Rev. Sinclair Bugeja is a diocesan priest of the Archdiocese of Malta. He completed the Bachelor of Sacred Theology course and the Licentiate in Sacred Theology at the University of Malta. Rev. Bugeja then continued his studies in Sacred Scripture at the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome. In 2022, he completed his Licentiate in Sacred Scripture and is currently pursuing a Doctorate in Sacred Scripture at the same institute. The title of his thesis is: ‘Insularity and Continentality as Markers of Missionary Universality: The Function of the Sea Voyage in Acts 27:1–28:16’.

Dr Matthias Ebejer earned his doctorate from the European University Institute in Florence. Prior to this, he pursued a Bachelor’s degree in History and a Master’s in Hospitaller Studies at the University of Malta.

Dr Matthias Ebejer is actively involved in the preservation of Cultural Heritage in Malta. He collaborated on Heritage Malta’s regeneration project of Fort St Elmo and served as an assistant archivist at the University of Malta. In recent years, he contributed to mapping out and managing the Archdiocese of Malta’s sacred art collections.

Additionally, Matthias is a council member of the Sacra Militia Foundation, the research arm of the Maltese Association of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta. His primary research area is Early Modern Church History, particularly during the Counter Reformation.

Mr Etienne Micallef worked for several years as a secondary school teacher prior to joining Malta’s diplomatic service. He was also an active volunteer in a youth organization affiliated with the Missionary Society of St Paul.

His first diplomatic posting was in China, heading the Consular & Visa Section for the Embassy of Malta. Later, he joined the International Organization for Migration (IOM) as a Project Manager for the EU-China Dialogue on Migration & Mobility, where he supported IOM’s initiatives on document verification, visa application centres, and the use of social media for detecting visa application fraud.

He was then re-assigned to The Gambia, serving as the Programme Manager for Assisted Voluntary Return & Reintegration for the past four years. During his tenure in The Gambia, he not only focused on providing return and reintegration assistance to stranded migrants but also addressed issues related to readmission. Additionally, he played a role in piloting two referral platforms for external stakeholders connected with IOM’s case management system for returnees.

Since June 2022, he has been working from Budapest as the Global Coordinator on Advance Passenger Information (API) and Passenger Name Records (PNR) for the International Organization for Migration (IOM). This role is embedded in the Countering Terrorist Travel Programme.

Ms Therese Saliba is a senior practice nurse within the Community Mental Health Services. With a Bachelor of Science (Hons.) in Mental Health Nursing earned in 2009 and a subsequent Master of Science in Mental Health Nursing in 2013 from the University of Malta, Ms Saliba holds dual nursing registrations in both Mental Health and General Nursing.

Ms Saliba has been involved in several projects within Mental Health Services and was instrumental in formulating care plans and consent forms in line with the Mental Health Act 2012 for the Office of the Commissioner for Mental Health.

Her work within the Community Mental Health Services is related to quality improvement initiatives for the healthcare professionals working within the Community Mental Health services and promoting mental health literacy in the community. She is a member of the Board of Directors of the Mental Health Services and a member of the Masters’ board of Studies within the department of Mental Health, Faculty of Health Science at the University of Malta.

Ms Saliba delivered various talks in local and foreign conferences namely the Commonwealth
Nurses Federation in Cyprus and London. She is active in voluntary work.

Ms Lourdes Pullicino is a lecturer at the Mediterranean Academy of Diplomatic Studies (MEDAC) and the Faculty of Media and Knowledge Sciences within the University of Malta. Her primary focus is on Media and Public Diplomacy in Global Politics, and she has also covered International Relations, particularly addressing security issues, on the Diploma course at MEDAC.

Ms Pullicino’s academic journey commenced with a bachelor’s degree in Contemporary Mediterranean Studies, and she later earned her Master’s degree at MEDAC. Her Master’s dissertation delved into the topic of the Impact of Public Opinion on Foreign Policy, specifically exploring Malta’s accession to the EU. Subsequently, she pursued doctoral studies at the University of Kent for several years.

Ms Lourdes Pullicino is a former journalist and brodcaster. She produced an award-winning current affairs programme. She authored a chapter titled “Media in North Africa: Case Study of Egypt” in the MEDAC publication ‘Change and Opportunities in the Emerging Mediterranean’. She also presented a paper on “Migration and the Mediterranean: The Nexus with Media” in another MEDAC publication titled ‘Perspectives in a Changing Mediterranean’. Additionally, Ms Pullicino contributed a concept paper for the ‘Anna Lindh Forum’ held in Malta in 2016, focusing on “The Potential of Media for Inter-Cultural Understanding in the Euro-Med Region.”

In 2013, Dr Ibtisam Sadegh obtained a Doctor of Law (LL.D.) from the University of Malta for her comparative research on religious courts and tribunals in Malta, England and Wales. Dr Ibtisam Sadegh is a lecturer at the Civil Law Department within the Faculty of Laws at the University of Malta. and a lawyer, practising predominantly in the area of migration. In 2023, she completed a PhD at the University of Amsterdam for her research on Muslim–Christian couples in Ceuta, the Spanish enclave on the north Moroccan coast.

Her research interests include mixed marriages, religious identities, and minority communities.