MEP Roberta Metsola has urged Gozitan students to get involved in public issues and join forces to help Gozo move forward.

“I visit Gozo regularly and meet with people from different sectors here and everyone agrees that Gozo needs young people to become more involved in the debate on the decisions shaping your future. Don’t be bystanders, join together and make your voices heard. That is the only way that Gozo, Malta and the rest of Europe will change,” Dr Metsola said.

She emphasised that sometimes the European Union gets it wrong and some issues are more acutely felt in small nations like Malta and more so in smaller islands like Gozo.

“But if you work hard enough and for long enough, even one person can make a difference. Never let anyone tell you that you are too small or too alone to make change happen. Never let the geographic realities of our country hold you back,” she said.

Dr Metsola underlined the importance of young people standing up for the European project, saying that Europe was a continent of opportunity, but people had to stand up for it.

“Europe is not some mythical, invisible far away organisation. Europe is Gozo as much as Gozo is Europe. It is you and me.”

Dr Metsola was speaking an event organised at the Gozo Secondary Boys’ School to discuss a book, Dear Europe, published with letters from European students, including a number from Gozo, addressing politicians and the public on what they would like to see from the EU.