AboutMESA was set up on 1 January 1996 with Professor Peter G. Xuereb as President, Dr Roderick Pace as Vice-President and Dr Eugene Buttigieg as Secretary. At the time there were very few graduates, but the EDRC was building a strong cadre of specialists slowly but surely. The time would come when there would be enough graduates to build a solid and real association of experts. In the meantime, the task was to keep the structure in being despite the lack of official recognition in Brussels, and in the hope that its activities (channelled through the EDRC) would attract official attention. It was under the MESA umbrella that Professor Peter G. Xuereb attracted funding for an EU-MED research Project, which has now seen five volumes, published with Commission assistance.
Now there is official recognition for MESA - and some funding. Now is the time to invite all eligible graduates to participate as actively as they can each in his and her own way, in a forum of specialists which will be blind to party politics, which will focus on the real issues, which will put Malta and the Maltese first but in the context of pursuing the best for Europe.
At the beginning of October 2001, Prof. Peter G Xuereb wrote to all Masters graduates in European Law and European Studies as well as to others who have specialised in this field, having sought and obtained assistance under the Jean Monnet Project of the European Commission for the strengthening of a local national association of experts in European Affairs.
MESA has support to:
- Set up a network
- Make it possible for the members to keep in touch and to hold meetings to exchange ideas and research
- Collaborate on topics of current interest to Malta and colleagues in other European states.
- Promote in Malta the debates currently taking place elsewhere in Europe so that Malta’s voice is also heard where and when it matters.
Re-launching of the Malta European Studies Association The re-launching of the Malta European Studies Association (MESA) took place on Thursday, 15 November 2001 at 1800hrs at the EDRC, in the presence of Mr Ron Gallimore Head of Delegation European Commission, the Rector Professor Roger Ellul-Micallef and Dr Ugo Mifsud Bonnici President Emeritus and Honorary President of MESA.
The Future of Europe Debate In particular, the Future of Europe Debate calls on members to contribute to the shaping of the Europe of the Future. Never have the Maltese had the opportunity to do so as much as they do today. MESA is a powerful way in which to do so. It is one of over a hundred associations, all linked and all listened to carefully by the Commission and by the governments of the Member States.
What kind of a Union does Europe need? What kind of a Union do we want to see? What might be Malta’s place in that Union? Can we help shape the Union so as to better ensure that our particular interests would always be taken into account? What guarantees do we want? How is our security best guaranteed? How is our role best played out? What institutional structure would, suit us best?
Membership of the Association Membership of the Association is open to all who have some specialisation in European Affairs and are engaged in European Affairs in a professional capacity or otherwise can be said to be taking a scholarly interest in European Affairs. MESA is an association of scholars, and applications are accepted where the above criteria are met.
Applying for Membership Send an
email (or fax +356 21337624) with all your details (including email address), current occupation, areas of research interest and availability for active participation in MESA to Prof. Peter G. Xuereb at the EDRC, which houses the Association.
