Malta once again came together the day after Christmas for the annual L-Istrina telethon, where €5.76 million was raised for charity, with proceeds going to the Malta Community Chest Fund (MCCF).
The annual charity telethon, now in its 30th edition, remains Malta’s largest fundraising event of its kind and remains the foremost example of Maltese philanthropy.
Funds collected during L-Istrina are used to support patients and their families facing serious illnesses, including cancer, and to assist those who require medical treatment abroad.
First held in 1995, L-Istrina has become a Boxing Day tradition for many Maltese households. This year’s total surpassed the €5.2 million raised in 2024, though it fell short of the record €7 million collected in 2018.
The event sees national unity, and in fact it was officially opened by President Myriam Spiteri Debono, together with Prime Minister Robert Abela, Opposition Leader Alex Borg, and Archbishop Charles Scicluna.
In a statement on Saturday, Spiteri Debono thanked the Maltese and Gozitan people for the solidarity and generosity shown during the L-Istrina 2025 fundraiser.
In her message, the President stated that she rightly has confidence in the Maltese and Gozitan people, because this year too they have shown that they are ready to help in any call for assistance.
The President also thanked the hundreds of workers and volunteers, who throughout the year worked to organize various activities, as well as to make this year’s edition of L-Istrina a success.
Generosity and charity is truly the best gift that one can give. To give back is the greatest act of kindness. Giving back comes in various forms: it can be in monetary form, but also in terms of time or experience. To volunteer in favour of a cause is the most selfless act that one can do, because there is nothing more precious than time – particularly in today’s world where everything seems to pass us by at whirlwind pace.
A very simple appeal for 2026 is to keep in mind that giving back is not something that should be restricted to one telethon on Boxing Day.
It is heartening to see more and more people embarking on journeys and challenges all in aid of charity, and it is even more heartening to see the support that they garner from the general public. No doubt these people inspire more and more to follow in their footsteps and to act in favour of good causes.
But giving back is also not merely about the big gestures or what appears on social media: we can give back in silence, when nobody is looking, with humility and without being asked.
The ultimate benefit of giving back is not just for those who are receiving. The act of charity enriches the soul, and enriches society along with it.
May 2026 bring us a society which feels more inclined to give and to share than to take.