“I would like to express the immense gratitude for the help and assistance you have given to my country in various fields such as social assistance, education, health service and care and wish that our fruitful and benefiting cooperation will continue to be further deepened and enhanced in the future as well,” declared the President of the Albanian Republic, Dr Bamir Topi, in his meeting with the Grand Master, Fra’ Matthew Festing.

The cordial meeting took place in the Order’s Magistral Villa on the Aventine Hill and the Grand Master noted that the Order has a strong presence in Albania, through its social service assistance organisation, (Malteser Ndihmon ne Shqiperi). The organisation provides primary health care and services as well as social assistance and sanitary care. “In this context, it is also worth mentioning our civil protection and rapid intervention team,” he said. “In just over ten years, the Order of Malta and its Embassy have proved to be a reliable point of reference for providing humanitarian help in different situations to the Albanian people, to take care of the victims of natural disasters in the country and, in particular, to resettle the refugees fleeing in thousands from Kosovo.”

In his thanks, President Topi also extended an invitation to the Grand Master to visit Albania.

Following the meeting, the Albanian Delegation visited the Order’s San Giovanni Battista Hospital and its exceptional Reanimation Unit, among the most advanced in Italy.