This morning the Parliamentary Secretary for Persons with Disabilities and Active Ageing Justyne Caruana launched the Premju Socjeta Gusta, now in its third year.

This prize is given annually to promote the activism of people with disabilities, and to recognise all the work done in this area. The award is divided into three categories – Award for Lifetime Achievement in Disability, Award for Advocacy and Rights and Award for Disability Action and Activism

Dr Caruana said that nominations are being accepted from today and close on the 25th of November, then there will be an event where the award winners will be announced, as part of the celebrations that take place during the international disability day on the 3rd of December of ever year. Dr Caruana urged persons with disabilities to nominate others with similar needs.

The core principle that will guide these Awards is that people will be considered if they are actively seeking inclusive and accessible communities and contributing towards the fact that persons with a disability take part in the community.

She explained that a Selection Board and been appointed, headed by the Commissioner for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Oliver Scicluna, and made up of the Dean of the Faculty of Social Wellbeing at the University of Malta Dr Andrew Azzopardi, Chief Executive of the Support Agency Joe Cini, and Janice Bartolo and Keith Demicoli, a journalist and newscaster respectively.

The application may be obtained from Active Ageing website, from the Parliamentary Secretariat office, Palazzo Ferreria, Valletta or by phone on 25,903,175.

Photograph: DOI/Pierre Sammut

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