Anton Buttigieg
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Anton Buttigieg (1912 - 1983) was a Maltese political figure and poet. He served as president of Malta from 1976 until 1981.
Dr. Anton Buttigieg was born on the 19th February, 1912 in Qala Gozo. Educated at Gozo Seminary and later at St. Aloysius College. Graduated in Theology and Jurisprudence from the Royal University of Malta. An eminent Maltese poet and politician he was Malta's second President of the Republic.
Dr. Buttigieg built his personality on his strong belief in the Christian ideal. In his profession of faith, delivered in a speech prior to his award of the G. Muscat Azzopardi Medal, he stressed the importance of the national language, Malta's Independence, Human Rights and peace in the Mediterranean.
Dr. Buttigieg's love for the mother tongue was clearly evident during his years as an undergraduate. He was a strenuous member of Ghaqda tal-Maltin at the University of Malta. His contribution to Maltese literature included the publication of eight poetry books and the first three volumes of his autobiography.
As a young lawyer he became conscious of the plight of the working class. He joined party politics in 1952, first in the interest of the Constitutional Party, and later of the Malta Labour Party, of which he became President and Deputy leader.
In 1971 he was appointed Minister for Justice and Parliamentary Affairs and was responsible for the Republican Constitution which was enacted by Parliament on the 13th December, 1974. He also represented Malta in the Helsinki Conference on Human Rights.
In 1976 he became President of the Republic, and reached his Political aspirations on 31st March, 1979 when he lit the torch of peace on Freedom Hill in Vittoriosa and declared Malta free of all foreign military bases.
Dr. Buttigieg died on the 5th May, 1983.