More than 500 children and adolescents from 65 Children’s Local Councils across Malta and Gozo have called on political parties to commit themselves to building “the Malta they will inherit” through a manifesto containing 132 proposals ahead of the general election on 30 May.
The Children’s Manifesto was officially launched and presented to political parties on Monday, 11 May 2026, by the children themselves. The initiative was developed by the Children’s Local Councils, coordinated by Malta Foundation for the Wellbeing of Society.
The manifesto focuses on six key pillars, including community and environment, mental wellbeing, education, inclusion, children’s rights, and online protection.
Among the proposals highlighted by the children were:
• Safer roads and pedestrian areas for children
• More green and open public spaces
• Better mental health support services
• Stronger online protection and safer internet use
• Greater involvement of children in decisions affecting their future
H.E. Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca said the children are not asking for “superficial consultation” but “concrete commitment on issues already dominating the national conversation.” She added that children “should be placed at the heart of every policy.”
Fourteen-year-old Elena Curmi from Għarb, Gozo, expressed hope that the document will “lead to real change” and urged political parties to continue listening to children and work with them to turn their ideas into reality.
The proposals also address issues such as traffic, overdevelopment, poverty, disability inclusion, education, artificial intelligence, and community life. Children stressed the importance of safer and greener public spaces where they can “meet, play, be heard and feel part of the community.”
The full Children’s Manifesto can be accessed here: Children’s Manifesto 2026
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