Following the widely reported tragic news that a young gay man was beaten to death in Spain, a Maltese lawyer based in Berlin used LinkedIn as a platform to call on workplaces, employers and management to provide training for all people on how to handle diversity and overcome prejudices.

Matthew Saliba, Chief Legal and Compliance Officer at JOKR, a global brand engaged in product delivery services, wrote that it is important to discuss such issues on a platform like LinkedIn “because workplaces shape the lives of so many people – workplaces have the opportunity to educate so many on diversity issues, and in doing so provide a safe place for diverse people, in and out of the workplace”.

He went on to write that “workplaces need to step up, lead by example and provide training for all people on how to handle diversity and how to overcome prejudices that have been instilled through society”.

The Berlin-based lawyer added that diversity and inclusion are not “something that happens during pride month or women’s day, but every day, in every action, in every word”.

Dr Saliba read for a law degree at the University of Malta and was engaged in various legal roles on the island before moving to Berlin in 2015 where he joined foodpanda as legal counsel for two years.

He has continued his professional career in the liberal and progressive city since, using his platforms to promote awareness surrounding inclusion and diversity.