MALTA’S president Marie Louise Coleiro Preca visited the Fremantle passenger terminal on Monday morning to recognise child migrants who disembarked there after WWII.

Ms Preca embraced each former child migrant at the monument, and apologised to them on behalf of her country.

•Maltese president Marie Louise Coleiro Preca meets child migrant Anna Germani. Photo
by Trilokesh Chanmuga

“It is sad and heartbreaking and I would like to apologise for the Maltese people even if the intentions were good,” Ms Coleiro Preca said.

“You are very important to us and you should feel very important.”

It was an emotional moment for many of the Maltese West-Australians, who had a chance to feel reconnected with their homeland after years of separation.

About a dozen former child migrants were at the reception.

by TRILOKESH CHANMUGAM