This morning the Order of Malta’s Grand Chancellor Riccardo Paternò di Montecupo received Tristan Azbej, the State Secretary  for Aid to Persecuted Christians and Humanitarian Assistance of the Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, who had previously visited the Magistral Palace in 2018.

The Order of Malta’s presence in Hungary dates back to the 1920s.  During the meeting both parties declared their satisfaction with the fruitful cooperation in the humanitarian and health care sector as well as the excellent state of diplomatic relations, to be crowned on April 26 by the first official visit of the new Hungarian President Tamás Sulyok to the Order of Malta. The Grand Chancellor also expressed gratitude for the Hungarian Government’s generous support of the Order of Malta’s activities.

Important issues addressed during the talks ranged from aid to Ukrainian refugees, to the consequences of the conflict in the Holy Land and to the assessment of joint programmes in areas of common interest.

The Order of Malta and Hungary have enjoyed diplomatic relations since 1990. The Order of Malta is present in Hungary with its National Association, created in 1928, and Relief Corps. The latter has a staff of 5,000 plus 15,000 volunteers, spread across 350 locations nationwide, and runs a wide range of services for the elderly, the homeless, the disabled, disadvantaged families and children and drug addicts.