The Grand Master of the Sovereign Order of Malta, Fra’ John T. Dunlap paid an official visit to Albania which marked the excellent relations, established at diplomatic level in 1994, but with historic precedents dating back to the Middle Ages.
The visit started with an official meeting with the President of the Republic, Bajram Begaj. During the talks, the Grand Master recalled with pleasure the previous meetings held in Rome in 2022 and 2024 and praised Albania’s constructive role in promoting stability in the Western Balkans and its model of peaceful coexistence between different religious and ethnic communities.
The meeting focussed on strengthening humanitarian and health cooperation, with particular reference to preventive medicine interventions, health crisis management, and first-aid courses in schools. The Grand Master reiterated the Order’s constant commitment in the country, emphasizing the importance of the recently signed Memorandum of Understanding between the Albanian Ministry of Defence and the Order. This agreement establishes an operational framework to provide medical specialty training, in cooperation with CISOM (Order of Malta Italian Relief Corps), for Albanian Civil Defence volunteers, thereby strengthening emergency preparedness in the country.
The Grand Master met with the Speaker of the Parliament of Albania, Niko Peleshi, focusing on cooperation and the role of humanitarian diplomacy in promoting peace and solidarity. During the meeting, the importance of social stability was emphasized, indicating a positive model of dialogue and mutual respect in Albanian religious coexistence.
The Grand Master then visited the Cemetery of the Martyrs for the wreath-laying ceremony at the memorial. The Deputy Mayor of the Municipality of Tirana, Vasilika Vjero, and the Commander of the Republican Guard, Simon Zereci, took part in the tribute.
Subsequently, Fra’ John T. Dunlap met with Prime Minister Edi Rama, to whom he extended an invitation to visit him in Rome. The Prime Minister expressed appreciation for the work of the Order in Albania as well as his call and support for its further strengthening. Prime Minister Rama also highlighted the importance of interreligious dialogue and the need for a closer cooperation between Albania and the Order of Malta in this area. Expressing deep concern at the many armed conflicts and global humanitarian crises, the Grand Master hoped that diplomacy and the multilateral approach could contribute significantly to a more just and peaceful world.
The visit represented a fundamental step forward in the Order’s well established and active presence in Albania, where the formation of the first group of candidates for the future Albanian Delegation, the nucleus for an Order’s association in the country, has already been initiated.
