Leaders underline unity in Christmas message

The country’s leaders came together this evening to launch the Milied Flimkien campaign under the arches of the Palace Courtyard. President George Abela said that although the country was on the doorstep of an election campaign, the population was not as split as politics made it seem to be and the people's true values come out at times like this with the population uniting to help the vulnerable. Archbishop Paul Cremona spoke about the importance of spreading a Christian message at Christmas. Catholics, he said, should spread the value of Christ. Jokingly he wished the crowd a happy New Year “now that the world has not ended”. Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi referred to a choir of little girls dressed in red and blue costumes and used it as an example that one could be of a different belief but still sing with one voice. He stressed the importance of respect and said that he held a lot of respect for Opposition leader Joseph Muscat, because like him, he wanted the best for the country. Dr Muscat said that despite the fact that many disagreed over political issues, the Maltese population had values and ideals that brought the people together.