From 9 to 12 September, the Grand Chancellor of the Sovereign Order of Malta, Albrecht Freiherr von Boeselager visited Lithuania for the 25th anniversary of the Lithuanian Relief Organisation of the Order of Malta. The Grand Chancellor met and received thanks from Lithuania’s Prime Minister Algirdas Butkevičius.
“I am sincerely grateful to the Order of Malta and you personally for the aid we received when we needed it most – back in 1991, on January the 13th,” said Prime Minister Butkevičius. “This year, thanks to you, the Order of Malta ambassadors are gathering together in Lithuania and Vilnius has been chosen as the location for your regional conference.” The Prime Minister stated that the Order of Malta is a very important partner in projects such as: special emergency aid, medical care, and fighting poverty. “Your activities directly contribute to promoting socialization, citizenship and volunteerism,” said the Prime Minister.
The Grand Chancellor spoke about the positive attitude among the Lithuanian population as well as their willingness to participate in volunteer work and fundraising events.
The possibility of a bilateral cooperation agreement, which would step up cooperation in hopes of involving more people and providing the best possible conditions to operate, was also mentioned.
Meeting the Minister of Foreign Affairs
The Grand Chancellor also met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Linas Linkevičius,to discuss cooperation prospects between Lithuania and the Order of Malta. They also discussed the international community’s efforts to address situations of humanitarian crisis that are caused by armed conflicts, migration, and military conflicts, particularly in Ukraine, the Middle East and North Africa.
Linkevičius thanked the Grand Chancellor for the Order of Malta’s 25 years humanitarian work in Lithuania and noted that the mutual ties had strengthened considerably over the past years.
According to Linkevičius, during the 25 years of its existence in Lithuania, the activities of the Lithuanian Relief Organisation of the Order of Malta – Maltos Ordino Pagalbos Tarnyba – have seen a great increase. “The Order of Malta volunteers play an important role in reducing social exclusion in Lithuania and in strengthening a tradition of social responsibility in our society,” said Lithuania’s Foreign Minister.
Today, the Lithuanian Relief Organisation of the Order of Malta has 1,200 volunteers in 40 towns in Lithuania, who help the poor, the old, people with disabilities, and children from disadvantaged families.
