Today, 10 January, the Lieutenant of the Grand Master, Fra’ John Dunlap, received the Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Antonio Tajani at the Magistral Palace in Rome. The meeting was also attended by the Order’s Ambassador to the Italian Republic H.E. Stefano Ronca and the Embassy’s diplomatic staff.

At the centre of the talks were the major crises that are marking this historic moment: the war in Ukraine and the violence inflaming many regions in the world such as Iran, Syria, Afghanistan and Ethiopia. “The one with the Order of Malta is a long-standing cooperation with great future prospects” Minister Tajani declared, reaffirming the numerous partnerships in existence, from healthcare to development cooperation. In fact, during the talks, Minister Tajani expressed great appreciation for the numerous humanitarian works that the Order of Malta manages in the 120 countries where it has a diplomatic presence thanks also to its associations, volunteer and relief corps: over 150,000 people including doctors, nurses and volunteers. The Minister focused on the rescue of migrants in the Mediterranean Sea, an important activity that the Order of Malta and its Italian relief corps have been carrying out for over 15 years, thanks to bilateral agreements signed with the Italian institutions.

In this context, the Order of Malta reminded the Foreign Minister that this year the Order will again participate in the International Security Conference in Munich, with a panel on Religion and Diplomacy in Conflict Areas.