Rome 4 December 2024 – The President of the Republic of Slovenia, Nataša Pirc Musar, was received today at the Magistral Palace by the Grand Master of the Sovereign Order of Malta Fra’ John Dunlap. This was the second visit to the Order of Malta by a President of the Republic of Slovenia, with which diplomatic relations were established in 1992. A cooperation agreement was signed in 2022.

The Grand Master expressed his satisfaction at the excellent state of bilateral relations and his gratitude for Slovenia’s support of the Order’s activities: “This visit is an opportunity to emphasize the important work carried out by the National Association and the Relief Corps OMAS (Order of Malta Aid Slovenia) nationwide and abroad. This is a commitment we wish to consolidate and further develop to meet the social, health and emergency needs of suffering people,” the Grand Master stated.

During the meeting, President Pirc Musar invited the Grand Master to visit Slovenia, expressing her great appreciation of the Order’s humanitarian efforts towards refugees, victims of natural disasters and those affected by violence worldwide. “Your contribution to reducing and alleviating suffering is invaluable, especially today when the fundamental principles of solidarity and humanity are being challenged in so many parts of the world,” the President said. The President also paid special tribute to the volunteers who, during the floods in August 2023, were among the first to respond: “Your teams worked tirelessly in the hardest hit areas, such as Luče and Solčava, providing assistance in the critical first hours after the disaster. We will never forget your support”.
The possibility of developing a collaboration in African countries and, in Slovenia, in the area of palliative care, was also mentioned during the talks.

Referring to the international situation, the Grand Master and the Slovenian President shared their concern about conflict situations, especially in Ukraine and the Middle East, agreeing that multilateral cooperation is the most appropriate and effective way to tackle global threats. In addition to carrying out major humanitarian operations, notably since 2022 in Ukraine, the Order of Malta is also active on an advocacy level, calling in particular for respect for international humanitarian law, the protection of civilians and relief operators in situations of conflict, religious freedom and other themes. The High Charges of the Order have made several public statements recently to this effect, notably at UN events such as the Summit of the Future, the Security Council open debate on Leadership for Peace and the Human Rights Council.

The Order of Malta in Slovenia

The activities of the National Association and OMAS (Order of Malta Aid Slovenia) focus mainly on first-aid assistance to pilgrims at various shrines; medical assistance; distribution of food, medicines and hygiene items; school transport and accommodation for needy families and elderly people in rural and remote areas, for asylum seekers and migrants; organization of summer camps and other initiatives for Roma children. The Order’s entities in Slovenia are active in emergencies and natural disasters in the country and abroad, such as in 2020 for the Beirut explosion, in 2021 for the earthquake in Croatia, in 2023 for the severe floods in Slovenia (the worst natural disaster ever, with EUR 9.9 billion of damage) and in 2023 for the earthquake in Turkey. Since the outbreak of the conflict in Ukraine in 2022, they have also supported the Slovak rescue service, providing humanitarian aid and assisting refugees.