Repubblika holds democracy competition, discussion for students
Democracy is not a commodity, but a way of life that we have to acquire day by day, Judge Emeritus Giovanni Bonello told students at an event organised by civil society NGO Repubblika. Bonello compared democracy to oxygen, noting that people only realised how important it was when it became scarce. He added that people were born with human rights - no government or institution could give people human rights, however, they could deprive them of their rights. "Human rights can only survive through the constant perseverance of citizens to safeguard their rights, a government fully committed to the rule of law and a truly independent judiciary," judge Bonello said at Democracy Evening, held as part of Repubblika’s Active and Responsible Citizenship campaign. The campaign was launched last year to promote a culture of democracy, respect for human rights and the rule of law. Its most recent event included a competition aimed at encouraging young people to reflect on human rights. Students were provided with information about the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and were asked to pick a particular human right and discuss it, either in essay form or through a poster. A total of...