Who are We

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The only tyrant I accept in this world is the still voice within.

Mohandas Ghandi

Contact us at info@peacelab.org

Welcome to the Peace Lab Malta webpage ! The Peace Lab is certainly a well known voluntary organisation which has remained active for well over 30 years. It runs an extensive adult education programme through various radio programmes (on almost all local radio stations) and newspapers (it also publishes a monthly newspaper addressed to youngsters)
The Peace Lab has its headquarters located at Hal Far, Malta. This site was originally part of the Hal Far airfield which saw intensive air combats during World War 2. It contains a sanctuary as well as a number of associated building and is surrounded by extensive gardens. Personalities and people from all walks of life, and of all races, creed or religion have visited this place. These include Aldo Moro, Madre Theresa, Archbishop Makarios of Cyprus, Leopold Senghor, and others. Though over the years, thousands of people have visited this blissful and and unassuming place, the Peace Lab has now decided to introduce its headquarters to the millions of people who surf on the internet.

This unique place with its gardens, secluded paths and various works of art will surely attract the attention of a wide range of audience on the internet. This website has been constructed by Victor G.Axiak and is officially launched on the first day of the third millennium as a greeting of hope and goodwill to all nations. The Peace Lab intends to open this website in order to establish closer contacts with other world-wide organisations working for the establishment of peace and social justice in a world troubled by unrest and hatre.

The founder of the Peace Lab, Fr.Dionysius Mintoff, a franciscan father, believed deeply in the need for an open and unrestricted meeting-place, where people of all backgrounds and attitudes could mix together.This page is constructed by Victor G.Axiak with the help of Prof. V.Axiak, Fr.Dionysius Mintoff, and Carmen Muscat.. If you have any similar religious (all religions welcome) organisation or you would like to contact us you can do this in the Communications Section.

An exciting addition to this site is the Virtual Tour. Now you can enjoy a virtual tour together with magnificent 360-degrees (and normal) photos of the Peace Lab and its surroundings. 3D Polaroid Images are scheduled to be online in the near future.

We hope that you enjoy visiting our site. If you'd like to send us comments use the guestbook or the electronic mail in the Communications Section.

COME AND MEET THE WORLD IN PEACE UNDER A MALTESE SUN

The Peace Lab is a non-profit making organization, with no vested interests except the cause of peace, in its multivarious forms.

With the facilities it provides, and with its interests in various fields, the Lab's message is: peace is possible !

What do we do ?

We organize conferences on topics that impinge on the cause of peace, in whatever way they do so.

We bring youth together, and show them how to come together and start knowing each other even through leisure and recreation.

We plan, record, and diffuse - both in Malta and abroad - radio and TV programmes.

We offer our grounds and facilities to anyone who needs them in the cause of peace and dialogue. The facilities include:

                    + fully-furnished twin-bedded rooms
                    + large meeting hall
                    + open stage
                    + meeting rooms
                    + spacious gardens.

How can the Peace Lab help you ?

We can provide you with conference and seminar facilities for groups.

We can cater for your needs whilst you are attending to your conference or seminar business: lodging and boarding facilities are offered at very cheap rates.

Above all, we can provide you with an uniquely relaxing atmosphere where you can meet and be met, where you can talk freely and be listened to freely, where you can discover your potentialities in the service of others.

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The change from a War station to a Peace Centre was the result of direct political action. Nonetheless the JOHN XXIII Peace Laboratory of Malta is a living practical example of the role that a non-governmental, voluntary organisation can play in shaping the conscience and opinion of the majority. It incorporates a group of people who have a similar philosophy of life. They recognise a responsibility to those less fortunate than themselves - a concern for others which is put into practice both as individuals and as an organisation. They try to be concerned for peace and justice in Malta and throughout the world, wherever they feel they have a useful contribution to make. In planning its activities the Peace Laboratory draws heavily on experience gained in its programs and on growing experience with its numerous partner institutions.

Aims

Founded in 1971 by Fr Dionysius Mintoff, a Franciscan friar, the Peace Laboratory is Christian inspired, and:

1. Combats all theories and practices which propogate the superiority of one group over the other;

2. fosters better understanding among all irrespective of creed, colour and nationality;

3. promotes and preserves social justice

4. nurtures positive human values.

The Means

Following comprehensive studies and a detailed research programme; the Peace Laboratory set out on a vast re-education programme whose aims were to reach all sections of the population.

The Peace Laboratory has gone through its share of growing pains in concentrating on developing an awareness in social issues. It has been its main task to support liberation activities and social action involvements. Besides stressing social issues of injustice and oppression with global perspective it has so far fulfilled its ideals through:

1. A drive for education for peace in schools and in the broadcasting media;

2. Social action organisation;

3. Youth organisation;

4. Supportive network system;

5.Volunteer involvements;

6.Comunity social service support;

7. Research and information gathering;

8.Grassroots Christian organisation.

Activities

The Peace Laboratory has hit the headlines so often because it is one of he most active voluntary organisations in Malta. Day in and day out it makes its presence felt in various sectors.

Over three decades, the Peace Lab has regularly organised seminars, symposia, study groups, public discussions, filmshows, work-camps and conferences. It can boast of an excellent monthly paper for youths; it regularly publishes educational posters; it has published a series of biographies of great men; it has an up-and-coming youth section; it has organised courses in economics, politics, industrial relations, public administration, history and sociology thus providing an opportunity for study to men and women of any age ad of varying degrees of programmes on the broadcasting media to propagate its messages of "Peace through social justice2 and it has a Friendship House which provides shelter and warmth to many Maltese and foreign youths.

Youth Section

Many activities of the Peace Lab are concentrated on youth, to complement those for adults with the aim of freeing minds from hate, prejudice and egoism. The youth section is made up of concerned Christians who are trying to understand the problems of injustice which the world faces today, and who are also trying to sensitize other people to these problems.

Annual Award (See Kindness Award Section)

The John XXIII Gold Medal is an annual award to children in Malta and Gozo who have shown kindness and generosity to less fortunate people in need of help. It is not an award for which children compete openly in a contest with their fellows, since it is specifically designed to seek out those who act unselfishly and do good because of the kindness in their hearts and not for the sake of reward..