|
 Dr.
Anton Buttigieg was born on the 19th February, 1912
in Qala Gozo. Educated at Gozo Seminary and later at
St. Aloysius College. Graduated in Theology and
Jurisprudence from the Royal University of Malta. An
eminent Maltese poet and politician he was Malta's
second President of the Republic.
Dr. Buttigieg built his personality on his strong
belief in the Christian ideal. In his profession of
faith, delivered in a speech prior to his award of
the G. Muscat Azzopardi Medal, he stressed the
importance of the national language, Malta's
Independence, Human Rights and peace in the
Mediterranean.
Dr. Buttigieg's love for the mother tongue was
clearly evident during his years as an
undergraduate. He was a strenuous member of Ghaqda
tal-Maltin at the University of Malta. His
contribution to Maltese literature included the
publication of eight poetry books and the first
three volumes of his autobiography.
As a young lawyer he became conscious of the plight
of the working class. He joined party politics in
1952, first in the interest of the Constitutional
Party, and later of the Malta Labour Party, of which
he became President and Deputy leader.
In 1971 he was appointed Minister for Justice and
Parliamentary Affairs and was responsible for the
Republican Constitution which was enacted by
Parliament on the 13th December, 1974. He also
represented Malta in the Helsinki Conference on
Human Rights.
In 1976 he became President of the Republic, and
reached his Political aspirations on 31st March,
1979 when he lit the torch of peace on Freedom Hill
in Vittoriosa and declared Malta free of all foreign
military bases.
Dr. Buttigieg died on the 5th May, 1983. |
