(Reposted from: Newsbook. June 13, 2019)
The President of Malta George Vella highlighted that the right to education “is recognised as an essential human right for everyone without distinction of any kind.”
George Vella was delivering a keynote address to state leaders at The World Forum for the Culture of Peace at The Hague, Netherlands.
During his speech, he maintained that the right to education is not simply a matter of access, and referred to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which lays down the right to free elementary education. He said that this article lays down the right for education to be directed to the “full development of the human personality and to the strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms.”
In addition, President George Vella mentioned the necessity of rediscovering “the basis of sustainable peace in our world” and emphasised that politicians cannot legislate for peace, but they can “promote an education for peace.”
He said that communities and societies that adopt an order based on justice are best-placed to achieve sustainable peace.
