The ‘Maltese guy’ at the Oxford Union Society

Nineteen-year-old Lukas Seifert is known as “the Maltese guy” among his peers at Oxford University where he is an elected member on the standing committee of the Oxford Union Society, the student-led debating society.

“I feel proud to be representing Malta here but I would like to see more Maltese,” says Lukas.

“I love the Oxford Union since it’s all about freedom of speech and making a difference. I know many people my age in Malta who would be interested in this sort of thing. However, I feel we don’t see a lot of it and it’s about the way ambition is pushed in people.

“While the potential is there in our community, there may not be the right framework in place. Young people are mostly drawn towards more traditional jobs which, while highly important, may result in less opportunity to pursue alternatives.”

The Oxford Union Society was established in 1823 to uphold the principle of free speech. Every term, the society’s committee works to curate a programme of debates and speaker meetings in a forum that promotes critical thinking and encourages debate.

It was at the Oxford Union that Gerry Adams proposed the reunification of Ireland while still banned from appearing on...