Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca
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Coleiro Preca in 2017
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| 9th President of Malta | |
| In office 4 April 2014 – 4 April 2019 |
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| Prime Minister | Joseph Muscat |
| Preceded by | George Abela |
| Succeeded by | George Vella |
| Minister for the Family and Social Solidarity | |
| In office 11 March 2013 – 29 March 2014 |
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| Prime Minister | Joseph Muscat |
| Preceded by | Chris Said (Justice, Public Dialogue, and Family) |
| Succeeded by | Michael Farrugia |
| Member of Parliament | |
| In office 1998–2014 |
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| President of Eurochild | |
| Assumed office 2019 |
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| Preceded by | Hanna Heinonen (interim) |
| UNIDO goodwill ambassador | |
| Assumed office 2018 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born |
Marie-Louise Coleiro
7 December 1958 Qormi, Malta |
| Political party | Labour Party |
| Spouse |
Edgar Preca
(m. 2007) |
| Children | 1 |
| Alma mater | University of Malta |
Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca was the President of Malta from 2014 to 2019. She was the ninth person to hold this important role. Born on December 7, 1958, she is a well-known Maltese politician.
Before becoming President, she was a Member of Parliament (MP) for the Labour Party. She served in the Maltese Parliament from 1998 to 2014. She also worked as the Minister for the Family and Social Solidarity from 2013 to 2014. Since 2019, she has been the president of Eurochild, an organization that helps children.
Early Life and Political Career
Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca was born in Qormi, a town in Malta. She studied at the University of Malta. There, she earned a degree in Legal and Humanistic Studies. She also received a diploma to become a notary public.
She was very active in the Labour Party. She held several important positions within the party. She was a member of the National Executive and the Assistant General Secretary. Later, she became the General-Secretary. She was the only woman to hold such a high position in a Maltese political party.
Coleiro Preca also helped start the Ġużè Ellul Mercer Foundation. She was the publisher of the party's weekly newspaper, Il-Ħelsien. From 1998 to 2014, she served as a MP. She was elected first in the 2008 general election.
After her time as President ended in 2019, she continued her work. She became the Chair for the Malta Foundation for the Wellbeing of Society. She also chairs The Emanuele Cancer Research Foundation Malta. In addition, she leads the Malta Trust Foundation.
Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca is a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO). She is also a Special Ambassador for the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO). She is a member of the Advisory Board of Women Political Leaders Global Forum. She leads their #Girl2Leader Campaign.
Becoming President of Malta
On March 1, 2014, Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca was chosen to be the next President. She took over from George Abela. She was sworn in as President on April 4, 2014.
She made history by becoming the youngest person to be President of Malta. She was 55 years old when she took office. She was also the second woman to hold this important position. The first woman President was Agatha Barbara.
Foundations and Initiatives
As President, Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca started several important foundations. These foundations work to help people and improve society.
The President's Foundation for the Wellbeing of Society
This foundation was started by Coleiro Preca on June 25, 2014. It is a non-governmental organization. Its main goal is to help build stronger communities. The foundation does research and works with people to find ways to improve life for everyone.
It has five main research groups:
- National Institute for Childhood
- National Centre for Family Research
- National Observatory for Living with Dignity
- National Centre for Freedom from Addictions
- National Hub for Ethnobotanical Research
The Malta Trust Foundation
Coleiro Preca also founded the Malta Trust Foundation on May 14, 2015. This foundation helps young people who are facing difficulties. It supports those who are unemployed or at risk of poverty. The goal is to help them improve their lives. It does this through education and training programs.
The President's Secret Garden
In 2015, Coleiro Preca opened a special garden to the public. It is called The President's Secret Garden. This garden is located in San Anton Palace. She opened it because people wanted more outdoor play spaces for children.
Empower Initiative
On the Day of the Girl in 2017, Coleiro Preca launched a program called Empower. This program encourages more women to take on leadership roles. It also helps different women's groups in Malta work together. Empower brings together seventeen Maltese women's organizations.
The Emanuele Cancer Research Foundation Malta
This foundation was created to support cancer research. It was founded by The President's Trust, the Fondazione Terzo Pilastro, Italia e Mediterraneo, and the University of Malta. Coleiro Preca said this foundation is very important. It will help with research, development, and education about cancer. This will benefit people and families in Malta and the Mediterranean region.
The foundation is located at the Biomedical Sciences Building at the University of Malta.
Honours and Awards
Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca has received many honours and awards. These recognize her hard work and contributions.
National Honours
Malta: Former Grand Master Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of Merit
Foreign Honours
Algeria: Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of Merit (2016)
Bulgaria: Grand Cross of the Order of the Balkan Mountains (2016)- Bulgaria: Member with Collar of the Order of Cyril and Methodius (2018)
Germany: Grand Cross Special Class of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany, Special Class (2015)
Italy: Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic (2017)
Sovereign Military Order of Malta: Knight Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of Merit (2015)
Portugal: Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of Infante Henry (2018)
Russian Imperial Family: Dame of the Imperial Order of Saint Anastasia, 1st Class (2017)
Tunisia: Grand Cross of the Order of the Republic (2019)
Ukraine: Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise (2017)
United Kingdom: Honorary Dame Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of St Michael and St George (2015)
Awards
- UN Women and Global Partnership Forum Agent of Change Award
- Crans Montana Prix de la Fondation 2014
- Student Wellbeing and Prevention of Violence Award from Flinders University, South Australia
- WPL Award 2017 by Women Political Leaders Global Forum
- Ukraine International Person of the Year 2017 – For Political and Social Activity
- The ISESCO Gold Medal, for her work promoting peace in Malta and the Mediterranean.
- International Virdimura Award 2018
- Premio Margutta – Sezione Empowerment
Honorary Degrees
- Honorary Professor of Politics and International Studies, University of Warwick, 2015
- Honorary Doctor of Laws, University of Leicester, 2019
See also
In Spanish: Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca para niños
