Seminary and was ordained as a priest in April 2018.
He obtained a Licentiate in Theology a year later, with his dissertation focusing on the Church’s 1961 interdiction against the Malta Labour Party.
Fr D’Amato began his pastoral work in the Mqabba parish and became the chaplain of the Junior College in 2019.
Since 2021, he has been serving as the Archbishop’s Delegate for Migrants and as director of the Archdiocese of Malta’s Migrants Commission. Last year Archbishop Scicluna also appointed Fr Anton as the new parish priest for the Parish of the Assumption of Mary in Għaxaq.
Professor Edward Warrington is a retired civil servant and academic. He was educated at St Aloysius College, and the Universities of Malta, Toronto and Oxford. He worked in the Office of the Prime Minister, Malta, between 1977 and 1991, where he played a pivotal role in the administrative reforms of the early 1990s.
He was appointed Lecturer at the University of Malta in 1990, where he served as the founding Director of the Institute of Public Administration and Management (1999 - 2007) and Head of the Department of Public Policy (2009 - 2013), retiring in 2024. He is the author or editor of several books and as well as the author of scholarly articles or book chapters, on a wide range of subjects, including administrative history, institutional design, administrative biography, as well as the politics and governance of micro-states.
He has also served the Catholic Church in Malta and Gozo as an administrative consultant and researcher. He is an accredited retreat guide and spiritual companion within the Centre for Ignatian Spirituality, as well as an active member of the Christian Life Community. He has a particular affection for very small islands and for the remoter lands of Asia.
Sue Vella is Associate Professor of Social Policy and currently heads the Department of Social Policy and Social Work at the University of Malta. Sue lectures in social policy, and supervises undergraduate and doctoral dissertations. Before joining University, Sue had almost twenty years’ experience in senior positions in the public sector, including the public employment service and the agency responsible for trade and investment. She was a member of the EU’s Employment Committee for seven years and chaired its technical group, and has contributed to the governance boards of various public and non-governmental organisations. Sue also coordinates the national team on the European Social Policy Analysis Network. Her research and publication interests include families; poverty, employment and social security; migration; and the voluntary sector.
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