Sovereign Military Hospitaller
Order of St John of Jerusalem of
Rhodes and of Malta

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President of the Republic of Malta visits Grand Master of Sovereign Order of Malta

President of the Republic of Malta visits Grand Master of Sovereign Order of Malta
22/01/2025

The President of the Republic of Malta, Myriam Spiteri Debono, was received today by the Grand Master of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, Fra’ John Dunlap, at the Magistral Palace in Rome. The visit is the first since her election as president in April 2024. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1966, 18 visits have been made by Presidents of the Republic and Grand Masters and Six by Ministers and Grand Chancellors.

For Grand Master Fra’ John Dunlap the meeting was an opportunity to thank the President for her visit and to renew “the congratulations of the Order on her recent election and best wishes for the success of her mandate”. The meeting highlighted the deep historical and cultural ties that have united Malta and the Order for almost five centuries. The relationship between Malta and the Order of Malta dates back to 1530, when the Emperor Charles V granted the island to the Order with the approval of Pope Clement VII. Since then, despite the historical events that forced the knights to leave the island in 1798, the ties between the two entities have remained strong and “this visit is a further tangible sign of it”, commented Fra’ John Dunlap.

During the meeting, President Spiteri Debono and Grand Master Dunlap addressed issues of common interest, including the geopolitical crises of the last few years and the promotion of peace. Both stressed the importance of International Law and the need to support the processes of reconciliation and stabilisation, within a framework of respect of freedom and human rights. President Spiteri Debono expressed gratitude for the work done by the Order in the most complex scenarios and for the activities of social impact in the Republic of Malta, considering it a crucial partner in promoting shared values such as cooperation, solidarity and peace.

Humanitarian activities in Malta

Some of the major humanitarian initiatives the Order promotes in Malta are the distribution of meals to cancer patients, immigrants, rough sleepers and lonely people, as well as support for prisoners, elderly people in retirement homes and homeless. The Order of Malta also organises pilgrimages for the sick in Gozo, activities for the elderly, orphans and young disabled people. It also operates a shuttle service to accompany wheelchair patients to hospital and a residence for single mothers and children. In addition, there is a service of canine rescue units for emergencies and first aid during religious events. The Grand Magistry donated a fully equipped mobile clinic to the government of Malta to provide first aid to migrants rescued off the coast of Malta. Recently, the Order’s Embassy in Malta has collaborated with the NGO “Children Not Numbers” to offer medical care to seriously ill children from Gaza.