Malta, you are a beautiful island in the Mediterranean, with your rich history of hospitality – People of Malta, open your hearts to me. Look, I have so much to give: I am a student, a worker, a mother, a father, a friend. I have lived on your shores for seven, eight, nine, twelve years. I know your streets, I know your seasons. I understand your way of life: it has become part of me. My past is gone, I don’t want to remember what is finished. I want to talk about my present, about my future. And yet, I cannot force you to love me, even though I wish to stay on these beautiful islands, if only you open your hearts to me.
Malta, you have given me peace and security. I would like to continue to live here: let me continue to live here, this is home for me. I love Mellieha and going to the beach with my friends in summer, I love Valletta and having a coffee with my mates there. I love Buskett, Gozo, the gardens that you have – Upper Barakka gardens, the Chinese Garden. They are so beautiful.
I desire the freedom to hope and to dream. Offer me a legal pathway for me to stay, that I may have ground on which to build my life, to live and to thrive with you. I understand that this is a complex matter. You may believe that I am not deserving of this, but look, my life is here now and it is beautiful: the friends I have, the hospitality that the Maltese people offer me.
I want to be with you, because like you I believe in freedom, in the full respect of fundamental human rights. I am a Christian, a Muslim, a non-believer. I am someone who doubts my faith because of the violence I experienced in my country of origin. Of course, I love my country of origin, but I have a new home now: my home is here. With you I want to work to make this country even more beautiful. I also want to remind you how important it is to work for peace, the full respect for fundamental human rights and safeguarding democracy. I know what life is like when these are lacking.
I ask you to allow me to stay, but I also ask you to talk to me, to get to know me, because I do want a legal document that gives me the right to stay. I want to work with you to find solutions for the challenges countries are facing, that result in the mass displacement of people.
I love Malta, because I found a life here. I offer you my friendship and somewhere in my own heart I know, Malta also loves me.
This is home 