H.M.E.H. the Grand Master of the Sovereign Order of Malta was received on 7 November as a Special Guest of the 37th Session of the General Conference of UNESCO, which meets every two years to submit its plan of work for the following years to the Representatives of its 195 Member States.
Accompanied by the Grand Chancellor, Jean-Pierre Mazery, and the Grand Hospitaller, Albrecht Baron von Boeselager, the Grand Master was welcomed by the President of the General Conference, H.E. Hao Ping, and the Chairman of the Executive Board, Madame Alexandra Cummins to address the Plenary Session of the General Conference. In his welcoming remarks, the President of the General Conference stressed the most significant contribution to the building of peace of the Sovereign Order of Malta, through its worldwide humanitarian and health assistance. Furthermore, the President underlined that the protection and promotion of the Cultural Heritage, of which the Order is certainly one of the most ancient stakeholders, is of utmost importance for UNESCO.
The Grand Master, in the initial remarks of his address, expressed his and the Order’s sincere admiration for the irreplaceable work carried out by UNESCO and the UN and its main agencies overall. Recalling the recent collaboration and in particular the 2011 Paris International Conference on « Humanitarian Diplomacy and International Crisis Management » ; the 2012 Brussels Seminar on « Protecting the Sacred Places in the Mediterranean » and the 2012 Cyprus Forum on the « Protection and conservation of Cultural Heritage in the Mediterranean », the Grand Master has expressed his great desire to continue and develop such a cooperation.
Prior to his address the Grand Master was received by the UNESCO Director-General, Madame Irina Bokova with whom he discussed the enhancement of the already existing proficuous collaboration, in particular in the areas of protection of Sacred Places and of post-disaster interventions.
On the same day, H.M.E.H. the Grand Master inaugurated in the UNESCO Premises an Exhibition celebrating the 900 years of the mission of the Order in Tuitio fidei et obsequium pauperum, followed by a reception for the Delegates and other distinguished guests.
