Fra’ Matthew Festing, Grand Master of the Sovereign Order of Malta, has arrived yesterday in El Salvador, together with his Delegation, on his first visit to Central America.

During his State Visits to El Salvador, Honduras and Panama, Fra’ Matthew Festing will have talks with the Presidents of these countries and will discuss with them the projects the Order of Malta runs in the region, and explore further possibilities for collaboration on activities to help society’s most in need – the poor, the sick, the elderly, refugees, the handicapped.

In a ceremony at the airport on his arrival in El Salvador, the Grand Master was handed the keys of the City of San Salvador. His programme includes meetings and high level discussions with the President of the Republic of El Salvador, Prof. Salvador Sánchez Cerén. At the country’s Legislative Assembly the Grand Master will attend a Solemn Session and address the Assembly, before proceeding to delivering a speech at the Plenary Session of the Supreme Court of Justice.

In the Republic of Honduras the Grand Master will meet with President Juan Orlando Hernández Alvarado and his most senior authorities, he will address the National Congress and attend a State Dinner in his and his Delegation’s honour.

Later, in the Republic of Panama, the Grand Master will meet President Juan Carlos Varela Rodríguez and the country’s senior authorities. He will receive an honorary degree from the Universidad Católica Santa Maria de Antigua. He will also preside over the Sovereign Order of Malta’s three day Middle American and Caribbean Conference, where delegates from 19 countries of the region will come together to review the work of the Order in the Americas and plan further initiatives to help those in their populations who have the greatest need.

In the three countries, Fra’ Matthew Festing looks forward to seeing at first hand the local projects that the Order of Malta is engaged in.