The Grand Master of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, Fra’ John T. Dunlap, was received yesterday by the President of the Republic of Latvia, Edgars Rinkēvičs, at Riga Castle, on the occasion of his first official visit to the country.

During the bilateral meeting between the respective delegations, the Grand Master expressed satisfaction with the excellent state of diplomatic relations with Latvia, established in 1995, as well as the intention to further expand the humanitarian activities of the Order of Malta in the country. In 2021, a volunteer corps was established there with the support of the Order’s embassy in Riga. During the talks, the Latvian President expressed deep gratitude to the Order of Malta for its outstanding work carried out in Latvia over the past 30 years and in numerous other crisis scenarios, particularly in Ukraine and the Middle East. The Head of State underlined that, despite the significant economic and social progress achieved by Latvia, the Order’s work in the country remains of fundamental importance.

The visit continued with a meeting between Dunlap and the Speaker of the Latvian Parliament, Daiga Mieriņa, who thanked the Order of Malta for its long-standing commitment to supporting the most vulnerable groups in society worldwide. During the meeting, both parties expressed unanimous support for Ukraine and discussed issues related to humanitarian aid and cooperation in the field of social assistance.

In the afternoon, Fra’ John T. Dunlap and President Rinkēvičs visited the day centre “Sarah’s Garden,” which provides care and support for people affected by dementia, with the aim of improving their quality of life. The Grand Master expressed deep gratitude to the Presidency for its valuable support of the Order’s social initiatives benefiting the most vulnerable and Ukrainian refugees.

This morning, the Grand Chancellor, Riccardo Paternò di Montecupo, met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Baiba Braže. During the meeting, which included an in-depth exchange on key international issues, the Minister expressed profound gratitude for the Order’s work in Latvia and in critical contexts such as Ukraine and the Middle East.

The trip also provided an opportunity to visit key sites in the country, such as the Museum of the Occupation of Latvia, which commemorates the suffering endured by the people during the Nazi occupation and the Soviet regime between 1940 and 1991, and the Freedom Monument, a symbol of the nation’s struggle for independence, where the Grand Master laid a wreath.

The Order’s Relief Corps in Latvia 

Reorganised in 2021, the Latvian Relief Corps implements a broad range of social programmes in Riga and Saldus to support vulnerable people and Ukrainian refugees. Its activities are carried out by a team of seven staff members and 53 volunteers. The organisation runs charitable initiatives, soup kitchens, psychological support services, language courses, integration programmes and the distribution of food and hygiene products. In recent years, the Embassy and local retail partners have facilitated the regular delivery of food supplies – between four and five tonnes every three months – which are distributed through the Order’s relief organisation.